Broadmoor skater still has plenty of ice left to conquer

Ryan Bradley traveled throughout Germany, trying to focus on his figure skating tour

as he contemplated his 15-year career.

"Have I accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish?" Bradley said he asked himself a few months ago.

He thought about his 14 first-place finishes, including five in international competition. His silver medal at the 2007 U.S. Championships and appearance at last year's world championships. His three consecutive wins at the U.S. Collegiate Championships.

It wasn't enough. It wasn't even close.

The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs business student decided against early retirement, determined to prove his track record of success is a starting point, not a complete body of work.

Bradley, 24, headlines 75 Colorado Springs skaters in the Broadmoor Open, which ends tonight at World Arena. The senior finals in pairs, men's and women's are from 6:55-10:15 p.m. Admission and parking are free.

A lackluster 2007-08 season hampered by inconsistent performances and nagging knee injuries opened the door to retirement for Bradley, the Broadmoor Skating Club's most decorated active member.

Bradley took fifth at the U.S. Championships following a fifth-place finish at Trophee Eric Bompard and a sixth-place showing at Skate America. And his surgically repaired knees continued to give him trouble.

"It was hard for me at the end of last season," Bradley said. "I was so tired, and I was on the road so much. It was really wearing on me."

The prospect of revamped programs lit a fire in Bradley as his coaches, Tom Zakrajsek and Becky Calvin, attempted to persuade him not to call it quits.

They worked together to develop what Bradley termed "lighter" routines aimed at pleasing the audience. To keep the technical elements at a high standard, they incorporated a quad toe loop, a jump with four rotations.

"You have to be competitive, but we want something the crowd can enjoy," Bradley said. "My favorite part of competing is entertaining the crowd and getting that roar. We're ending the programs to bring out my character a little bit more."

Next month, Bradley will skate at the Liberty Summer Competition in Aston, Pa., a warm-up for two Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series events - Skate Canada, Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 in Ottawa and Trophee Eric Bompard, Nov. 14-16 in Paris.

The U.S. Championships are Jan. 18-25 in Cleveland. The world championships, a qualifier for the 2010 Vancouver Games, are March 22-29 in Los Angeles.

Bradley said high expectations still don't faze him.

"I've made it to the world championships, so anything less than that would be a huge disappointment," he said. "I'm shooting to be a national champion. I want to be the best. I want to be at the top of the mountain."