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The Winner takes it all..... Dancing queen.....Honey, honey (for pooh)...... Fernandez (er, Fernando)....all great choices, lol.... not that it would ever happen....

Wonder what they're doing... both going all the way to Beijing, at the same time... makes me go, "hmmmm" For all we know, this is Yuzu's week in Japan for all his mass commercial shoots, photographs, interviews etc....

Wow. They were definitely making strides for Japanese ice dancing... what a blow. I thought they were progressing really well.

I didn't find much that was interesting in either Trusova or Kostornaia's programs. It was just jumps, some spins, and the trademark busy step sequences that have no connection to the music. I am disappointed. I expected more from them, Kostornaia especially, but it is August, so there is a lot of time to change my mind. (I actually didn't mind the patchwork of Romeo and Juliet's greatest hits in Kostornaia's program...)

Yup, Trusova and her quads....something to behold... i am of 2 minds about her, mainly because of the same old *how much will she grow* question. You want to believe that she will continue on just fine and with time will develop the other skills she currently lacks... but that nagging doubt is there until she hits around 17.... Part of me wants to see what her family looks like to guess how much growing she could be doing in the coming years.

His music choice: hmmm, he is not the skater I would choose to skate to music that needs deep, beautiful edges and lines.... however, if he wants to develop that side of his skating, well, good for him for working at it.

You can tell it is August... programs are being shown and I"m half sold or not sold, and none really stick out yet as being "WOW, I can hardly wait to see that later on!" I like Boyang's sp because his movements are definitely different from before, although the usual criticisms apply. Nathan's is ok, Shoma's is ok... both with growing pains but i"m sure they will look better soon. Alina's program did not say to me Yes, I AM the Olympic champion. It was generic, typically Eteri camp, with way too much going on....and throughout this program I thought it was Evgenia skating out there. I wanted more from Satoko's sp... kept expecting more... i generally like her choreography, it's easy to watch (not uber busy) and like it here too, but i wanted something MORE this time. Look forward to what competitions bring....

If you watch the clips and media day news reports from previous years, you will see that they show him usually going through parts of his programs. They never reveal the whole program even though they have the footage, but you hear music etc., and some fans even try to piece together the clips on YT sometimes!!. As the weeks go by they reveal a few seconds more here and there. And after watching him and his set ups for years, we can often guess layout. He never wears a costume, just his UA. The costume is revealed at his first comp, which lately has been ACI. The reveal is always worth a couple of pages on here, lol.

Lol. New "free skate " music? Woot, woot. Chopin no.4 anyone :)? just kidding. I fully expect 2 new programs from him : post Olys is a new chapter, new scoring system, new him.

I do not see a 4A this season. Last season he was healthy and we knew the 4lz was very likely since we kept hearing about it in show practice all summer etc.,... but the injury changed everything. If he still has issues or even twinges of pain trying the lutz/flip, then that landing ankle is not ready for the stress of the axel. But, we do not know his current status so who knows... but I just don't think there is enough time. just my 2cents...

And yuzu in the background.....

Lol. Eteri and her need for flowers....

And it is usually after our August long weekend (monday holiday) so the coaches are present...

Breathe deeply... the stove Is on!!!

I love it all... BUT the yellow fluffy swifffer duster... love the blue top... the pants... just NOt the yellow

Dory loses the battle... if it was not yellow, it would have been fine...

Im more disappointed about DW's sp choice for Mai than what Med chose...

All the very top athletes want to beat their competitors at their absolute best. Then there is no question of " what if so and so had done this..." then results might have been different. The problem is that in skating there will almost always be a wobble of some kind, on something.... and with a limited number of competitions each year when everyone is present, and healthy, that ultimate competition is very rare.

Don't even write those words!!! This season has serious voodoo going on.....

Oh wow. I guess things just were not working out how they had hoped... best of luck to them... my goodness, but Canadian disciplines are in flux (apart from our 2 top ladies). This is the craziest off season I can remember, for many reasons, across the board.

I think someday in the future a Denis Ten Memorial Cup would be an appropriate name for a competition.... something to honour his memory and legacy to Kazakhstan skating and community... just a small thought....

But, he was just in some shows... he had plans, visions....he was 25... this is not supposed to happen!!! I am so sad....and especially for everyone who knew him.... I need a few moments....

I have quite a few Asian friends and many of them react quickly to alcohol and they tell me it is an Asian thing (genetically). They still drink, it just takes very little to cause "drunk" symptoms, and even hives in one of them. One guy I knew (university experimentation, of course) had never had a drink before and then started complaining he could not feel his face... he was told that was perfectly normal after drinking a lot... it just took less for him to feel it than it did for us. For very health conscious people, and those who are very in control of themselves, feelings we consider normal for being drunk may be a real cause for alarm. They drink if they want (provided they dont experience sob and dangerous reactions) despite having issues, but if they do not like the feeling that is another story. This is just based on the experiences with my friends, and everyone is different.

Anna P. looked beautiful, as I expected..... and he is sooo talllll!!! Wish the best for them. Not a big fan of Med's blades, especially her boots, but she wanted something individual (im sure) and her liking them is what matters. As for Alina, well, I imagine she will work through it as athletes usually try to do with pain. Quickly looking it up, it sounds like it goes away after you stop growing and since she is smack dab in the middle of those years I cannot see her resting through what many would say are the most competitive years for ladies.... especially in Russia, with all the competition....not a good situation at all here. Poor girl.

So glad to see Tarakanova moving elsewhere. There were so many promising juniors etc., with Eteri that something would have to give. I hope the *wild child* can blossom there and continue to work towards her goals.