US Figure Skating Championships 2019: Sunday TV Schedule, Top Contenders
Jan 27, 2019
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 26: Nathan Chen competes in the mens short program during the 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Little Caesars Arena on January 26, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Nathan Chen is in prime position to make it three golds in a row at the United States Figure Skating Championships, as he dominated the field on Saturday.
The 19-year-old was exceptional in his short program routine, with a points haul of 113.42 putting him comfortably ahead of the rest of the field. Chen's nearest challenger heading into Sunday's skating is Jason Brown, who put up a score of 100.52.
It means the rest of the field has a lot of work to do and will need an error from the defending champion if he's to let this one slip.
Here is the schedule in full for the final day of action at the 2019 nationals and a preview of what's to come from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
U.S. Figure Skating Championships Sunday Schedule
3:30 p.m.: Men's Free Skate
8 p.m.: Skating Spectacular
All times ET. Event will be broadcast live on NBC. The full competition schedule can be found here.
Sunday Preview
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 26: Nathan Chen competes in the mens short program during the 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Little Caesars Arena on January 26, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
The last of the medals at this year's U.S. Figure Skating Championships will be dished out on Sunday. Barring something remarkable, it seems certain where the gold will be going.
Chen was always going to be the star attraction at this competition, and he delivered on that billing with a sublime routine on Saturday. As this footage from after his short program illustrates, those in attendance were thrilled by his display:
The world champion showed off a triple axel, a quad flip and quad toe loop plus triple toe loop in his outing.
That culminated in a score of 113.42, which represents an improvement on his short program score from the previous two years. Ominously for the rest of the field, he appears to be getting even better.
"Everything that I've done, good and bad, in the past stays in the past," he said after the short program, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com). "Every nationals is a challenge, so I'm glad I skated the way I did. ... Overall, I thought the performance has been developing comparatively to the past couple of competitions, so I'm pretty satisfied."
USA's figure skater Nathan Chen addresses a press conference during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang on February 15, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / David GANNON (Photo credit should read DAVID GANNON/AFP/Getty Images)
Chen picked up 15.4 points for the quad flip in his routine, and it was a facet of his skate that impressed broadcaster Julie Stewart-Binks:
Given Chen has dominated the free skate in the past two years, for him to falter on Sunday would be a huge surprise. It means those chasing drama on the final day may need to look to the minor medals.
Brown is in second spot, although he's just 0.27 clear of Vincent Zhou, who is occupying the bronze medal position. Tomoki Hiwatashi is in fourth and has plenty of ground to make up if he's to stand on the rostrum on Sunday; he's back on 84.05 after the halfway point of the competition.
US Figure Skating Championships 2019: Final Results for Saturday Events
Jan 26, 2019
Nathan Chen performs in the men's short program during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2019, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
The 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championships neared an end Saturday at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, with the latest championship events being held.
The pairs free skate, the men's short program and free dance took center stage on the ice as the weekend heated up.
Below is a look at the standings from Saturday's competitions as well as a recap of the action.
Only the free skating session stands between Nathan Chen and a three-peat.
Chen ends the short program portion atop the leaderboard after recording a score of 113.42 (65.05 technical elements, 48.37 program components) on Saturday.
His routine included a triple axel, a quad flip and quad toe loop plus triple toe loop. Combine those elements along with a deduction-free performance and the score reflects a first-place skater. All of that put the 19-year-old more than10 points ahead of his next closest competitor, as Jason Brown sits in seconds at 100.52.
Vincent Zhou (100.25) joined Chen and Brown as the only skaters to eclipse the century mark on Saturday.
In his two previous championships, Chen put up scores of 106.39 and 104.45, respectively. Somehow, he managed to take his performance to an even higher level this time around.
Chen having the lead heading into the final stage is bad news for the rest of the field. He has absolutely dominated the free skate portion the past two years en route to victory, topping 210 points each time. Nobody else has recorded 185.60 points in the event during that span.
In the pairs championship, there was some movement on the leaderboard from the short program to free skate.
Tarah Kayne and Danny O'Shea held the lead after one event thanks to a 71.83 in the short program. However, their 126.81 in free skate Saturday was not quite enough to help the 2016 champs maintain their lead. Ultimately, they had to settle for fourth.
It appeared Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier were poised to win their second gold in three years. Their score of 133.32 in the free-skating portion made them the only pair to eclipse the 200-point mark for most of the day.
Notice the emphasis on most.
Ashley Cain and Timothy LeDuc were the last ones to take the ice, and they did so knowing that they needed 131-plus points to capture the top spot. Well, they did exactly that...and then some. Their 141.89 put them well above Denney and Frazier, giving Cain and LeDuc their first gold medal after back-to-back top-four finishes.
