(19 Jan 2017)  Camden Pulkinen took the lead in the Junior Men's short program (73.41 points) with a clean triple Axel and clean triple Lutz - triple toe loop jump combination, and a passable triple loop that four of nine judges scored negative.  Skating to Rachmaninoff's second piano concerto, he performed with emotion and personality.  His components averaged a respectable 6.26, but with Transitions considerably lower.

Aleksei Kraznozhon placed second, also landing a solid triple Axel, but he fell on his triple Lutz -triple toe loop combination, giving up 7 points and the potential lead.  While Pulkinen threw his triple loop at the start of the second half of the program (element four), Kraznozhon set his combination near the end of the program after the step sequence as element six.  He fell on the first jump of the combination.

Skating to Chopin's "Etude 10 No 3" his performance was not particularly compelling, with an overall slow tempo that does not suite his personality.  His components slightly bested Pulkenin with an average of 6.56.

Aleksei Kraznozhon

Scoring a further six point back at 60.73 points, Eric Sjoberg, the 2016 Novice Men's Champion placed third in his first year in juniorsd.  He skated to "Trio Eligiaque" by Rachmaninoff with style and poise.  He attempted a program of lesser difficulty than the leaders, with double Axel and triple flip - triple toe loop, along with triple loop.  Both the combination and the loop were set in the second half.  He was one of only two skate in the short program to set more than one jump element in the second half.  His components averaged 5.74.  He received a 1 point time deduction.

Eric Sjoberg

At 57.78 points, Ryan Dunk placed fourth.  Dunk rounded out the Rachmaninoff-fest skating to the piano concerto No 3 and "Trio Eligiaque."  His program had all three jump elements set in the second half - triple loop, triple Lutz - triple toe loop and double Axel.  He did not complete the combination and had an edge attention on the Lutz.  His performance and interpretation were not particular interesting and his components averaged 5.63.

A disappointing audience of about 200 were present for the event.