The always exuberant Jason Brown can't wait for the Grand Prix season to start. The 2014 Olympic Team Event bronze medalist and 2015 U.S. champion moved to Toronto this summer to train under coach Brian Orser at the historic Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club.
Brown barely missed qualifying for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games and is looking for a fresh start and perspective under Orser, who guided Yuzuru Hanyu to Olympic gold and Javier Fernandez to Olympic bronze in 2018. Orser is also now coaching Evgenia Medvedeva of Russia, who won the Olympic silver medal earlier this year.
The 23-year-old Brown will compete at Skate Canada and Internationaux de France.
"Every day is a new adventure, challenge and surprise," Brown said of his new training regimen. "I've used this concept quite a bit, but I feel like a part of me shattered at the end of last season, so I'm in the process of picking up those pieces. I'm determined and motivated to put myself back together as strongly as I possibly can. That takes time, a lot of work and having the openness to change, really stepping outside of my comfort zone.
"It's extremely exciting and a bit terrifying, but I'm ready and eager to give it my all and put in the work as I set out on this four-year journey."
Brown, known as one of the sport's great performers, added that he wants to improve upon his technical ability, along with his confidence and maturity on the ice. Orser and his team, Brown said, are working with him on making that transformation.
In regard to his two Grand Prix assignments, he's especially excited to be competing with his training mate Medvedeva at both events.
"I think it will be a lot of fun to be traveling together on the circuit," Brown said.
Nathan Chen, the reigning World and Grand Prix Final champion, will juggle college at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, with his burgeoning skating career. Chen, 18, will attempt to repeat as champion at Skate America, while also competing in the final Grand Prix Series event in Grenoble, France, in late November.
Â
Chen, the two-time and reigning U.S. champion, wrapped up last season with a monumental performance at the World Championships in Milan, Italy, where he landed six quads. He placed fifth at the 2018 Olympics, winning the free skate by more nine points.
2017 U.S. silver medalist Vincent Zhou will also compete at Skate America, and at NHK Trophy in Japan. Zhou, sixth at the Olympic Games and one of the youngest members of Team USA in PyeongChang, competed for the first time last season on the Grand Prix circuit, finishing fourth and ninth.
Alex Krasnozhon, 18, will make his Grand Prix Series debut in Finland and Russia. The 2017 Junior Grand Prix Final champion was forced to withdraw from the World Junior Championships last March because of an ankle injury at the start of his free skate.
For a full Grand Prix Series preview on Team USA, read the August/September issue of SKATING magazine.
Â
