Rome-Milan and back in one day to see Kostner once, before she retires. Departure from Termini at 7.10, arrival at Central Station at 10.15, around 11.20 I am at the Forum. At least inside, the Forum has not changed much since I was there for the first time in 1990, unlike San Siro, where not much is left of what I saw the first time.
I discover I have missed only 3 skaters, I thought more. My side is almost full, the others are not even half filled, even if not many tickets were left. A British enters the track: once her race is over, the recovery team gets into the field, even if nobody throws anything. The racers who will remain empty-handed will not be many. The recovery staff are usually made of 4, but will be doubled for the most important skaters and tripled for Kostner. Inside the building they also sell objects to throw, from roses to soft toys. Some get close to the ice to throw them, others do from their places, even far away. I would be very afraid of missing the ice, and actually there are some who miss it: in these cases, the track-side stewards remediate.
Italian Leccardi's turn comes, and I realize I have forgotten my flag. The performance seems good, but she is 3rd out of 5: to qualify for the long program she must leave 13 behind, so, since the level should be increasing, she does not seem to have many chancess. As the performances go on, I realize I'm not able to recognize the results: a Finn takes the lead, with 9 points over the Italian, but I had not noticed all this difference. I also notice that the figures, especially the spins, have a very different effect depending on the physique of the skater (tall or short, robust or slender). Physiques are very different, more than in other "artistic" sports such as gymnastics or diving.
After two blocks of 5 skaters, at the first ice makeover, I try to take something to eat, but the queue is too long. I pospone it to the break after the third block, shorter, missing the first skater of the fourth one. After three blocks, Leccardi is still 4th: she must leave behind two more to qualify, but the level goes up. In the fourth block with an American, which makes 68 points against the 60 of the previous leader, we see that they begin to get serious. Before the last skater of the fifth block, Leccardi still has to pass one to qualify. Toth of Hungary makes a very uncertain performance and remains behind the Italian by half a point. The attendance protests (clearly the non-Italian one), for the only time in the day: for the rest it has always applauded everyone. The Hungarian will also be saved, thanks to a Slovak who falls down twice.
We arrive at the last block, with a Canadian leading (she, after Kostner, will remain the one I liked most). The stands have been filled, even if not entirely, especially of Japanese: the first rows are full of rising sun flags. Kostner arrives: perfect race, from jumps to spins, 80 points, a great emotion. Then it is Zagitova's turn, who gives far fewer emotions: one asks "is that all?", But it is only one point from Kostner. The others remain behind.
It ends around 16.45. We get out quite quickly: I get on the first underground and arrive at Central Stationwith a good margin, I could have taken the train before.
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento