This morning in Oberstdorf began with glorious sunshine and ended in a thunderstorm with a lot of skating action in between.

The day at the rink started for us with an interview with pair skaters Miriam Ziegler and Severin Kiefer after their free skating practice. This is a big season for the Austrians with a home European Championships coming up in January. We will have that interview online in the next few weeks.

The first event of the day was the rhythm dance and it was as competitive as it looked on paper with a good number of teams who were in and around the top ten at the World Championships earlier this year battling it out for top honours here. Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Sorensen emerged ahead of the pack and have really stepped it up this season. The other spots on the podium could go anywhere between the teams placed second to sixth so it is going to be an exciting afternoon tomorrow.

By the way, if you have not seen Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron’s new “Fame” rhythm dance, stop what you are doing and watch it. Right now. You are welcome.

 

While the men’s free skating got under way, we had our second interview of the day. Marin Honda is competing at the Nebelhorn Trophy for the second year in a row and is currently in sixth place ahead of tomorrow’s ladies free. The full article will be published soon, but Marin did reveal that one of her dreams is to improve her English and become a flight attendant. We might have an idea of the airline where she would work.

Makar Ignatov from Russia, winner of the men’s title, is so much of an unknown that one of the questions put to him at the press conference was to tell us all about himself. He now has 2019 Nebelhorn Trophy champion to write in his biography at least.

The day was capped off with a stunning performance by Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro in the pairs free which sealed their victory. The Canadians will be hoping that this is a portent of good things to come for them with a home World Championships awaiting them in March.

Tomorrow is the last day of competition with the ladies free and the free dance. Our minds have turned to the souvenirs to bring the folks back home. What do you think?