Memory from 2005 Cup of China

　By:Andelia

<Day 1>

I was having my brunch when I received a short message from Sissy and was told that skaters were training in the arena. "Is Andrei there?" I asked, for I am a huge Andrei fan. She replied soon "Not yet". So I rushed to the arena.
When I got there, the ladies just left. Ryan and some Chinese skaters came in, but I didn't see Andrei. Andrei was supposed to be in the Group One but he wasn't there. A few minutes later, Eman's coach came and told us that Eman hadn't come to Beijing yet, so I guess that Andrei was the same.
Jialiang Wu was amazing on the ice. His quads were nice and stable; rotation was tight, and landing pose was beautiful. Though his other jumps were not that good, and his footworks and presentation should be improved too, he's a young kid to see.
Ryan was cute and easy-going. He was very happy when Sissy and Natalie showed their banner for him and he even asked his mother and his coach to take a photo with the banner.

　

Stephane came and looked unhappy, so I didn't talk to him.

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<Day 2>

I had other things to do so I didn't go to the arena. Sissy told me Andrei was there and looked indifferent, but I just could go to see him.

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<Day 3>

We couldn't enter into the arena. So Sissy, Ira and I were waiting outside. We were chatting there, and suddenly Sissy saw Andrei walking by.
He was alone, listening to the music, and it seemed that he would get back to the hotel all alone.
I called "Andrei", but not loudly enough to make him heard. Then Sissy shouted "ANDREI" that made him finally took a look at us. We went to him...Ira gave him a gift and I showed him the picture booklet I made but I was too nervous to turn pages so I stopped at the first page. He looked not excited at all and asked if I want him to sign on it. How can I say then? I nodded and found a pen, and got an autograph that I didn't intend to get.
When he was about to leave, I called him to stop and said "don't worry, be happy" to him. He looked rather surprised but smiled much more lively while replied "thank you".

We met Steph in the corridor of the arena, and he said hello to us before we do anything to him...actually we do nothing to him then, though we're kind of his fans.
Shizuka was extra beautiful in person and she's very nice. I asked her to sign on one photo and wished her good luck.
Mao was a lovely little girl though she's even taller than me. Her English was not good enough to understand my words "last season was amazing" so I could only to wish her good luck.

In the evening, it was men's short program and pairs' free skate and original dance for ice dance. We made several small brand for our beloved skaters, such as Galit/Sergei, Morgan/Maxim, Sasha/Roman in ice dance, Jialiang Wu in Men, ect.
When Platov passed us by, we showed the brand for C/S for him, and he smiled and repeated "Galit, Galit" which sounded very cute. He even stood before me for a while and looked interested in our brands.

Finally, Andrei was on the ice. We hung out a banner for him, and spelt his name with six brands which was well-marked besides the rink. Andrei cleaned his program and was cheered very loudly. He was unknown with the crowd when his music began, but when it ended, he was rather popular. Almost everyone there tapped along with the rythme when he was doing his straight line footworks for his impressive presentation.
And it feels so good.
I congratulationed to Tatiana Tarasova when she passed us by to the KnC. She replied with a grin. She looked so happy that she waped sweat for Andrei, LOL.

Eman missed some jumps and Steph too. When all the results came out, I was extreamly happy to say nothing else but "It feels so good".

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<Day 4>

We went to skater's hotel and were roaming in the hall. We saw Mr Platov but didn't bother him. Irina Slutskaya was there with her coach but we didn't do anything to her either.

Alban from France appeared around 10 am and I was surprised. Men's training would begin at 1:30 pm but he looked to be ready for it. He was alone, looked bored, wandering in the hall. I saw him looking and I can swear that he DID want to talk with us. However, I knew few things about him and didn't know what to talk with him so I just ignored. Then he was continue wandering there until about 15 minutes later that I couldn't stand anymore to talk to him.
His English was not very clear and either was mine, and we actually have few topic to talk about. So the chatting was kind of awkward and boring. When another 15 minutes passed by, he finally left for his coach who's still in her room.
Anyway, the boy was cute and nice. I told him that Sissy and Natalie had some special arrangement for him, and he looked very happy.

Morgan Matthews came out. She's one of my favorate ice dancers and I had a glad chat with her. About two or three minutes later, Maxim and their coach appeared too. So I asked for their autographs and wished them good luck.

Then we went to have lunch...when we finished our lunch and went to the arena, we met Alban and his coach at the gate. It's about 12:30 am that time, so we can see how much time did Alban spent in waiting...poor guy. But I need to say, his coach was quite nice to us.

We met Mao on the road to arena and took a photo with her.

The Zars came out of the arena then. We asked for their autographs and took photos with them. I told Roman that I loved their free dance last season, the Phamton of Opera, and he said he loved it too. He complained the music this season was just so-so, which made me guess if Mr Platov knows their feelings.
I asked where's Mr Platov when they were leaving and Roman told me that Mr Platov was still in the rink.

