49th "An Evening with Champions" (Harvard's annual Jimmy Fund benefit), Sept. 20 & 21, 2019

[Sylvia]

Official site: https://www.aneveningwithchampions.org/

The 2019 Cast: https://www.aneveningwithchampions.org/cast.html

HOSTS
Emily Hughes: 2006 Olympian, Harvard Class of 2011, 2007 US Silver Medalist
Paul Wylie: 1992 Olympic Silver Medalist, Harvard Class of 1991, 2008 US Figure Skating Hall of Fame Inductee, 1981 Junior World Champion

LADIES
Karen Chen: 2017 U.S. Senior Champion, 2018 Olympian
Kailani Craine: 2018 Olympian, 2017 Nebelhorn Trophy Champion, 4-time Australian National Champion
Megan Wessenberg: 2016 U.S. Junior Bronze Medalist, 2018 Skate America Competitor
Gabriella Izzo (Friday Only): 2019 U.S. Junior Champion, 2019 Egna Spring Trophy champion (senior), Harvard Class of 2024
Sharita Taylor: 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games Bronze Medalist, 2017 Honorary ESPY Award Recipient
Molly Malone: Member of North Shore Skating Club, Former Dana Farber Cancer Institute Patient
Selena Zhao: Canadian Junior National Champion, World Junior Championship Competitor, Harvard Class of 2020 (Cabot House)
Diana Zhu: 2017 Upper Great Lakes Regional Junior Champion, 2 time U.S. National Competitor, Harvard Class of 2023

MEN
Ryan Bradley: 2011 U.S. Senior Champion, 4-time U.S. Senior Medalist
Camden Pulkinen: 2018 U.S. Junior Champion, 2-time Junior Grand Prix Final Competitor, 2016 Youth Olympian
Joonsoo Kim: 2019 U.S. Junior Bronze Medalist and Collegiate Champion, 2019 Bavarian Open Junior Silver Medalist
Sean Rabbitt: 2015 Autumn Classic International Bronze Medalist, ISU Challenger Series Competitor
Nick Hsieh: 2018 U.S. Novice Bronze Medalist, 2018 Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy Junior Bronze Medalist

PAIRS
Audrey Lu/Misha Mitrofanov (Saturday Only): 2018 U.S. Junior Champions, 2018 U.S. International Classic Silver Medalists
Olivia Serafini/Mervin Tran: 2019 U.S. National Competitors
Allison Timlen/Justin Highgate-Brutman: 2019 U.S. National Competitors, 2018 Eastern Sectional Champions

ICE DANCE
Katarina Wolfkostin/Jeffrey Chen: 2019 Junior Grand Prix Competitors

GROUPS
Haydenettes: 5-time World Championships Bronze Medalist, 27-time US National Champions
Team Excel Junior: 2018 US National Competitors
HUFSC: Harvard Figure Skating Team, US Collegiate Skating Chapter (Friday Only)

 

[aml78]

Thanks for posting. Bummed they didnt get Ashley Wagner now that she’s in Boston!

 

[Sylvia]

Bumping up this thread for anyone who went on Friday night or will attend the Saturday show and would like to share some impressions/highlights.

Jordan Cowan's group photo of the cast before the first show: https://www.instagram.com/p/B2nzA8Vn5vE/

 

[kirkbiggestfan]

I went to the show on Saturday. It is for such a great charity that this event deserves an all-star cast next year for the 50th show. Come on Harvardians....pack that rink next year. The few skaters that would do that are: Yuna, the Kween, Yuzu,...invite Gaby/Guillaume, Aliona, Nathan...

Karen Chen was the headliner and closed the show. Stunning spins and spirals, but stumbled on the opening 2A.
Kailani Craine: perfect for this type of show. She has the charisma and attention to the music that most of these IJS kids lack.
Ryan Bradley: Paul Wylie mentioned he wasn't 100% today. (Paul's spread eagle is still better than any other move I saw from Ryan). Ryan is obviously a nice entertainer, but he skated after Pulkinen. I was mesmerized by Camden's posture and edges. I overheard that Camden screwed up the group number on Friday night, so they all had to come back early on Saturday and rehearse them before the show.
Sean Rabbitt: as usual, probably the best audience reaction. He performed and really stand out compared to all these skaters that are so focused on technique and totally ignore the audience.

 

[crzesk8dad]

Here is a video from Sean's performance on Saturday night. Warning: the spots make it a bit bright.

Sorry I don't have others. Should I get any, I will add:

https://youtu.be/g3w21_ZiCFg

 

[Sylvia]

@clairecloutier's review for FSO is up (includes quotes from Karen & Jeffrey Chen, Lu & Mitrofanov, Serafini & Tran, Sean Rabbitt, Justin Highgate-Brutman & choreographer Marissa Castelli): http://figureskatersonline.com/news...chedule-to-support-an-evening-with-champions/