ZDF Eisgala

January 1, 2002: The ZDF Eisgala is the traditional German New Years Gala. I didn't know at all if Evgeni would be there because of the groin injury if he would rather take a rest than come to Germany. On December 29, he was still in Russia to skate at the Russian Nationals which he won for the 4th time. But he was at the Eisgala and I know he likes to be there and spend the New Year days in Germany. The hall in Garmisch-Partenkirchen was half empty, many places were empty and I don't know why, it looked not good, last year the hall was full. However, Evgeni showed his MJ sp and Sex Bomb. I really hoped he would take this opportunity to practice his new free skate in front of the public. First of all Rudi Cerne, former German figure skater, interviewed Evgeni before his MJ program, they went on ice and Evgeni was very shy and he spoke English: Q: Congratulations for winning the Russian Nationals...whenever you jump it looks like the easiest thing on earth, do you have any jump you don't like at all? Evgeni: First I would like to say Happy New Year and all the best for you (he looked in the camera and in the audience by saying this)....I think I jump easy, yeah...and I try jump and my jumps is hard, I jump quad, triple Axel...I just skate, actually.(smiles) Q: I know you jump the quad toe, is any other quads planed? Evgeni: One year ago I jumped all quads and maybe we try quad Lutz in Olympic Games. Q: I keep my fingers crossed for you, what are you going to show us now? Evgeni: My program is Michael Jackson and I have difficult steps and a few jumps. Q: It never looks like you are nervous. Evgeni: Now I'm so nervous because I talk but when I skate I'm never nervous.   For the MJ sp which he skated first he had his new MJ costume on, the top is a silver jacked with almost no decoration just a bit glitter and a black trouser and silver gloves. I like the costume, it looks really good on him but honestly I liked the very first MJ costume the most. He opened his program with an 3 Toeloop-2 Toeloop combination and opened the second Toeloop early what supposed to be a 3 Toe and two footed it. Then a 2 Axel, I think he didn't want to do a 3 Axel since he said the groin hurts most on this jump. The footwork was really good, camel and sit spin-no Biellman spin. As the music "They don't care about us" began he cheered the audience up to clap before he does his next fabulous footwork and another stand spin and that was the end. He got a lot of applause from the audience. Second he does Sex Bomb with a 3 Toeloop, 2 Axel , he was not jumping in the audience like always but he went directly to a camera and kissed in the camera very close :-) Then he had a shaky landing on the 3 Lutz. As an encore he jumped 3! 2 Axels in a row!! And you have to think about the thick Sex Bomb costume, it doesn't make the jumps easy. Photos of the ZDF Eisgala