On the ice, Jeremy Abbott, 22, combines artistry and athleticism into breathless moments of perfection.

He is a creator, a dancer, a sportsman and a performer all wrapped up into one package that has found a home on the ice and among the most talented skaters in the world.

I had the pleasure of watching Abbott skate on Saturday during a performance with the Aspen Skating Club, and like every other gaping audience member, I was amazed. He twisted, twirled and lifted his lithe frame into moments of prodigious acrobatic excellence.

His technique was a flawless assembly of what the body can do when trained for years and years — his skates were sharp but delicate, his motions limber but powerful. In moments, he transformed the ice — a slippery nightmare to most of us — into a canvas upon which he could paint his flare and reflect his sheen.

In one sense, Abbott's performance on Saturday was just another day of practice. But in another sense, it was the homecoming for one of Aspen's most accomplished athletes whom you might never have even heard about.
Aspen on Ice

At only 22 years old, Abbott has already accomplished more in the world of figure skating than many could hope to achieve in a full career. He has had top finishes in the national championships, been a member of the United States World Team, and is now closing in on competing in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Yet in all of his accomplishments, Abbott is quick to mention and praise his hometown of Aspen, and what an important role it has played in his career.

“It was great growing up in Aspen,” Abbott said.  “I had so much support from my coaches and the community. I can still remember my first years going to the rink with my mom and walking along the sides.”

What Abbott didn't mention was that he was only 2 years old when he took his first lap around the rink, and 4 years old when he won his first competition.

Abbott calls up another memory from his early years on the ice, and one that shaped the trajectory of his career.

“I must have been three or four years old at the time,” he said. “But I can still remember watching the 1980 champion, Robin Cousins, skate in Aspen; and I remember telling my mom that that is what I wanted to do.”

Sharpening the skills

By 12 years old, Abbott had a difficult decision to make. He was excelling swiftly on the ice, but was no longer sure whether staying in Aspen would be helpful or inimical to making progress in his career due to limited facilities and coaching options.

It was at the point that Abbott's coach, Peggy Behr, advised him to move to a place that would be beneficial to his skating.

“I was rising up through the ranks,” Abbott said, “and eventually my coach told me to move on so that being in Aspen wouldn't hold me back.”

Abbott took this advice and moved to Colorado Springs, home to U.S. Olympic training facilities and world-class coaches.

Although he was ebullient about the opportunities Colorado Springs provided, that transition certainly wasn't easy.

“That was a very hard transition for me,” he said. “I had to live with a host family and change to a new school. But even during the hard times, I knew that is was worth it for my skating. I have never regretted my decision.”

The move and strife paid off for Abbott.

By the age of 16 — only two years after moving to Colorado Springs — he qualified for the novice division of the U.S. National Figure Skating Championships, and finished in sixth place.

By 18, he finished seventh in the junior division of the national championships, not bad considering that earlier that year Abbott had sustained a stress fracture in his back.

But even with all of his early success, he was not satisfied.

Bump in the ice

In every athlete's career, there comes a point in which he must ask himself how good he wants to be, and devise a plan to reach that goal.

This point came when Abbott was 20 years old. He had just missed skating in the senior division of the National Championships by one spot, and was ready to put it all on the line to reach the next level.

“I was really dissatisfied,” he said. “I knew that I would have to make some changes in my skating, so I sat down with my coaches and began looking closely at my training in order to fix some things. I also decided to set my goals much higher and give it everything I had.”

That juncture in Abbott's career would turn out to be the turning point for his later successes.

In 2007, when he was 21 years old, he progressed to the senior division of the National Championships and finished in fourth place.

In 2008, he finished fourth again, but also qualified for the U.S. World Team, an assembly of the best American skaters who are chosen to travel abroad and compete in the World Championships. Abbott would ultimately finish in eleventh place at the World Championships, solidifying his position among the best skaters in the world.

“I definitely could have done better,” he said, “but it was still a great experience, and I can't wait to do it again.”

LEAPING HIGHER

If there is one thing that stands out about Jeremy Abbott, it is his determination to be the best. And while he is obviously happy with all of his accomplishments to date, he is continuously asking more of himself.

“I want to be the Olympic and world champion,” he said. “I think I am close, but I also know that it is going to take hard work and patience. It is definitely attainable.”

Whether this means that we'll see Abbott skating in the 2010 Vancouver winter games is a question that will remain unanswered, for now.

But what is certain is that he has a bright future ahead of him, and for the time being, he will continue to follow his passion to the very end.

“I just love skating and everything about it,” he said. “ It is both technical and artistic, and I just feel as if I can express myself on the ice. That is what makes it all worth it to me.”