Ok, I'm safely back from the Canadian Open and have recovered from gettingnext to no sleep for two days. The kitten has been played with and has stopped sulking at mommy for leaving him alone for two days. It is now time for a review. As usual I was taking photographs so this is all from memory, no notes. Any mistakes in description or order of events are entirely by accident. Others may feel free to post this review to other lists so long as my name and email remain with it and you just let me know where you sent it.

Men Short Programs

1. Brian Orser - "Concierto de Aranjuez"
Brian pulled out an old piece of music for him in a reworked short program format. I've always liked the music and thought it worked really well as a short. He had on rust colored pants, creme billowy shirt and black waist sash with a tassle. He went for the triple axel but crashed on it unfortunately (though it was one of those fall and pop right up kind of spills). Nice 3toe and 2axel. The program was well designed - lots of great Brian footwork and flair.

2. Alexei Yagudin - "Revolution Etude"

Alexei used his sp that we've seen all season. He stumbled or fell on the quad (can't remember) but managed to tack on a 2toe. 3axel and 3lutz were pretty spiffy. It's hard to say much more about this particular skate - it was good, but the two other live times I've seen it have blended them all together.

3. Steven Cousins - "Shine On You Crazy Diamond"
Glad to see Steven pull out a new short program - I was getting a little sick of his blues one (and I always thought it made him look too stiff). After the disaster at the Masters, it was great to see Steven really pull off an excellent short. He's got a real flair for the program and sold it quite well. Nice, but two-footed 3axel with 2 toe for his combo, big 3flip (always a nice jump from him) and a 2axel. Costume was black pants with black v-neck shirt. Great program!

4. Kurt Browning - "Bedlam Ballroom"
Kurt's costume was cute, but reminded me of the geeky man in the office stereotype. Short sleeve white shirt (oxford style but it was a form fitting knit-like material) with skinny black tie and black pants. Kurt was hamming it up with the audience before it even started and was down at our end of the ice doing some weird marking off of the ice - he took like 10 steps to the right, then 10 forward and then 10 left to get to his spot - very funny. Went for the 3 axel but crashed, landed a nice 3toe and 2axel. The jumps weren't the point of the program - it was the footwork. And man what footwork there was! It was fast, quick, complicated and just a joy to behold!

5. Todd Eldredge - "Exotica"
Todd has the awful luck of skating after Kurt and while I'm sure he knew it was going to take forever for all the flowers to be done with, he had more bad luck. He got into his start position, only to have the announcer ask him to wait while they collected an errant flower stem. Then back in position to have a long time til the music started - just as he looked up to wonder what was going on it started, so he entered the program a beat or so behind usual. He went for the quad, but crashed instead. Unlike previous shorts, Todd didn't let the fall break his concentration and landed a nice 3axel and 3lutz. Spins as always were first-rate. The footwork sequence wasn't as sharp as it was at Skate Canada but was still nice. He was wearing black pants and the black "Pity the Child" shirt.

6. Emmanuel Sandu - Jazzy music
This was my first time seeing Emmanuel live and so I finally got to see what the Canadians have been rambling on about for all these years. He has some wonderful fluid movement. He suprised the heck out of me with a huge, light 4toe-3toe combo - had to ask my seatmates if I really saw that - very quick rotation and nice line. Unfortunately I think he suprised even himself as he came around for the 3axel and singled it out horribly and barely hung onto a 2axel after that. Costume was purple on pruple satin striped pants, light blue shirt and dark suspenders.

Ladies Short Programs

1. Surya - "March With Me"
Poor Surya was having an awful night and the SP was the start of it. The jumnps were all telegraphed horribly and two-footed or otherwise flawed. She just didn't seem to have her usual spark.

2. Michelle Kwan - "East of Eden"
Now as some may know I'm just not a Michelle fan at all, but I have always really liked her EoE exhibition, so it was nice to hear that music again as a short - and nice to not have to suffer through her Rush sp again. Unfortunately the things I loved about EoE as an exhibition just weren't here. She did the elements passably well. Nice 3lutz-2toe, 2axel, but only a 2flip. The music was also edited poorly and it looked like she was trying to think through the program too much.

3. Lu Chen - "Take Five"
Sparkly black shirt and pants. Poor Lu, she's trying but just not getting anywhere with the jumps. I wish she'd find a new sp, using the same music from when she actually could land jumps just reminds you of how she used to be. Fall on the 3loop (she takes off from almost a near stop it's awful), 3toe and 2axel.

