Men's standings after short program on Friday: Jeremy Abbott 87.85 points, 2009 world champion (and also won last month's Grand Prix finals) Evan Lysacek 83.85 points, and Johnny Weir 83.51 points. Free skate on Sunday to determine the 2010 U.S. Mens Figure Skating Team for the Vancouver Olympics!
Some summary of the skates:
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Abbott discovered Jeff Beck's version of "A Day in the Life" when he was scrolling through iTunes and fell in love with it. He actually wanted to skate to it last year, and it's easy to see why.
"I feel like the program is just kind of an extension of myself. And more than myself," he said.
The bluesy, breezy number is the perfect complement to his fine edge quality and skating style, and it's easy to forget he's doing incredibly difficult tricks as he carries you along. His triple flip-triple toe was done with such calm and ease, it flowed like one seamless move. He picked up a couple of extra points by doing his triple axel out of steps and followed with an effortless triple lutz.
As soon as he landed his last required jump, a huge smile crossed his face.
"It was like an explosion inside and it just felt really, really good," Abbott said. "The rest of the program was just a blast. I had so, so much fun."
So did the audience, clapping along and oohing and ahhing over his intricate footwork and beautiful spins that had a little bit of everything: multiple positions and change of edges. The audience was on its feet before the last notes of his music had died, and Abbott shook his hands up and down, slapped them together and then gave a roundhouse punch in the air.
"I'm way more excited about this than last year," Abbott said, quite a statement considering he's the reigning U.S. champ. "I'm not worried about defending my title. My goal is to be one of the top three men and represent the United States at the Vancouver Olympics."
Artistry has been Lysacek's strength in recent years -- few can interpret music like he can -- but he's taken that to a new level since winning the world title in March. He skates with a command and confidence that brings his characters to life. When he did his footwork, his blades danced across the ice as if possessed by magic. The powerful beats of his "Firebird" music were punctuated by bold movements, everything he did was one with the notes.
His only flaw was on his opening triple axel. The rink isn't as wide as the one he practices on at home, and he stepped out of his landing as he came dangerously close to the boards.
"That happens," he said. "I'm big."
Weir would have seemed a lock for the Olympic team 18 months ago, the bronze medalist at the 2008 world championships and a fixture on the international scene. But he found himself shoved to the sidelines after his dismal performance at last year's nationals in Cleveland, missing the world championships for the first time since 2003.
When they were in his home country no less.
Weir was so devastated he actually contemplated quitting, a thought that seemed incomprehensible Friday night after perhaps his best short program in two seasons.
"When you have the audience standing, screaming for every element, to have that kind of energy ... it's the most amazing sensation as a competitive sportsmen," he said afterward, still in awe. "It made me regret even thinking about not even trying."
His "I Love You, I Hate You" program was a perfect blend of his soft elegance and his commanding presence, showcasing his considerable versatility.
The first half was all business -- if you're a fashion house in Milan. The jumps were strong and secure, but done with long edges in lyrical style. But when the tempo of his music changed, so did his persona. His muse, Lady Gaga, would surely approve of his vamping, as he put one hand behind his head and flirted with people in the first rows. His footwork made the fans' hearts race, and he finished with the perfect Johnny Weir flourish, spinning so quickly the pink tassel hanging off his left shoulder was a blur.
"This is right up there," Weir said of where this performance ranked. "... It's absolute revenge for me to come back and be strong."
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Abbott leads as Lysacek stays in the hunt
Weir trails top score by 4.34 going into Sunday's free skate 
