Which Eurosport, in their wisdom, are not starting at 8 but rather 8.25...but hey, as long as I get to hear the worlds "Your 2003 World Ice Dance Champions - Shae Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz" I don't really care! And no, for those of you who wonder, I have not yet stopped smiling - my sister's threatening to slap the grin off my face if I don't soon!

And here we are!

Belbin and Agosto

Simon says Elvis is in the house, but it's the wrong Elvis for me....rock and roll medley...and he's got the shades going on... starting at the boards...little wiggle...and he's giving it loads to heartbreak hotel.... steps to cetnre ice with little spins... and stop...oh how much do we love him... the applause is in and out...and she mimes scremaing fan as are you lonesome tonigth plays... this is brilliant...she falls into his arms...and he spins her... they should do the laughing version to this I think... lift with him in besti and nice changes of edge.... lift where she's on his knees... skate into life where he's leaning on ice and she's in splits across him.... and stop... jail house rock.. twizzles... and again... i so want to clap but type in rhythem instead... steps along diagonal...teddy bear and he does the knee thing.. more twizzles... greta dance moves here...hound dog.. and rotational lift... and they're done....and I loved it. more than i should actually because I'm telling you the one thing I didn't wnat was to fall in love with another ice dance team!

Langlois and Archetto

Wow! Didn't know they'd be here. Black dress for her, matching tshirt and trousers for him.... steps wiht spread...very bryan adams sounding song...as I think it is... steps ... lift with her right up in the air and it goes to one hand.... drop down so that they're face to face, and glide wtih her arms around his waist....pairs spins... she touches his face...aaaaah..... plenty of eye contact which is nice to see...spirals... throw 3sal ...lift and spin her in steps... this is so sweet....oooooh! and she nearly skids in back crossovers...but not in the leap of faith which is amazing and high! lift... great changes of position... into pairs spin where she leaps into his arms... spirals hand in hand.... going to his hands on her waist... s/s spreads...very nice... and changes of edge....and they're done...and oh yes that was great. i'll always be right there is teh song and that was glorious...another pairs team for me to adore...sigh....it's a hardship I tell you....oooh and her hand got his toe rake on the leap of faith...

Michael Weiss

As annoucner tells us to watch for the tornado...oh my god what is he wearing? waistcoat and anothing underneath? black trousers...lisa, you let him out of the house liek this? rolling stones...time is on your side...the bulmers ad music...as he waves his arm around...and it goes to durms and a flying sit... mick is singing... and and holy cow!!!! the torando...and flying sit...oh my god....that was something else...striaght line step while I rememeber how to close my mouth....you hear about it and hear about it and then you see it....jeepers...wow...he slides the length of the rink on the back end of the skate! i can't get no satistaction as he unbuttons the cwaistcoat and rubs his chest....eeeeeeew...handstand...and steps around....coat still open... lutz triple.... and stop and he does a headstand....and flip out of that....triple toe... hey you...and he lies on the ice and breakdances... and flip up... as much gymnastics as skating... backflip... and spin and stop. well that went down a storm...still in shock over the tornado me... a real entertainer chris calls him...

Grushina and Goncharov

skating to adagio...her in black dress of many sparkles and him in black blouse with deep v and blakc trousers...start of with him lying on ice and holding her up... she pulls him up... no back to her dress i note, just rows of sparkles to keep her modest...lift and another one wehre she's in fornt of him and making running motions with her legs... spin... lift with him in crouch, her lying back...and move to him standing... nice...and spinny lift... s/s kneel on ice and turn... lift where hes turns her aorund his back and ends up with her on opposite side and him on one foot... steps... rotational lift with her on his side... he lifts her in steps as she leans on him... lift where she's in spiral position on his thigh with him half crouching... s/s knee slides... move where she turns and jumps into him...and rotational lift... and lift with her upside down and leaning away almost in banana position from him, against his chest...and they're done. that was great...passion aplenty... enjoyed it.

Viktoria Volchkova

In black dress that she wore for the free... and the gloves as well... memory from cats... sarah brightman...spiral to begin...and she's missing half the song if this is the memory I know...around she goes to the lutz and she nails the triple... triple toe... layback.... and a lovely smile from her as she stands on centre ice... tgriple sal... ina bauer... spiral ... flying camel... with illusion... to the baords... straight line step... spiral right in line with the music which is very effective...glides in crouch... layback spin.... with boot held onto ....and she stops on centre ice... and turns and steps... and more steps... and she ends up in the splits on the ice... just lovely. and quite unsnarkable....lovely.