4. Jennifer Robinson
Same short program as SkCan, unfortunately I can't remember a thing about it - I think it was clean though.

5. Josee Chouinard - ??
Josee was the highlight of the evening program wise. She had on a stunning dark navy costume that was a jacket-dress style with a very low v-neck. Possibly velvet. It was just gorgeous on her! She stepped out of her 3 lutz, but got on a 2toe I believe. The best part though was that Josee really connected with both the music and the audience and really sold the program!

6. Sarah Hughes - ??
Her regular sp, which I believe was clean - drawing another memory blank here. THe one thing I didn't like was her costume, which itself was pretty, just not on her. The color is a pale violet shaded to mauve and against her pale skin it just makes her look washed out. A darker color would be much more striking.

Pairs SP

1. Sale & Pelletier - ??
Usual sp from them with the burgundy costumes. After all the talk about the lift in my photo from SkCan I paid special attention to that. David starts out lifting her by her hip, but after they turn and she chances position his hand is now on her thigh for the second half of the lift. Clean 3toes, small unison break on the spins but otherwise a great performance.

2. Wirtz & Wirtz - "Concierto de Aranjuez"
I love this short program from them and they skated it well. She stepped out of the 3 toe I think, but they had a nice split twist and death spiral. I think this program really shows a different side to them and I like it.

3. Sato & Dungen - "All By Myself"
My first time seeing this pair live and I was reasonably impressed. I give Yuka a lot of credit for being willing to take up pair so late in her career. Their moves were nice, but you could tell that they were easier lifts than the other teams. On the throw jump Yuka was really leaning, but her strong singles ability helped her hang onto that landing.

5. Ina & Zimmerman - "The Truman Show"
They've gotten rid of the sequined black costumes and gone to something a little uglier (imho - I loved the sequins). They're gray at the top and black on the bottom - hers is bizarre - almost kind of see-though. The idea is nice, but the gray up by thier faces makes them look a little sickly. John hung onto the 3toe and they had a great lift. I've always liked the program and they skated it well.

Men Interpretive Free

1. Brian Orser - "Againt All Odds"
I was told that seeing this program live would make the difference since I wasn't liking it too much from the tv broadcast and boy they were right! Live, you really hear and feel how the program starts out slower and then builds as it goes on. Once again Brian shows off his incredible feet with great footwork and connecting bits throughout the program. Highlight was the closing footwork sequence to the saxaphone. During warm-up Brian was having trouble getting the backflip-3toe combo - he kept popping to a 2toe. But in the program he gritted his teeth and nailed a great 3toe on the end. Also a 2axel, open axel and 3sal. He was wearing black pants and the black sheer shirt with the silver work across the front panels. He looked really happy after his skate.

2. Alexei Yagudin - "Gladiator"
Now I love the LP version of this program, but even on 3rd live viewing I still hate the exhibition version. He's gone back to the metal silver knives he had at the Masters instead of those platic gold things he used at Skate Canada. Huge 3axel that wasn't long, but it was really vertical - mighty impressive! Nice 3lutz, but popped the 3loop badly. As usual, some great footwork (at least one eligible has great feet!). Somehow for me the passion just isn't there in the IF version that is there in the LP.

3. Steven Cousins - "Belfast Child"
For me this was *THE* highlight of the evening. This has always been my favorite Steven program, but I've never seen it live, but boy was it worth waiting for. As a competitve program it was a bit different than the version he uses for exhibitions but it was still lovely. The program had lots of long lines and flow and the jumps just seemed to melt into the program. Needless to say I just loved it! he was wearing black pants and a blue-gray billowly shirt that was sort of sheer.

4. Kurt Browning - "Don't Fence Me In"
A classic Kurt program and it indeed brought down the house. The version of this song he used had lots of character and though the costume was over-the-top hollywood country (complete with spurs on his skates!!!) Kurt played it rather straight and it's a real winner. The series of four 2axels at the end was really amazing! Can't wait to see this program again.

