U.S. Figure Skating Championships 2023 preview: Malinin, Levito eye teenage sweep in singles
American nationals are set for this weekend (26-29 January), as the youngsters look to dominate singles while veteran teams lead the way in both pairs and ice dance. Read the preview.
Figure Skating
Is a teenage sweep on the cards in singles at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships this weekend?
After announcing themselves at nationals with stunning performances just a year ago, Ilia Malinin and Isabeau Levito look to be respective favourites at the event in 2023, set for Thursday-Sunday (26-29 January) at the SAP Center in San Jose.
While it serves as the country’s national championships, the event is also the final major stop before Team USA announces its squads for Four Continents and – more pointedly – the World Championships, the latter set for Saitama, Japan, in late March.
Malinin and Levito, both the reigning world junior champion, have had breakout seasons in their senior debut, qualifying for last month’s Grand Prix Final in Italy, where Malinin won bronze and Levito captured the silver.
Two-time Olympian and 2015 U.S. champion Jason Brown will make a much-anticipated return to competition having not been at an official event since Beijing 2022.
Brown is mixing his exhibition schedule of show skating with preparing for competition, and told Olympics.com he’s open to continuing on his career should the recipe prove successful.
Reigning world champions Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier (pictured above) will be favoured in the pairs event, while Madison Chock and Evan Bates, three-time national winners, lead the ice dance.
For a full event schedule, including how to tune in on TV and online, click here.
Men: Ilia Malinin versus the field in San Jose
Will fans see Malinin capture his first national title? And – nearly equally as pressing – will the big-jumping 18-year-old attempt the rare quadruple Axel? He created history with the jump earlier this season, becoming the first skater to land it... and then pulled it off two more times.
His technical content should prove superior in a field that won’t feature either reigning Olympic champion Nathan Chen or two-time Olympian Vincent Zhou, both who are back in school this season.
Malinin has made it a point to work on his artistry, teaming up with choreographer Shae-Lynn Bourne this season. Brown, who is renowned for his movement on the ice, said he’ll use his experience from Japan Open in October (as well as a decade on the international circuit) to feel ready for the event.
Jason did not compete on the Grand Prix Series.
Other names to watch will include Camden Pulkinen, Tomoki Hiwatashi, Jimmy Ma and Andrew Torgashev.
Women: Isabeau Levito seeks first title
Levito, still just 15, will look to translate her success from the Grand Prix, where she landed on the podium three times, to a national title a year after she was age ineligible to be named for the Olympic team.
While she won bronze at U.S. nationals in 2022, other top finishers including reigning champion Mariah Bell and two-time winner Alysa Liu have both announced their retirement, as Karen Chen has turned her focus to her studies, as well.
Champion in 2018 and 2021, Bradie Tennell has been slow to return to her top form, the 24-year-old recovering from a foot injury that set her out for the entire Olympic season. She’s relocated to France to train, but will temper expectations having finished 12th and 8th at her two Grand Prix stops.
Also to keep an eye on: Amber Glenn, Starr Andrews, Lindsey Thorngren, Gabriella Izzo and 2014 Olympian Gracie Gold, a two-time U.S. champion.
Pairs, ice dance: Veteran teams stand out
Can anyone challenge Knierim/Frazier? It will be hard to do so, as the team keeps its eyes on a second consecutive world title in March after finishing in second place at the Grand Prix Final in December to Japanese rivals Miura Riku and Kihara Ryuichi.
They will find their most hearty challenge in San Jose in Emily Chan and Spencer Howe, who joined them at the Grand Prix Final.
Chock/Bates had training mates Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker to worry about prior to Hawayek/Baker’s withdrawal earlier this month, meaning the defending champions could likely win a fourth national title – and second in a row.
Hawayek/Baker will likely petition for their spot on the World Championships team, while the teams of Caroline Green and Michael Parsons and Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko are both to watch out for.
Sibling duo Oona Brown and Gage Brown, as well as Eva Pate and Logan Bye are up-and-coming partnerships to know, too.