Pang and Tong

Black pants and white shirt for him, and white little top for her and white skirt with black inserts...and she's so skinny! bocelli's the prayer...i love love love this music... starts with her sitting on ice, him kneeling behind her, helps her up.... and steps...around they go... and he lifts her straight up in front of her...and female vocal...doens't sound like celine dion... her in spiral him in pread...2ax s/s and her landing is dicey... throw 3sal and that was huge! she just seemed to float in the air...lift and spin and into death spiral... b/o...and that doesn't sound like bocelli either...and it's not... lift with her in star position and it comes down on one hand... s/s 2ax and hops into double toe... s/s camel to sit and hes out of it before she is and it weas choreographed but not that early if you know waht i mean... split triple twist is also huge... him in besti her standing on his thighs...nice..... and ends in spin with her legs around his waist and facing down...and horrible musical edit and they're into the end of the song..big crescendo for her into spiral and lift from the with him in spread...and down... and into a pairs spin to finish.... and kneeling on ice facing one anohter. very nice...wonderful dramatic mood created says simon, just occasionally out of synch. i am enjoying this gala I must admit.

Chengjiang Li

Oh my...green undershirt, black jacket with fluff stapled to it...in many colours... black trousers..but the fluff...attack of the mutant dust bunnies.... he's got tribbles on his costume...tribbles with hair dye I tell you! samba is the music says simon... female vocal... steps to begin... shame its' not a tango...tango with tribbles I could then call it... steps...into flying camel... doubles the sal... nice movement to the music to be fair to him.... glide...and music changes... triple sal... and oh my god the sleeves ahve come off the jacket and the multicoloured tribbles have eaten his arms! fluff to the wrist in many shades....triple toe while i register the full horror of this jacket... he shakes the hips then does a step sequence... slides to stop and waves his amrs... steps... cantilever and slide to stop..clap while standing...and dnace on cnetre while shaking of the hips...sit change sit... and over to scratch spin...and he's done.... audience loved it and I'd have enjoyed it more were it not for the jacket...I'll need to see it again to get over it!

Navka and Kostomarov

Her in black sparkley beret with white top and black toursers with suspenders, him in sparkly black jacket and trousers and no tshirt it looks like but flesh coloured medley..michael jackson medley...diversity in dance they're claling it and great steps to begin with at centre ice the unison of which continues as tghey move until she slips...and they do a lift ...and to the baords and dance the length of the diagonal... this is great... lift with her looped around him holding onto her skate...and dance spin... steps ... love the unsion..and open the door, step through and close it...and dance and this is not michael jackson... he assists her in a cartwheel type thing...and she goes under his legs and likes it so much she does it again...steps along the diagonal... more steps... and rotational lift... and dance on centre and they're done. and if I could change on (shallow) thing, I'd put a top on him, because the flesh coloured net just looks ugly, and also, what I said when he wore it for the free last year - that jacket is too big for him and needs to be taken in. or something. it's too flappy and distracting.

Sasha Cohen

Black dress for her... grey fading to black rather, with oval shapes stitched on to it... music is romeo and juliet...does a spiral the width of the rink.... then steps ...and a lovely spread eagle... 2ax... spiral... with change of edge and sulbime extnesion.... split jump that is huge... and glide with leg extended... layback spin is oh so pretty... steps at centre ice... and around to the triple toe...sal... also triple...and flying cmael... nice position in that... spiral...and again look at that extension... ina bauer... charlotte.... legs are at 180degrees! camel to layback change sit to shotgun...with leg right up again...and wow! that's one heck of a finish! simon thinks she's the most gifted of all the americans... first time she's ever done 3/3 was here... she was apparently critical of ice surface - weren't we all?

Petrova and Tikhonov.

White dress for her, all black "I raided Todd Eldredge's wardrobe" outfit for him...dance me to the end of love... spin where she's in front of him, back to him, arms behind her around his neck... lift with she is carried by him and he turns her over in his arms...lift where he crosses her around his body...you know they did this for the gala in helsinki while i was there? throw triple sal I think... spirals hand in hand... into the death spiral, forward inside... she glides backward and his arms around her waist... move where he's in spiral and shes tucked around his skating leg... lift... with him in spread and her right out on her side..and drop down so that she's in like an X and she's upside down...and spin and thye're done.