5. Todd Eldredge - "13th Warrior"
Todd debuted his new costume for this event, wow was I a bit shocked. He's got navy pants and a pleather top!! The top is styled as a high collared vest over a blouse. The sleeves are metallic bronze and the vest a metallic/snakeskin looking cobalt blue. Quite a material departure! It's an interesting look, though personally I'd have gone with fabric sleeves and pleather vest, not all pleather and the pants are not quite the right shade of blue to match. Nice style though. Todd did a different version of this program than he did at the Masters that opened with a 3axel-2toe, 3lutz, 3toe (which to me seemed odd, but it wasn't a quad attempt nor a flip - wrong entrances - a plain 3toe just seemed odd there), 3axel and 2 axel. As usual some nice connecting moves. He skated it well, but somehow it just didn't sell as much as usual, don't really know why, but I was missing that "wow" feeling this program usually gives me.

6. Emmanuel Sandu - ??
Don't have much memory of this program other than the costume that was blue pants with a two-color top. He did have some nice spins and flow, but there was another bobble on the axel attempt. After his skate he had an odd "Baiul moment" while he sort fo laid there curled up and communing with the ice. It seemed a little strange to say the least.

Ladies

1. Surya - ??
Surya's poor skating continued and she just seemed off for the entire program - I think she only landed doubles so I'm wondering if she's ill or injured. Just not on her game.

2. Michelle Kwan - "Beautiful World"
I'll only say that I loathe this program. Hated it at the Masters, SkCan and hated it here. The skating is nice, but the music is coma-inducing. Doubled the flip, landed the lutz, axel and toe I think.

3. Lu Chen - "
Finally, Lulu had a decent skate. She wore a red dress that had short of a gold pattern around the collar. The jumps weren't perfect, but she managed to stand up on all of them and the program really seemed to suit her. Much more lyrical than the bump-and-grind pro routines she's been doing so far. Seeing this gave me hope that she might really be able to make a retun to regular clean skating.

4. Jennifer Robinson - "The Summer Knows"
Now this wa a lovely program! She had on a nice dress that shaded down from silver to blue and the program had a long lyrical style to it.

5. Josee Chouinard - Harlequin program
Josee showed the true meaning of "interpretive" here. She was dressed as a harlequin/jester type in gray and blue. The diamond pattern carried down onto her leggings and my only suggestion would be to put them on the insides of her legs and not just the outside - looked a little odd in spins. The routine is a storyline of her finding a fallen bird and trying to get it to fly again. At the very end she pulls a yellow feather from her sleeve. Incredibly effective! She fell on the lutz, but it really never interrupted the flow the program.

6. Sarah Hughes - Fosse Medley
Talk about a departure! Sarah stepped onto the ice in a black glittery unitard with an open back and black sheer gloves (reminded me of something Liz Manley would wear). The program was somethign very different and had a very jazzy/sexy/playful look to it. Cute footwork and step sequences. 3lutz, 3toe and 3loop I believe. The only minor thing I didn't like is that there are several music cuts and it's almost a full second pause between each - makes it seem like the program is ending each time (in fact the official timer stopped timing at the first pause!)

Pairs IF

1. Sale & Pelletier - ??
Jamie was in a red dress that had a rather unflattering cut to it and David was all in black. The number was rather cute and romantic and really fit the 'interpretive' meaning. The program featured the same lift I saw at the SkCan exhibitions where Jamie goes from an overhead lift and into sort of a vertical split - my is she flexible!

2. Wirtz & Wirtz - "Will You Be There For Me"
This was the pairs highlight for me. The song qas gorgeous and the skating to go with it was beautiful. The program featured two amazing death spirals (theirs are definitely some of the best in the business!) There was also a great sequence that starts out as a pairs spread eagle and goes into a brief pairs Ina Bauer - very stunning. Kris was in black pants, gold belt and creme shirt and Kristy was in a creme and pale green dress. The whole thing was just really lovely!

3. Sato & Dungen - "Free Yourself"
This was a cute program from this team. Jason was all in black and Yuka had on a two-piece stomach showing costume in orangy-pink. Again she hung on to the throw jump. The program really seemed to suit them and had sort of a 'fun' feel to it.

4. Ina & Zimmerman - "My Baby You"
This is my favorite program from them and they skated it rather well here, though not quite with as much passion as at the Masters, and I think it really needs that passion to be sold completely. They did the great new book lift with the back dismount as well as something new where she is held vertical over his one shoulder only upside down (it's hard to describe but it's like she'd doing a head-stand only with her shoulders on his shoulder). However you describe it though it looked like it took massive strength on her part to keep herself night and straight and balanced. Very impressive! Unfortunately she fell on the throw.

There ya have it!
-Hoo