Dawn over the US East Coast brought a dense fog that wrapped around the sports complex's steel structures. At six in the morning, Skate America's main arena opened its doors for the first official practice session of the men's singles category. The atmosphere surrounding the rink was gelid, permeated by the characteristic scent of dampness and industrial refrigeration. The grandstands remained empty, plunged into a grayish dimness, but the ice surface gleamed beneath the white illumination of the main spotlights—pristine and polished, awaiting the impact of the blades that would inaugurate the regular Grand Prix season.