The reigning champs, Alexa Knierim and Christopher Knierim, found themselves off the podium back in seventh place after a pair of middle-of-the-pack performances. Their total score of 171.42 was a steep drop-off from their golden 206.60 performance a year ago.
The ice dance competition was effectively a two-team race thanks to the absence of Olympic bronze medalists Alex and Maia Shibutani, who aresitting outthe entire season.
This left defending U.S. championship Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue as the favorites with Madison Chock and Evan Bates representing the top competition for the gold.
Hubbell and Donohue performed well enough in the Rhythm Dance portion to take the early lead, although they were still up only 2.23 points going into the second and final day of competition.
The duo from Lansing, Michigan needed a big effort in the free dance to clinch the win and they did just that while skating to Romeo and Juliet in a record-breaking showing.
Robert Samuels of theWashington Postprovided his thoughts on the effort:
Last year, Hubbell and Donohue gave us the steamy slowburn of a one-night-stand as a free dance. This year, a passion, intensity and romance in the most well known love story. Not perfect (ugh, that twizzle) but still magical. #uschamps19
A strong technical performance earned them a 131.32, which was once again about two points better than Chock and Bates, who finished in second place. One of the best scores of all time at this event wasn't enough to earn gold.
Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker closed out a big week with a third-place finish.
Action will conclude Sunday with the men's free skate championship, which will get underway at 2 p.m. ET.
US Figure Skating Championships 2019: Saturday TV Schedule, Top Contenders
Jan 26, 2019
EVERETT, WA - OCTOBER 20: Nathan Chen of the USA competes in the Men's Free Skate on day two of the 2018 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Skate America at Angel of the Winds Arena on October 20, 2018 in Everett, Washington. Chen took gold with a total score of 280.57. (Photo by Lindsey Wasson/Getty Images)
Following on from a history-making Friday at the United States Figure Skating Championships, more competitors will be seeking to etch their names into the record books on Saturday at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
In the pairs event, the free skate runs will determine who takes gold, with the duo of Tarah Kayne and Danny O'Shea leading the way after the short program on 71.83 points. Defending champions Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Chris Knierim have ground to make up and begin the day in seventh.
The men's event will also get underway, with defending champion Nathan Chen set to take to the ice. The world champion is chasing a third win in succession in this competition.
U.S. Figure Skating Championships Saturday Schedule
9:30 a.m.: Pairs Free Skate (Groups 1 & 2)
11:09 a.m.: Men's Short Program (Groups 1 & 2)
1:27 p.m.: Men's Short Program (Groups 3 & 4)
3:07 p.m.: Pairs Free Skate (Groups 3 & 4)
6:16 p.m.: Free Dance
All times ET. Event will be broadcast live on NBC. The full competition schedule can be found here.
Saturday Preview
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 24: Tarah Kayne and Danny OShea compete in the championship pairs short program during the 2019 Geico U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Little Caesars Arena on January 24, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/
Following on from success for the 13-year-old Alysa Liu on Friday in the women's event—she became the youngest United States ladies' champion ever—more thrills will be expected on the ice on Saturday.
After being edged out by the Knierim duo last year, Kayne and O'Shea would have been desperate to make amends in 2019. They are on track to do exactly that, having performed well in the short program on Thursday.
Their routine put them on 71.83 points, leaving them narrowly ahead of Ashley Cain and Timothy LeDuc, who accrued 70.47 in their short program run.
As skating broadcaster Jackie Wong relayed, ahead of their initial run, the 2016 champions admitted they were feeling a little nervous going into their routine:
Kayne/O'Shea: Pretty nervous going into today. It's something that means a lot to us, and we were very happy it went as well as it did today #USChamps19
They should be feeling confident after their performance though, and that means they will be tough to beat come Saturday's free skate. When the duo clinched their national title in 2016, they blew away the competition with a stunning free skate and will be hopeful of repeating the trick here.
Here's a reminder of what they were able to produce three years ago, booking their place at the World Championships in the process:
Those in attendance will also get their first glimpse of Chen on Sunday, when the men begin their quest for gold with their short program runs.
The world champion has been crowned as the national champion in this event for the previous two years and is the huge favourite to make it three in succession. The last competitor to achieve a trio of successive triumphs was Johnny Weir between 2004 and 2006.
The Backseat Judges Twitter account gave us an insight into what we can expect from the 19-year-old:
Chen's ability means he will be almost impossible to beat at the nationals, and he is expected to go on to defend his world title later in the year if he can perform to his best.
If the teenager is going to face competition for gold, then it will come from the likes of Jason Brown, who changed coach after missing the 2018 Winter Olympics, and Vincent Zhou.
