US Figure Skating Championships 2023: TV Schedule, Top Contenders and Event Info

A lot of familiar faces won't be present when the 2023 U.S. Figure Skating Championships get underway this week at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. The majority of last year's champions won't be competing, which will allow new ones to be crowned.

Nathan Chen, who has won the men's championship each of the previous six years, isn't participating, as he returned to Yale University to complete his degree. His skating future is uncertain. The men's competition will also be without Vincent Zhou, who was the runner-up three times from 2017 to 2021, as he returned to Brown University.

The women's competition will be without a pair of recent champions. Mariah Bell (the 2022 winner) and Alysa Liu (the winner in both 2019 and 2020) have both retired. Meanwhile, the defending pairs champion duo of Ashley Cain and Timothy LeDuc are no longer participating in competitive figure skating.

Madison Chock and Evan Bates are the lone returning champions, as they've won the ice dance competition three of the past eight years, including in both 2020 and 2022. They'll have a good chance to be repeat winners this year.

Which skaters are poised to take over the other top spots on the podiums? Here's everything you need to know heading into this year's U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

Thursday, Jan. 26

Pairs' Short Program, 3:30-5:45 p.m. ET, Peacock

Rhythm Dance, 7-9 p.m. ET, USA Network and Peacock

Women's Short Program, 10 p.m.-midnight ET, USA Network and Peacock

Friday, Jan. 27

Men's Short Program, 5-7 p.m. ET, USA Network and Peacock

Women's Free Skate, 8-11 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock

Saturday, Jan. 28

Free Dance, 2:30-4:30 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock

Pairs' Free Skate, 8-10 p.m. ET, USA Network and Peacock

Sunday, Jan. 29

Men's Free Skate, 3-6 p.m. ET, NBC and Peacock

Ilia Malinin burst onto the scene last year with a second-place finish in his first appearance in the men's competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Now, the 18-year-old from Virginia is poised to take over the top spot on the podium in 2023.

With Chen not competing, Malinin is the clear front-runner for the gold medal this year. It may not even be close if he lands a quadruple axel, which he's done at four events during the 2022-23 season. No other figure skater has previously landed that jump.

The first time Malinin landed the quadruple axel was at the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic last September. A month later, even he was in awe that it happened.

"I'm still sort of shocked, and to this day it still doesn't feel real," Malinin said in October, per Jill S. Devine of Northern Virginia Magazine.

Another youngster to watch in the men's competition this week will be Camden Pulkinen. The 22-year-old is a former junior champion at this event, as he won that title in 2018. Last year, he placed fifth in the men's competition, his best showing in four appearances.

The only former Olympian in the men's field this year will be Jason Brown. The 28-year-old is a former U.S. champion, as he won the title in 2015. Since then, he's placed second once and third three times. Last year, Brown placed fourth.

There could be plenty of impressive performances, but it's highly likely that Malinin will win. Because if he lands another quadruple axel, it would take something special for anybody else to beat him.

Like on the men's side, there's a high likelihood that a first-time champion will be crowned in the women's competition. And just as Malinin is the clear favorite to win the men's title, Isabeau Levito seems poised to capture the women's championship.

Levito, who was the junior champion in 2021, had a solid showing in her first appearance in the women's competition at this event in 2022. She ended up third on the podium behind Bell and Karen Chen.

Still only 15, Levito is coming off a second-place finish at the Grand Prix Final. She has the potential to have a ton of success throughout her career, which is in the early stages.

But Levito's coach, Yulia Kuznetsova, has her focused on her own work, rather than worrying about where she places at competitions.

"What we are working on right now and what we're going to focus on at nationals: all confidence and self-control during both programs, during the whole competition," Kuznetsova said, per Ellen Dunkel of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "It doesn't matter how [many points] she thinks she will get."

But when Levito is done, she likely will have racked up plenty of points. And it will probably be enough to make her the U.S. women's champion.

Levito's top competition will likely be Bradie Tennell, who won the gold medal at this event in both 2018 and 2021. The 2018 Olympian missed last year's event due to foot and ankle injuries. Amber Glenn (who placed second in 2021) could also be a skater to watch.