Megan Wessenberg Looks to Enjoy Every Moment of Second Career Grand Prix at NHK Trophy

When Megan Wessenberg found out she had been assigned as a last-minute replacement to compete at NHK Trophy in Sapporo, Japan, she was on a bus in Finland.
 
Wessenberg was competing at the Finlandia Trophy in Espoo in October, and was heading to the arena to compete her short program.
 
"I happened to open my email and saw that I had been assigned to it. I was definitely shocked, and I almost fell on the floor of the bus," she said with a laugh. "I definitely had to make sure I focused on the program I had to do that night, but I really just felt very excited."
 
NHK Trophy set for Nov. 22-24 will be Wessenberg's second career Grand Prix appearance. She made her Grand Prix debut at Skate America in 2018, where she placed sixth.
 
Though it was a Grand Prix, Wessenberg says Skate America felt almost like the U.S. Championships because it was held on home ice. But seeing the elite skaters around her – including eventual medalists Satoko Miyahara and Kaori Sakamoto of Japan, and Sofia Samodurova of Russia – was an entirely new experience.
 
"It's really amazing to just be in that environment, and I was even in the final warm-up group for the free skate at Skate America, so the caliber of skaters around me was beyond anything I'd ever experienced," Wessenberg said. "I think for me, it makes me feel good about myself because I'm in with that group. So it gives me a little bit of confidence to be able to partake in these competitions with the best skaters in the world."
 
For NHK Trophy, Wessenberg will travel to Asia for the first time and get significantly farther out of her comfort zone.
 
"I'm really excited to go to Japan," she said. "And the Japanese fans are very well-known for being passionate about skating, and really supporting all skaters regardless of the country that they represent. I'm definitely excited to skate in front of the Japanese crowd."
 
While Wessenberg's 2018-19 season was the best of her career – in addition to making her Grand Prix debut, she finished sixth at the 2019 GEICO U.S. Figure Skating Championships, improving from 17th in 2018 and 14th  in 2017 – her 2019-20 season hasn't quite lived up to expectations yet. She placed eighth in Finland and 11th  at the Lombardia Trophy in Bergamo, Italy.
 
"I think all skaters go through periods of time where they're progressing really well, and just really skating well at different events, and other times you're just not skating the way you want to, and it can be challenging," Wessenberg said. "And I guess that's where I've been at this season so far."
 
But the 21-year-old has learned to grow from those challenges and says she's become a better skater because of them.
 
"I think setbacks, as much as they're hard when you're going through them, they really do make you stronger, and you really do learn so much about yourself when you're going through them," she said. "So I think just from those experiences, you kind of find your way a little bit. You can get yourself into a better headspace, so you're not only physically prepared every day you're training and at competitions, but you're also really mentally strong and know that you're capable of performing the way that you want to, even under the pressure of competition."
 
In addition to skating, Wessenberg attends Northeastern University in Boston. A biology major, she's currently taking classes in chemistry and ethical issues in science. Since last season, she's moved into a new apartment with a new roommate she met through school.
 
"I have really good skating friends, but also to be able to spend time with people outside of the skating world I think is good to give you perspective, and it makes you a more well-rounded individual, which you can then take back to the ice," Wessenberg said.
 
She loves living in Boston and exploring everything the city has to offer, and says she doesn't skate on campus very often – though she is part of the Northeastern figure skating club.
 
It was these conditions that helped her flourish last season.
 
"There were bumps in the road, as there are with every season, but I really just was focused on myself," Wessenberg said. "And from previous seasons that hadn't gone so well, I learned from them and had taken what I'd learned to make sure that I stayed on the right track. I think I really just found a good groove last year, and trusted my abilities and let that show on the ice."
 
This season, Wessenberg kept the same free skate set to "The Friends of Mr. Cairo" by Jon and Vangelis, as she felt she had more development to bring to the character. Her short program this season is set to "Tainted Love" by the cast of Burn the Floor.
 
"I just love being able to perform for the audience, and play around with the judges a little bit," she said of her short program. "It makes me feel really confident and I enjoy it a lot. I feel like the program's a perfect fit for me."
 
As she heads to Japan, Wessenberg hopes to regain the form she knows she's capable of. But regardless of her results, she wants to appreciate the whole Grand Prix experience.
 
"I'm so excited to have this opportunity," Wessenberg said. "It's really such a privilege to be able to compete at a Grand Prix, and you're really competing against the best skaters in the world. And I feel so fortunate that I have the opportunity to do that, and I think when you're nervous at a competition or you're not skating the way you want, it can be easy to lose sight of that sometimes. So I think, for this competition, my main focus is to really just enjoy the experience and skate for myself, and just soak in the moment."