2016 PROGRESSIVE SKATE AMERICA
left Hoffman Estates with their fourth-career Grand Prix Series medal. And this season, both men showcased programs at U.S. Figure Skat- ing’s Champs Camp in August before deciding to turn exhibition performances into competi- tive programs for their 2016 Grand Prix Series debut. “When we were at Champs Camp, Kori
Tim Dolensky
second Grand Prix title. American Tim Dolensky, making his sec-
ond career Grand Prix Series appearance, fin- ished eighth in the 10-man field.
Brown, Rippon change course before Skate America
By Mimi McKinnis Jason Brown and Adam Rippon have a
lot in common. Both have one U.S. title, with Rippon serving as reigning champion, and Brown winning the year prior. Both made their fourth-career trip to Skate America this year and
Adam Rippon
(Ade), Rohene (Ward) and the judges all thought that my short program and my free skate were a little too similar,” Brown said. “When I was on my monitoring practice, Kori suggested that I do my show program. I skated it and when I came back to the boards afterward, everyone had this big grin on their face. Surprise! A new short pro- gram was born.” Originally planning to keep his short pro-
gram to “Appassionata” by Secret Garden, Brown and his team changed to “Writing’s on the Wall” by Sam Smith — and a program Ward had cho- reographed for shows in Sun Valley, Idaho, and Te Ice tour in Japan over the summer. “I’m embracing it,” Brown said. “Every
time I skate it, I get more and more into it. I’m really loving the change.” For Rippon, the change came much later
in the season — and just two weeks before Skate America. Competing a free skate to “Blood- stream” by Stateless at the 2016 U.S. Interna- tional Classic and Japan Open, Rippon came to Skate America with a new free skate to “Arrival of the Birds” by Te Cinematic Orchestra and “O” by Coldplay — an exhibition program he had created with Benji Schwimmer after the 2016 World Championships in April. “As soon as I started skating this program, I
had such an attachment to it,” Rippon said. “My initial thought was to save it for the Olympic season, but a good friend of mine, Florent Amo- dio, told me that this program is so beautiful. If you have a good idea, you should use it because you never know what’s going to happen. Seize the opportunity. It might make room for an even better idea. So I took his advice and I’m so glad I did, because I love skating this program and as a competitive piece; it feels exactly how I wanted it to feel.” With the Olympic season looming near,
Rippon feels this season is the time to solidify what works before beginning the Olympic cam- paign.
“I think it’s all about experimenting these
last few years before the Olympics,” Rippon said. “I feel like I’m really on an upward swing in my career and I want to keep it that way. I want to try new things, see what works and keep this momentum going.”
PAIRS
Denney and Frazier return to podium
Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier cap-
tured silver medals at Skate America — their first Grand Prix Series event since Denney injured her knee in the spring of 2015. Tey earned two
SKATING 13
personal-best scores and a total of 192.65 points. “Te training was not where we want it yet
for the season, but being able to come out here, do the elements and fight ... it was a challenge that we’re happy that we took,” Frazier said. Teir “Don Juan” short program earned
them 67.29 points and Level 4s for their com- bination spin and step sequence. Tey generated 125.36 points for their “Somewhere in Time” free skate. “I’m proud of my partner. She is truly a
warrior,” Frazier said. “I’m blessed with every day I get now just being back on the ice.” Canada’s Julianne Seguin and Charlie Bi-
lodeau won gold with 197.31 points. Tey were third heading into the free skate after Bilodeau bobbled on their side-by-side triple loops. An
almost-clean free skate, though, to Cinema Par- adiso earned them 130.82 points and catapulted them to first place. “We’re feeling really great,” Seguin said.
“We did what we had to do and got confident as the long was going on.” Russians Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir
Morozov led after the short program with 75.24 points. Tarasova fell on their quadruple twist and struggled with her jumps early in the free skate; they finished in third place with 185.94 points. U.S. champions Tarah Kayne and Danny
O’Shea placed eighth in the short program after they completed side-by-side triple Salchows, but
Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier
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