Worlds 2004, Dortmund, Germany
I am putting together these pages after so much time since the championships, that it doesn't really makes sense to write a day-by-day diary, because I can't even remember everything.... I'll put together just a photo album, with some random notes...
- First thing I have to say is that I was soooooo excited to be going to worlds!! Seeing all the skaters from America, Canada, Japan and China...wow!! I had been to some Europeans by now, but this was a new experience I couldn't wait to live|
- Quite connected to that is.... OMG I was soo curious to see the so much celebrated Michelle Kwan.. and how unbelievably boring did I find her! Where was the choreography? Where was the interpretation?? Where were things like connecting steps, transitions... ??? I will be flamed by skating fans everywhere, but it was one of the most disappointing things I've ever seen!
- The other most horrorific thing.. Navka and the Pink Panther winning the title.. I thought I was going to throw up! I am not expecting anything good for the Olympics, if this is what dancing has become!
- What can I say of the third place of Kati and Renè.. well, I can't say I totally agree with it, and I do believe that the "home factor" played his role.... but it's a nice thing to happen to a couple who's going to retire after this.... But really, the Michael Jackson song sung in German was a total nightmare!!!
- Fede and Massi were great... and so strong... we had known from Babi what had actually happened, and we could only admire their strenght, for being out there competing... They did marvelously well for the situation, and Massi's final tears were such a liberation! I remember watching them skate from the stairs of the level below ours, with some puppets to throw them, and then leaning above the K&C telling them "don't cry Massi, you did so well!!"
- I also remember spending a veeeeery long evening in their hotel lobby, in touch with them via sms, waiting for them to come back from a dinner with the Federation's bosses, struggling to speak English to keep company to their best American friend finally waiting to meet them...
- Dortmund was memorable also because wandering through its grey streets we came up with the idea of creating them a new mascot.. and the rest is history!!
- It was quite easy to see the skaters, as to go out to the shuttles they had to exit the warm-up area and cross a tiny piece of a public corridor, where a lot of people always stopped by (as it was also in front of the various bars and food stands)... and quite conveniently there was also the stand of a magazine that held conferences and autograph signing session... fab!!
- It felt strage to see all these retired skaters.. Babi and Mauri came up for a Torino 2006 press conference, Gwendal was there, Shae-Lynn as well.... I had not been anywhere last year so it felt strange for me to see them, but not on the ice!
- Mauri was in a good mood... I suppose it might have been fun for him to be around, while being off-ice because of Barbara's pregnancy. I didn't want to be intrusive when he was talking of work, but I remember once passing by and saying hello very casually, as he was talking with people from Toroc, and he actually took my hand and pulled me closer in a big hug, introducing me to everyone... ^_^
- Another thing Dortmund was memorable for was.. our far-away and dingy hotel... with our room on the 4th floor and with the elevator shut down at night.... sigh... surely the worst one we've been at so far.. but the tickets have already cost so much, we had to save somewhere!
Ah, just a note on the photos: they're
ugly for two very different reasons:
- first, they were taken with a non digital camera that was acting weirdly,
in fact I threw it away after this trip
- second, once I had printed them I never had time to scan them.. so in
the end, tired of waiting, I photographed them with my digital camera
to have the files ready in less time... so these are all photos of photos!
Anyway, here they are with some random commentary:
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Isn't
this photo totally adorable??
Just as they are! . |
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When
it was Gwendal's turn to sign autographs, I skipped that part
and kept taking pictures...
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I
was a bit perplexed about John Kerr's hair...
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But
they do look like a lovely couple!
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Katarina
Witt... an incredible mob gathered for her!
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The
"Black Thing"...
only Melly can understand the joke... . |
I
might not have cheered for Shae-Lynn, but she looked very smart...
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Patrice
Lauzon...
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...and
Diva Nora!
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A
press conference was held to present Torino 2006, with Babi and
Mauri among the speakers.. I went there as To2006 journalist,
enjoyed the conference and got a lovely pin for free... I only
had a bit of problem when trying to get back to my seat in the
arena, as I had left for the conference in a hurry and I had left
my tickets in the tribunes (the conference was held in the press
center, in the same building) ... I had to convince a guard that
I was not sneaking in, I had regular first class tickets, but
she didn't speak very much of English.. but I must be a good mime,
it worked... and she accompanied me to my place, where I showed
her my tickets...
,
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Babi
sat with us on the tribunes during the OD... it was very funny
to hear her technical (and not so!) comments...
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she
was quite paranoid about looking chubby...
but it was her advanced pregnancy!! |
She
had received a present for her baby
from Galit |
People
around us kept asking for autographs
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while
Mauri joined
us during a practice session... |
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Torino
2006
spokesmodel |
he
too was interrupted for autographs...
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in
a good mood
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Kati
and René
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looking
at the photos
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Very
nice!
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Kati
recognizing
Melly and Manu . |
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Sasha
and Johnny chatting
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looking
relaxed
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in
FSU-speak, I'd say that this man is checking out Michelle's tatas
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Galit
and Sergei
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Emanuel
ready for the gala |
Kati
and René are always beautiful
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René
looks worried... what if the Jap fan runs away with the medals??
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Maria
and Alexei
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Shizuka
the world champ.. I was really happy for her result!
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Johnny
has fun!
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Johnny
and Barbie... hrmm no, Tanith...
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Mary
and a very Scottish John Kerr, when we sneaked in at the skater's
reception
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On
Saturday we go out for dinner in a nice restaurant downtown, in
a square with a nice big and crowded temporary ice rink... even
if they're making funny faces, we actually had fun and ate well!
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Unfortunately it was all over soon.. we spent Monday walking around Dortmund, shopping and having fun.. and then we hopped on the train! We struggled a bit to fit all our 4 enormous suitcases into the compartment (mine and Silvia's were especially big) - at some point we even realized that two men outside the train were looking into our window and having a laugh.. bah! |
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looking
at the photos
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we
had a moment
of madness... the cameras war!! |
there
was a vent
sending in cold air... we tried to close it with some tissues... |
but
those flew away, and we tried again with some more sturdy newspaper
pages...
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