Takeshi Honda

Black t shirt, and black jeans...hello takeshi! music is wherever you will go from the calling....oh hello takeshi! steps to begin... and around he goes... double axel was huge... triple sal? ... adn flying sit that was huge on "way up high" line... stepping in turns ...then striaght line step... to midway... and back again.. into the triple flip... spread eagle... with great change of edge! oh he's pulling out all my faovurites...steps along the diagonal... and glide with open hand right on the muisic....steps... camel spin to sit to upright change camel to sit...to shotgun and travel all the way but who cares really.... this is great! spliut jump... and anohter... spread... and change edge again...stars into flying spin..and he's done. and that loud crash y'all just heard? that's me knowing for a long time that I liked him and that I could fall very easily. the loud crash? that was me going going going gone. Loved it loved it loved it! Chris calls him the best all rounder in the free... and gosh darnit...I have to wave the flag for him now!

And now we have teh Haydenettes for synchronised skating. from lexington mass, ranked 4 in the world. slaughter on 10th avenue. I note it, but I know nothing about synch skating so review it I will not. rest the fingers i will instead.

Scott and Dulebohn

frozen by madonna, she's in black bodysuit with little top, he's all in black...you know Todd Eldredge must have given his designer's' number to a heck of a lot of men... she's got little makeupy things at the corners of her eyes.... lift straight up and held cross like in front of him...and down... around they go... split triple twist with real heavy landing...this a remix of frozen...throw triple sal is fine...as I realise that I dislike the remix more than the orginal... little turning steps... good unison throughout... lift with great extension from her, where he ends up turning her aroudn in the air and setting her down... into spin where he holds her at chest level... he pulls her around with her in spiral... seath spiral ish move with her in splits him holding one leg... 2ax... lift wehere she's behind him upside down, her legs spread... nice entry into that death spiral, bakc outside.... detroiter ... going ot one hand....and they're done when he lifts her up into cross again. clever routine simon calls it.

Denkova and Staviyski

She's got her hair all out, in a little black dress with silver sparkles on the top. he's in black blouse with short sleeves and black pants...black seems to be the colour of choice for most of the men, tribbles notwithstanding... big smiles from the pair of them...tango music...no back to that top that she has, just little lines.. this is shakira...obsession tango or whatever it's called...and loads of energy from them...lift with her leg over his shoulder and she's holding onto it... and he's spinning her so fast...great steps as I remember it's objection tango...dance spin... pause and stand into dance tango hold and do movoes in one spot...gliding carry lift with him in crouch and her on him...steps on the spot.. I didn't know these ttwo had that much personality! rotational lift with her doing the splits, her arms around his neck.... we lose the picture a little...but it comes back quickly...cantilevers back to back...he does a flying si, and intentionally ends up all over the ice, spinning on his back as she goes to the board and ggets them calpping...rotational lift where she's horizontal to the ice and that was great! really enjoyed it, lots of energy lots of sparks, just a good fun program from them.

Fumie Suguri

In a lovely shade of lavender, slightly darker from above chest...somesthing by the vienna boys choir... look at that smile.... starts with spiral position...steps into flying camel... and out... ends kneeling on the ice and then up into steps... 2ax... pops the lutz to a big single... big smile though...spiral into tirple toe... and spiral out of that... into layback with not great leg position I gotta say... stop and almost a little bow, one hand going across her shoulder... triple flip... circular step... lovely expression from her... ina bauer... spread .. into camel to sit layback cahnge sit to blur spin...which is incredible! and out of that and glide to the finish. and that was just lovely...so elegant and refined looking out there on the ice and it was a lovely piece of music, very well interpreted.

