September 9, 2006
Iced Energy (Nottingham, UK)
from various skating message boards
by shorty
Katia was her ususal gorgeous self, although the jumps in both her programs were distinctly ropey, including a nasty fall on a 3toe in her second number (Heatwave?). To be honest the rest of Katia's skating is so exquisite that she'd do better to leave the jumps out; the programs can stand up without them and the two foots, turn out and falls she took on even her doubles just distracted from the overall package.
by mella chin
Katia I enjoyed but agree with Shorty, in that she could take out the ropey jumps and be perhaps even more powerful as her footwork and lines are fabulous, but the popped/turned jumps cam detract a little.
by floskate
Highlights for me in the first half were Katia Gordeeva who while underrotating a double axel and wiping out on a 2lz, presented some breathtaking footwork and faultless bodyline and musicality. By far IMO the best choreography of this first half.
Smooth Operator was next I think and Katia rather stole the show with such languid beauty both in person and of course her skating. She rather made mince meat of Violetta Afanasieva as they both did cross cuts into an Ina Bauer down the ice.
Katia's second number was disappointing - lots of gyrating when there's not a lot to gyrate and a number that really didn't suit her. And then there's the triple toe. She's changed the entrance and goes into it across rink as if setting up for an axel and now does what looked like a toe walley take off. Too slow and leaning from the start - a bad splat but the audience were really supportive and got right behind her. A fall out on a double loop later on and she was done. Katia was probably the skater I was most excited to see........I just wish she hadn't jumped. Clearly she wasn't in top condition and she has waaaay more talents and gifts on the ice than most - she really doesn't even need to jump, but she went for it all and she's still got her pride so all power to her.
by AnnieD
Katia was gorgeous, but like everyone else I thought she should just stop jumping. As someone pointed out, if Kwan can get away with it, why shouldn't Katia?! Really loved the first number though which was to Fragile (she did the Sting version instead of the Holly Cooke/Cole? version that she did a few years back), absolutely stunning footwork, so impressive to see up close.
by Jodi
[on "Smooth Operator"] I *loved* the beginning when it was just Gordeeva out there, I wish she'd had that whole number to herself instead of the shimmy thing because it was just amazing. If I was Violetta woman I would've refused to get out on the ice with her, doing three crossovers to one from her.
I can't decide who was the highlight for me, Kulik or Gordeeva. I never liked Kulik when he was eligible, but I always thought he was someone I'd like more if I saw him live, and indeed that was the case, I could watch those easy, loping strokes across the ice all day, and the air-time on those jumps! But what most impressed me was his musicality and versatility, he's really a dancer on the ice, and seemed to get really into the group numbers rather than just going through the motions and thinking through it like many of the others.
Gordeeva was a dream, astonishing skating skills and the most gorgeous fluid arms I've ever seen. Her footwork in the first number left me absolutely gobsmacked, I've never seen anything like it, I literally was staring open-mouthed. Her back camel from back threes was stunning, too.
by antmanb
Ekaterina Gordeeva was a joy to watch - I a beautiful turquoise (ish) dress with pieces of fabric coming off it…I#m drawing a blank on what she skated to but she did a great job - and the most silent edges as she went round the rink. Struggle dwith under-rotated jumos - he double axel landed forward and with a loud clank of the flat of the blade but she stayed upright. She was less successful on the double lutz which was also landed forward but she fell on it. Her footwork, however, was just exquisite - beautiful deep edges with quick changes of direction and all done completely silently and without a single toe pick scrape.
Ekaterina Gordeeva's second number was equally lyrical as her first with great footwork and edging again. She did struggle again with the jumps, attempting a triple toe but landing forwards half a turn short and stepping out. She also fell on a double loop later in the program but her basic skating is beautiful that it more than overcomes the jumps.
by Bunny Hop
Ekaterina Gordeeva: well, she was the reason I decided to go - no way was I passing up the chance to see her in person. Her movements over the ice are so graceful and fluid and her smile just lights up her face. She two-footed or fell on all her jumps unfortunately, but I thought everything else more than made up for it. Mind you, I probably would have been happy to see her skate around the rink a few times! I think a good portion of the audience felt the same way - though I suspect some of the teenagers wondered why she was getting so much support from the 'older' part of the crowd (particularly the three behind me who didn't shut up for the whole of her first routine).
by BatikatII
like Bunny Hop I'd have been happy just to watch Ekaterina skate around and leave out the jumps altogether as she just has such a beautiful fluid way of moving on the ice and stunning costumes. It was a shame to spoil that with the poor jumps. She's another one that I wish I had seen when she was skating competitively.
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