ARD Gala

The ARD Gala was awsome! It was held in the "SAP Arena" of Mannheim/Germany. Over 4000 people visited this event. Anissina/Peizerat, Totmianina/Marinin and of course Evgeni where the highlights and they brought all kind of German skaters they could get. Lindemann did 3 numbers, one in a group with other German skaters. As Evgeni was announced, it was so weird that they announced him as the 4 time World Champion and they repeated that later again, I was so much wondering why nobody told the announcer that this is not true, (just proves he had no clue of figure skating) I thought Kati Witt would produce this and it was on the program magazine printed also as 4 time, very strange. But now to Evgeni's performance, he wore the white shirt and black pants he had for "I will survive" at Art on Ice 2002. He obviously skated his new short program, it was not the program he skated at the Crystal Skate at the end of October. He skated to a slow soft version of Tosca, very beautiful! It is always overwhelming seeing him doing such a program where his artistry is on the highest level possible. It was a great program with great choreography, such a program was not made just for a show. He had a 3 toeloop and what was great he did succeed a 3 axel easy! But then only a 2 toeloop, not sure anymore if it was a toeloop. The footwork was slow but suited to the music. During the straight line footwork, I think he stumbled a little bit. The spins where a bit slow but nice, he even did a donut spin but not the full circle he used to show in the past. But I'm very satisfied with that sp! Later in the second part of the show, Anissina/Peizerat, Totmianina/Marinin and Evgeni skated a second number as the last 3 numbers of the show. I heard Evgeni would only show his short program but I didn't know if he would really come out another time but for me it was logic that after Anissina/Peizerat, Totmianina/Marinin skated a second program so would Evgeni. The audience went WILD after A&P and T&M programs but after Evgeni's program it went wilder and I mean WILD that he was the only one giving a short encore, he just needed to do that since the audience would not stop clapping! He skated to Godfather but not the whole program, I think he started after the first minute. Personally I'm not such a huge fan of this program but seeing it live makes such a difference, I liked it much better! But I guess whatever Evgeni skated live in front of me, I will like always. He succeed again a 3axel but then only 2 axel, 2 flip, and another 2 axel. Same like at the sp he did not a full donut spin. At the circular footwork he had a stumble again, weird! But we know he does not skate on competition mode at a show. So, it will be much different at competitions.