Totmianina and Marinin

Black dress for her with butterfly effect on the front and cutout in the middle of a diamond shape...black pants and ill fitting white blouse...it's too big around and yet it still won't button on him showing much of his chest...your song with a saxophone...lift with her lying back on his thigh and he spins...going into spin with her in front of him along his chest.... throw triple sal... lift with her lying out along his arms and lift her and turn her over...then carry life...ends with him in crouch her perpendicular lying across his legs... steps out of that.... she beams at him... press lift in star to her in banana like position but in the splits holding onto her leg... s/s steps nice unison... but his shirt is a disaster.... lift and swing her down so that she's upside down.... spin and steps whehre her arms around his neck...she does biellman as he skates around her... lift where he's on one foot, she's draped across his back.... throw double toe I think..couldn't see the feet...pairs spins... with her lifting at the end and being spun around... glidde as his arms go around herwaist...and into f/i d/s... and they're done facing one anohter, his hand on her cheek. big hug for him from her, and that was nice.

Timothy Goebel

Yay! He waves...he's in his free program costume... and listen to this roar... arms wide open by creed...i love this song! timmy I love ya! steps to begin and to allow me to compose myself... spread eagle...change of edge ...triple toe... steps... flying camel... and out.. into double flip...turning steps... build ip for the double axel??? steps... good interp of music i think... spiral... triple toe... great step sequence here... camel spin to sit change sit and cross foot upright...around he goes... spread eagle... hydrobladning move...butterlfy to scratch spin...and he's done sliding across the ice on his knees...loved it loved it loved him loved it. he's had the hip injury he's ahd the flu and he did this...simon is not his fan but he admires him for that....well I am his fan and I just lvoe him! and that was great....him and takeshi are my new two men. god help them

Lobacheva and Averbukh

White shirt for her and black skirt with one hell of a slit! him all in black ... same sun by chris de burrgh...llook at her boots...theyr'e going up to her knee....very cool looking! spin oto begin him kneeling on the ice...gets up and runs afer her, lifting her up... steps around... lift with her upside down against him...very nice... i do like this...steps in perfect unison... steps facing one another... steps around...lift with him in crouch her leaning back away from him... she lies on the ice and he pulls her along with him...grounds for marital cruelty??? I'm in awe of her skates... he stands and she's lying on the ice, holding onto his skate... lift where she's upside down holding onto his waist as he spins... she kneels in front of him...and he lifts her up and spins with her... love this program... lift with her in front of him, and ste down... rotational life...and they're done. and i love her outfit in case I didn't say it, she looks terrific...she could go out clubbing from the ice! chris wonders will the russian fed exert pressure on them to make them stay, as he says n&k aren't in this league... married since 95.

Elena Sokolova

she's all in her black cloak for her adagio program... and a big smile from her as she comes out....starts down on her knees... stands up from that and then kneels again... arms up and out and searching along the ice...big silver corss on her back I've just seen... around she goes... ina bauer to begin... butterfly...and over to the boards, leg up on it and stretch... step away from that, little hops and turns down the rink... into illusion spin of one rev...around into flying entry into scratch spin... how she doesn't get all tangled up in the cloak I don't know...split jump... and down to one knee and lie on the ice... kneels and kisses the ice it looks like...and off comes the cloak to reveal black pants and little silver and black top... spiral.. with bent leg... 2ax... and another... nice smile from her... steps .. to the corner... and lean against boards... deep breath...steps down the length of the rink... into the tirple flip I think... spread eagle... with change of edge...layback... and out... and steps and stop, kneeling back on the ice to pull her cloak over her. very nice...alluring and mesmerising simon calls her...in many ways too much talent he says... a miracle we see her fulfilling her talent he says.. chris tells us that her move and change of coach has really paid off...

Shen and Zhao

Now they're not skating, they're there beside the announcer, and they're not skating with her injury. what they're showing us is their free skate. so I again rest my fingers and reach for the tissues. 3 times I've seen this and I've bawled every time, and I fail to see why this should be different!

And it's over and I did cry,adn you know how it feels when every single hair on your body is standing up??? that's me right now! annoucner talks to them, asks them how they felt... he answers in chinese... interpreter says after landing second 3throw I felt like we were not belonging to oursleves we were belonging to you the audience. can we expect to see more wonderful skating form the two of you? she answers, throuhg interp, and he says somethign too..she apologies..interp says we will continue our skating in competitions, we will have new programs we will try to land quad throws in comps, we will presnet you with much more better performances... hethanks the crowd in english ..calls them the greatest audience, says they love them.

