Skate America: Mens Short

I managed to catch the second and final flight of skaters last night in the Mens Short. You never want to call a competition based solely on short program results, but it can often be a good indicator of a skater's ability to deliver under pressure.

For the uninitiated, the short program is graded on the performance of a series of required elements--simplified, it's notably one jump combo, one solo jump and an axel of some kind (for men it's a 3axel), a series of combo and flying spins, and an epic footwork pass. You get serious deductions for not performing elements. This is distinct from the long program, which has looser requirements and presentation takes on more importance.

Anyway, here are my reflections on the last six skaters, who (SPOILER ALERT AHEAD) essentially comprised the top six.

Chafik Bessighier, France - He's bringing back cargo pants (were they ever a thing on ice?) with his sequened, graffitied costume. He's a solid technical skater, but not polished. I appreciated the spot of breakdancing he did though.

Michael Christian Martinez, Philippines - His spins are amazing. His Bielmann spin is better than most ladies'! If he were more consistent with the jumps, his spins would help give him scores to contend with.

Jeremy Abbott - This was the first time I'd seen a skater use music with lyrics. It took me a good minute to get used to it! I'm just in love with Jeremy Abbott's skating (and maybe with him a little too, haha). His performance stands out beyond all other skaters because it is so intricate and nuanced. His jumps are great when he lands them, but it's his performance that is spellbinding. He's got the best footwork in the competition, imho.

Jason Brown - He doesn't really have the high technical merit (no quad), but like Jeremy Abbott, his presentation scores were through the roof. He's got so much character. He's always smiling and upbeat, and makes you really excited to watch him. You aren't punched in the gut when he falls, because you just know he's like "no biggie, I'm just love to skate!"

Dennis Ten, Kazakhstan - I was disappointed with his skating. He's not looking so confident, but I'm not counting him out just yet, because he has a history of vaulting up to the podium with a stellar freeskate after disastrous short programs.

Tatsuki Machida, Japan - He's the reiging Skate America Champ, and must be giving Yuzuru Hanyu a run for his money in their home country. He's got stellar technical merit, especially with jumps. But he lacks the refinement I've seen in other skaters.  You can tell he's trying to beef up his artistry, but it just doesn't come naturally. His technical score was so high though that it didn't matter. He sits in first place after the short.

Overall it's not looking too good for my Fantasy Skating team. But I'm pleased to find myself really impressed with the American men. (They stand in second and third after the short.) It has been a while since I've gotten truly excited about American singles skaters. Moving into the Long Program, I suspect they'll do just as well.