(26 October 2015) Former U.S. champion, Max Aaron, used a powerful display of jumping skills including a quad Salchow-triple toe loop combination, to claim first place.  After a few disappointing seasons, skated with a renewed confidence In himself, something he said he hadn’t had since his West Side Story program in the 2012-13 season.

“I feel like now I’m getting back to myself and wrapping my head around that. I’m learning how to up my mental game, up my components. I want to become a different skater. I want to be one that’s reliable, and one who can win some medals for the U.S.,” he told the press.

The former hockey player displayed raw emotion in the Kiss & Cry.

“That was hard. It was the best short I’ve ever had.  My grandparents are here, my mom’s here and my dad’s here. It was fun,“ he said.

Describing his growing pains (as a skater) after winning the 2013 U.S. title he said, " I was trying to do everything at once and I should have taken the time to focus on one thing at a time. At the time, it was the Olympic year. The year I won (U.S. title) was 2013. 2014 was coming up. Not only did I want to make the (Olympic) team, I wanted to be a medalist and I was shooting for the moon."

"In actuality, I should have taken the time to develop a skill. I’ve learned a lot from that and I’m getting back to where I was. I’m looking forward to getting stronger and still performing. It’s a performance, it’s not all about jumping. I was continuing to do that and it doesn’t get you very far. Having a performance and enjoying it, listening the music the entire time, it feels good to do that. I’m looking forward to growing and hopefully getting the opportunity to win my title back at the U.S. Championships. I want to make that world team again. I’ve got my eye on that and that’s my main goal.

Meanwhile, fan favorite and reigning U.S. Champion Jason Brown popped the back end of his combination, which was intended to be a triple flip - triple toe loop, and landed in eighth place.  He did not attempt a quad in the short.

“Even though it felt good when I first picked, I picked a little wrong. I slipped on my takeoff. It’s frustrating because it’s something I can do in my sleep.”

Brown’s component marks were the highest of the men’s event, but was down substantially in total element points due to the error and the lack of a quad.

Unfortunately without a quad in his short program, Brown needed a flawless performance to score close to the quad-meisters who racked up higher technical scores. He has been working the quad for this season and plans to include one in his free program.

The third US skater, Ross Miner, placed seventh.  Afterwards he evaluated his performance saying, “That’s not quite as good as I can do it but my goal every day at home (Boston) was to be above 40 on the technical score and that’s where I’ve been judging myself. And 41.99 is above 40 so goal accomplished. I’m looking forward to tomorrow. I’ve got a good feeling from this and I want to go out there and skate another good program."

Han Yan of China skated an animated performance to Louis Prima’s “Sing, Sing Sing” and placed second just 0.14 points behind Aaron. His component score was the third highest.

"I think my performance today was quiet good, up to my level. There was a mistake but still I’m quite happy to skate and I am quite pleased with the program."

Konstantin Menshov, at age 32, completed two quads - one in combination with a triple toe. He earned the highest technical mark of the evening and finished third.

"I’m pleased with my program today," he said. "It was a little late. In Russia, it’s 6 in the morning. I wasn’t nervous because I was in a bit of a sleepy state. There was an error on the triple Axel but maybe because the rink is narrower. The most important thing is to pull myself together tomorrow for the free program but I’m pleased overall."

 He also joked about his age after the event.