Evgeny Plushenko

oh my god...what the heck? big rubber costume...orange and yellows and red, heart shaped balloon, big mask of his face...he's going to skate like this? only you ...pruple trousers and big orange foam skates... he wwaves to the crowd...spitting image where are you when I needyou... steps.. chris calls it a late firday night when he thought this one up...and we lose the picuture! oh no....and back to the parade of flag....this is not what we want to see...and the same again...this is not good not good at all...and I hope they get it back..they're doing all they can....oh if I miss shae and vic I'm going ot be incredibly pissed...and we're seeing the same thing over and over again and now we've got the test card up...oh this is disaster... andhe'sback! has lost the top and he's in orange shirt and purple trousers, have some fun tonight, little richard... tirple toe... mimes playing saxophone... to the boards and flirts with the audience...great steps here... now that I can see them! oh be still my beating heart. never thought I'd say that during one of his progrmas!.and he swivells the hips...butterfly to upright..and he's done. excpet he's not...up again...getting crowd going...picks up head and smooths down hair...cantilever holding out the foam head...and scratch spin with it high in the air... ends with him pointing to it... he tries to get crowd to applaud it... and we see the jacket and head coming off ...ok him wiggling the hips is still just plain wrong... cantilever with the head was entirely cool....

and out he comes again... he takes down his suspenders and pretneds to begin tkaing down the pants as I pray for recurrence of tech problems if he does....have some fun tonight again...does triple toe triple toe combo... and around for scratch spin... pretty fast there! all this with noddy shoes simon calls us. as I repeat my complaint - does anyone remember when champions used to do a program *and* an encore?? it's not that long ago! he jumps up and down on the ice trying to get the crowd to keep the applause.

Bourne and Kraatz

and this is the moment I've been waiting for... black and silver iotfits...spiderwebs on them... much sparkles... first ever NA dance couple to win worlds...I have chills. he starts lying down on the ice, lifting her... enigma sadness.... she skates up to him, wouldn't we all? she jumps up as he remains kneeling...looks like she's casting a spell on himj...lucky old her.... hydroblading move...him leaning on her... and another where they both lean on their hands... steps with nice timing... lift with her in front of him and running...she ducks nad he goes over her... hydroblade...ending with her still doing it and him spinning her like d/s almost...kneeling on ice and turning...steps... lift and down... glide... spin her out of that... kicks ot the side... and lean back and look up at him... how does one get a job like that...wow! go vic! he slides on the ice on his hands...and she thinks that's cool nad does it too... more steps, another hydroblading move... around... and lift so that she's upside down hands on ice and him in besti...he puts her down on the ice and comes back to her, him kneeling her draped above him. love it! and just look at those smiles... and look at the fingers on her gloves! 10 time canadian champions the announcer amends - he called them 7.

encore or anohter program? crowd holler out for more... she's taken off the gloves... reprise of free program... start facing one anohter... this the final part of the free... she skates away from him, he riuns after her... steps... little running steps ahead of him...and lift and spin....twizzles... and again... steps down the ice... around the corenr ... lift ... and he sets her down... and he's beaming....and I've said it before, will say it again, look at those smiles.... he turns around again as they go off and gives another wave...and I'm going to cry again.

Michelle Kwan

Her Fields of Gold dress...first lady since carol heiss to win 5 world titles.... announcer just announces her as michelle...and it is fields of gold... oh there will be tears...someone shouts out something... gets a laugh but not sure what... spiral to begin, so well held... and look at that smile... axel ... and around and doen the ice for the tripel toe... charlotte spiral... and into spiral... flying camel... to sit to Y spin... steps... split turning jump... little hop back and another... camel spin to upright... steps around and into the tirple flip... spread eagle... love that ... ina bauer... hydroblading move... to one knee and sliding back...stand up... into camel to layback... change sit to leg extended in front of her spin... and stop...around again... into steps... and back spiral... hand tips ice around, and she's done....what can I say that hasn't already been said? standing o and well deserved. as I wipe my cheeks and nod my head as chris points out that it sends shivers up your spine to see her skate to that....

she comes back out... the roar is something else... music is still fields of gold... and pic glitches again.. change of edge sppiral... how much do I love that move? hands over her head she stop and takes her bows...

and the closing number now.... lights come up... as they all come out, all the pairs... all do carry lifts... then the dancers... the men and ladies... and they line up to take their bows, and what a wonderful wonderful week it's been!