Question: What’s cool when it’s hot? (speaking literally)
Answer: An ice rink.
Q: What’s cooler when it’s REALLY hot? (Not speaking literally)
A: An off-season skating competition that attracts international competitors (such as Philadelphia's LIBERTY OPEN).
Q: What’s cool on a hot day, but seems hot in a way because many performances are new, and fresh, and actually quite cool? (Not really making sense at all now—I blame the heat!!—but hopefully you know what I mean)
A: Performances such as the ones I’ve linked to below.
(NOTE: Short and Free skates are judged and awarded separately.)
Samantha Cesario’s Black Swan FS
17 year-old Cesario has been off the radar for the past year or so due to injury, but she appears ready to roar back… winning “Group B” both in the short and free senior programs.
Leah Keiser’s SP (partial)
She’s 13, she’s got a triple lutz/triple toe (unfortunately not shown in this clip), and she won “Group A” both in the short and free senior programs.
Stephen Carriere’s La Vie en Rose/Mack the Knife SP
Don’t count him out yet… the former U.S. men’s bronze medalist put down a clean and stylish short to win the event.
Keegan Messing’s FS
He’s not particularly graceful, and doesn’t appear to currently have the stamina to skate his program cleanly… but this Alaskan teenager’s jumps are getting fierce, and his spins are even fiercer.
Denney/Coughlin’s SP
If you are eager to see what this U.S. power pair looks like in competition, wait no more… they didn’t skate an FS here, but did a fine short to win that event.
Dube/Wolfe’s FS
Canada’s Jessica Dube now skates with Sebastien Wolfe, and while their FS wasn’t spot-on great, they definitely had moments of brilliance… such as a fairly successful throw triple flip, and the wise avoidance of side-by-side triple salchows (one of Dube’s biggest downfalls in her last 2 years with Bryce Davison).
Nathan Chen’s Godfather FS
Chen, who I believe has won the U.S. Novice Men’s title for the past 2 years, is entering the 7th grade this fall… and upgrading to the Junior Men’s division. And taking on The Godfather for his free skate! How will all this work for the little guy who is essentially the mascot of USFS? Pretty good so far… he won his event here.
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