Zhenya Platov came out half an hour later, with two pears in his right hand and one cup of coffee in his left hand. He was hiding his coffee behind himself and hiding his pears behind us when we took photos with him. He was very nice and humorous, and we all love him.

Galit was with Tatiana Navka, they're both rather beautiful!



Then we met Andrei again. I asked for a photo with him and told him to be happy whatever happens. And we congratulations to Tatiana Tarasova again, and wished her good luck.

Eman was wonderful that night. I knew Andrei could not beat him in such situation but when Li missed several jumps, I knew Andrei was medalled. Not surprisingly, he did very well to refresh his personal best. Again, he was cheered very loudly when he finished his program.
He was staring at our banner when he was waiting by the ice while Tarasova was talking with Eman. But I guess he didn't recognized us until the medal ceremony where he turned back and wave politely to us and immediately turned back again and smiled and waved much more happily.

We went to the press conference then. Steph came in firstly and he was phoning, followed Andrei and Eman. Eman's blades covers were cute, which we don't know they're cats or bears, written "perfect 6.0" on them. The journalists from CCTV was too confounded to do a special interview with Eman while everyone was waiting for them...
The press conference was really boring, I didn't quite followed skaters' answers 'coz I was busy taking pictures. The only thing worth to say is Steph pronounced the word "interesting" as "in-te-res-ting", which make everybody smiled.
Besides, The last four questions were all for Andrei (one is shared with Eman, lol). He referred that it's his second season of being one senior skater, and he's glad to have this medal. His English was good; nice pronuciation though grammar was not very well.
After the press conference, nearly everyone there asked for his autograph...I showed him the picture booklet again and this time I did show him every page. When we saw the autograph that he signed for me the previous day, I asked if he can remember it. He answered "of course". I told him repeatedly that "Don't worry be happy" and "Your time will surely come". He replied "thank you" with a fine smile.
I asked for a photo with him again, and this time, he closed his face next to mine! I was too surprised to react...maybe I should asked for a kiss on cheek then, LOL.
Then we had a fine chat...I mean, much more better than what I had with Alban, though Andrei's English was not very clear either. He said that it's his first visit to China but didn't plan to have a tour to any viewsight such as forbidden city. He would be straight back to Moscow, and stay there until the Russian Nationals.
Besides, he was quite patiently replied to every request though he's tired. He smiled politely but finally showed his tiring when the last request came into our chatting. I petted him on his back to comform then, and he looked so cute that moment!

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<Day 5>

Andrei ignored us before his gala...I am quite sure that he did it intendedly when I watched the video once again and saw him smiled too cunningly after passing us by. We were kind of angry that time so we decided to twist our attention to someone else.
The boys were waiting right in front of us at finale, so we called Stephane. BUT! It was not Steph but Andrei turned back and waved to us, with a very very happy smile. We called Stephane again, and Andrei turned back again and smiled even more happily.
We were guessing if Andrei had a new French name called "Stephane".
Then we called Jialiang Wu for instead, but Andrei still acted the same...well, Andrei must had a new name called "Stephane Wu"...
In the end of the gala, Andrei passed by twice. He gestured "YA" to us for the first time and waved to us for the second time. And Steph saying "hi" to us too.
All right...we get your tricks now, LOL.

We went to the hotel after the gala.
Eman got back with his skates, and he said that his blades' covers are a couple of cats. So we gave a toy cat to him as a little gift.
Ryan was back with a piece of local food...it's funny to see a foreigner to eat that.
I made a disc for Andrei, which including the montages I made for him before and one montage for his staying in Beijing this time. I said "thank you for the memories" to him and he replied "thank you very much" when hugging me. Then we take photos with our banner, which I had asked Andrei to sign on it.
When Zhenya Platov came in, my best friend Faye caught him in the first second. She even told the man who's with Zhenya that "you can go first". It seemed that Zhenya appreciated her way of humor very much so two hours later, she became Mr Platov's girlfriend - though jokingly. We asked him to give our gift to Tatiana Tarasove, who we didn't see during the whole night.
　

Skaters and coaches then changed clothes for the party.
I must say, they are all awesome in suites...maybe Mao is the only exception because she's too young. I asked for a photo with Jialiang Wu and he looked surprised. And Morgan/Maxim, Galit/Sergei, and many many others.
I gave a small toy lion to Andrei as a goodbye gift...but I don't know how he treated it during the whole party time...I mean, it's too small to leave it on somewhere but too big to put it into pocket of suit, lol.
Faye went to Mr Platov for one more photo. Then Zhenya introduced her to others as his girlfriend...the whole Israel gang were there too, they were happy and lovely. Zhenya retied Roman Zaretski's neckie, well, he's a nice coach.
Steph was graceful that time...graceful and elegant and made me think of a princess...not prince, but princess...

Those are the memories.
　

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