The US Figure Skating Championships, in some ways marking a new era in the sport, are broadcast live from San Jose, Calif., on NBC Sports, USA Network and Peacock.
After the Olympics last February, American figure skating saw its biggest season-over-season revenue in more than 20 years.
Nathan Chen and Vincent Zhuthe top two men from last season, are not competing this season and can be finished. Alysa Liu and Mariah Bell, the first two women, have retired. Just like the best pair of ice dancers madison hubbell and Zachary Donohue. Ashley Cain and Timothee LeDucnational pairs champion last year, has also left the sport.
Thus, for the first time since 1993, the American championships present a national champion in title in only one of the four disciplines.
Amidst it all, the American skaters performed well in the Fall Grand Prix Series and reached the podium in all four disciplines at the December Grand Prix Final for the first time. Note the absence of Russian skaters, banned from international competitions because of the war in Ukraine.
At the nationals, skaters compete for spots on the team – three per discipline – for the world championships in March in Japan.
Ilia Malinin, an 18-year-old from Virginia, is the headliner after becoming the first skater to land a quadruple Axel, doing so in all four of his events this season. He ranks second in the world for the best total score, 38.28 points ahead of the next American (Camden Pulkinen).
Jason Brown is the lone Olympian on the men’s side, competing for the first time since finishing sixth at the Games.
Isabelle Levito, 15 and reigning junior world champion like Malinin, took silver in the Grand Prix final against the other top skaters in the world. She enters the nationals with a best score this season 18.13 points better than the next American, Amber Glenn. Bradie Tennella 2018 Olympian returning from foot and ankle injuries is also a threat to earn one of three women’s spots at the world championships.
ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates are the only defending national champions and will likely step onto the podium for an 11th consecutive year, which would be a record less.
Bates, who last year at 32 became the oldest American champion in any discipline in decades, has made 12 career senior national podiums with Chock and his former partner Emily Samuelson. A 13th-place finish in the top three is thought to break the American single-discipline record it currently shares with michelle kwan, Nathaniel Niles and Therese Weld Blanchard.
By two, Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier return after missing the nationals last year due to Frazier contracting COVID-19 the week of the event. Since then, they have achieved the best result of American pairs at the Olympics in 20 years, the first world title for an American pair in 43 years and the first Grand Prix final medal for an American pair.
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2023 US Figure Skating Championships Live Stream Schedule
* All NBC and USA Network shows also stream on NBCSports.com/live and the NBC Sports app for subscribers.