ANAHEIM, California – The inner hallways of every arena during a figure skating event are a haven of familiar faces.
There's
Bradie Tennell, jogging to get ready for her free skate. Earlier in the day, it's
Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue going through their rhythm dance steps in sneakers. You might spot
Mariah Bell with earbuds in and jumping rope. And there's Ashley Cain and Timothy LeDuc rolling out their leg muscles after a practice session.
What I always find fascinating is their separate mentalities: Some don't want to make eye contact whatsoever, others are happy to say hello – even perhaps be chatty. More often, though, game faces are on and music is blaring in their ears.
It makes me wonder: What's on each of their Four Continents playlists?
1. Ready to Rumble? Free Dance Showdown Set
There's been a lot (a lot!) of tango in everyone's ears this season in ice dance, and Friday was no different, as three American teams set out in the rhythm dance, all with podium chances – and with two-time and reigning U.S. champs Hubbell and Donohue as the odds-on favorites for a fourth major international title this season.
It was funny sitting with our Bridgestone Ice Desk team for the final group of skaters, as Hubbell and Donohue,
Madison Chock and Evan Bates, as well as Canada's Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje and Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier all skated.
Sinead Kerr, the seven-time British champ and two-time Olympian is our resident ice dance expert, but there was no consensus among the group watching – which also included former national pairs champ Brooke Castile, Olympic Team Event bronze medalist
Ashley Wagner and Grant Marshall, a former NHL hockey player – and Kerr's husband.
Why? The group was split as to who should have won the rhythm dance – Hubbell/Donohue or Chock/Bates – and it goes to show just how strong Team USA is in the discipline right now. They went 1-2 (Madi and Zach at 81.95, Madi and Evan 81.17), setting us up for a free dance showdown come Sunday.
Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker sit fifth. And yes, since you asked, the hockey star Marshall thought it should have been Chock/Bates in the lead.
2. Small Victories
I could tell backstage that
Ashley Cain and Timothy LeDuc were disappointed in their 67.49 after their pairs short, the reigning U.S. champions feeling as though they didn't get the marks they wanted. (They were called underrotated on their side-by-side triple loops and were the lowest of the top four teams in their PCS marks.)
But if the last two months have taught us anything about Cain and LeDuc, it's that they're as fierce as anyone – and they'll fight for what they believe is theirs. They're just two points off the podium heading into the free, where they were knockout at the U.S. Championships just two weeks ago.
They have this mantra when they get on the ice for their free skate, reminding one another that they are "pillars of strength" and giving the other a few words of encouragement. LeDuc calls Cain "fierce." She really is, isn't she?
Defending Four Continents champs
Tarah Kayne and Danny O'Shea are within striking distance of the podium, too, sitting right behind Cain and LeDuc with 66.34 points.
3. Learning Every Step (and Skate) of the Way
It wasn't the free skate that either
Bradie Tennell or
Mariah Bell wanted Friday night. That much is clear. But I actually sat rinkside for the final group of ladies (next to my Ice Talk podcast co-host Jackie Wong) and I have to say this: They're both incredibly determined skaters.
Yes, Bell is still looking to put together two pristine skates at one event. Yes, Tennell is trying to figure out that triple Lutz-triple loop combination. And no, it didn't happen on this night, but earlier in the week
Bell told Michael Weiss in an interview that her focus was on the 2019 ISU World Championships next month, where she and Tennell will try and get that third U.S. spot back.
And
Ashley Wagner confirmed on the Desk: Bell might be a beauty to watch and put a smile on your face in interviews, but she's so dang determined. I actually think both U.S. Championships and this weekend lights the fire underneath these two skaters even more. I could feel that next to the ice: They want to be blazing. And I think they really will figure it out.
4. Boys in the Building
Don't think
Adam Rippon has forgotten his skating roots. The big-time celeb was in attendance for the ladies free on Friday night, and I think you can also expect him on site Saturday, too. (Care to stop by Ice Desk, Adam?!) He's been signed up to co-host the exhibition post-competition Sunday night, which promises to be awesome.
We *will* have four-time U.S. champ and 1996 World champ Todd Eldredge on the desk Saturday before the men's free skate, joining myself, Weiss and – I hope! – some other special guests. Also spotted at HONDA Center this weekend:
Sean Rabbitt (who performed in Thursday's opening ceremony), and Ricky Dornbush, a former U.S. silver medalist.
5. Saturday Night Fever
"Today is the first day of the rest of my life," goes the saying on
Vincent Zhou's Instagram account. Friday, he may have felt exactly that after being the surprise leader from the men's short on Thursday night.
Saturday evening, he'll skate out to center ice as the third-to-last skater and try to claim the biggest title so far of his young career. No
Nathan Chen? No problem… Well, it would be huge for Zhou, especially with skaters like Shoma Uno and Boyang Jin in this field.
And come to think of it, one of the song's on Vincent's
Spotify playlist he put together for U.S. Figure Skating is an apt tune for the short program winner. It's title? "Never Gonna Catch Me."