US Figure Skating Championships 2019: Friday TV Schedule, Top Contenders
Jan 25, 2019
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 24: Bradie Tennell competes in the championship ladies short program during the 2019 Geico U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Little Caesars Arena on January 24, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Defending U.S. national champion Bradie Tennell will take a lead into Friday's ladies free skate at the 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
The 20-year-old scored 76.60 in the short program on Thursday to head the pack, while 13-year-old Alysa Liusits second on her senior debut having earned a score of 73.89.
The ice dance competition kicks off during Friday's action at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan, and Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue will be looking to make a positive start to their title defence.
Here is Friday's schedule:
Friday Schedule
11:45 a.m. ET: Junior free dance
3:45 p.m. ET: Rhythm dance
6:30 p.m. ET: Ladies free skate
The event will be shown live on NBC. The full schedule for the competition can be foundhere.
Friday Preview
Tennell may have topped the leaderboard on Thursday, but Liu was the story.
Seconds into her routine, she made history as she landed a triple axel, and her exuberant performance had the Detroit crowd on their feet:
The 2018 U.S. junior champion is not even eligible yet to compete internationally. But she announced herself at the national championships on Thursday as a potential future Olympic hopeful.
Liu will likely need a flawless performance in the free skate on Friday to overhaul Tennell, and she has two more triple axels planned for her routine.
At the very least, a podium place seems probable for the teenager, who will leave the Championships having made a big impression no matter what happens.
Tennell was under significant pressure to perform after Liu's routine on Thursday, and she rose to the occasion spectacularly:
And the champion reigns supreme. @bradie_tennell secures first place in the Ladies' short program by scoring 76.60 points - now the best score of all time at U.S. Nationals! #USChamps 🥇 pic.twitter.com/QRWMhZr8gT
A surprise winner last year when she beat Mirai Nagasu and Karen Chen to claim the gold, Tennell is now the front-runner and it will be a shock if she is beaten to the title on Friday.
Along with Tennell and Liu, Mariah Bell was the only other skater to score in the 70s on Thursday as she returned a 70.30.
Hubbell and Donohue are strong favourites in the ice dance competition and will be looking for a fast start to the competition in the rhythm dance on Friday.
Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue of the US perform in the Senior Ice Dance program at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2018-19 in Vancouver, British Columbia on December 8, 2018. (Photo by Don MacKinnon / AFP) (Photo credit should read
The pair now trains in Canada, but until 2015 they were based at the Detroit Skating Club, and Hubbell is from Lansing, Michigan. So this year's Championships should feel like something of a homecoming.
They have been on a fine run of form since winning their title at the 2018 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
Hubbell and Donohue placed fourth at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea before claiming the silver medal at the 2018 World Figure Skating Championships.
They are undefeated this season, most recently prevailing at the 2018 Grand Prix Final.
US Figure Skating Championships 2019: Results for Pairs, Ladies Short Program
Jan 24, 2019
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 24: Tarah Kayne and Danny OShea compete in the championship pairs short program during the 2019 Geico U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Little Caesars Arena on January 24, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
After nearly a week of action at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, the marquee events got underway Thursday at the 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
The spotlight turned to the championship pairs and championship ladies competitions, both of which started with the short program before Friday's rhythm dance in pairs and free skate for the ladies.
Below are the full standings from Thursday night and a recap of the action.
Thursday Results
Championship Pairs—Short Program
1. Tarah Kayne and Danny O'Shea (71.83)
2. Ashley Cain and Timothy LeDuc (70.47)
2. Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier (68.32)
3. Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Nathan Bartholomay (68.18)
4. Audrey Lu and Misha Mitrofanov (66.21)
5. Jessica Calalang and Brian Johnson (62.94)
6. Alexa Knierim and Christopher Knierim (61.56)
7. Chelsea Liu and Ian Meyh (59.44)
8. Nica Digerness and Danny Neudecker (58.84)
9. Erika Smith and AJ Reiss (56.25)
10. Allison Timlen and Justin Highgate-Brutman (55.27)
11. Winter Deardorff and Max Settlage (53.14)
12. Olivia Serafini and Mervin Tran (51.32)
Championship Ladies—Short Program
1. Bradie Tennell (76.60)
2. Alysa Liu (73.89)
3. Mariah Bell (70.30)
4. Amber Glenn (69.86)
5. Hanna Harrell (68.16)
6. Emmy Ma (65.13)
7. Megan Wessenberg (60.37)
8. Starr Andrews (58.66)
9. Pooja Kalyan (58.64)
10. Akari Nakahara (57.72)
11. Brynne McIsaac (56.46)
12. Ting Cui (54.64)
13. Courtney Hicks (53.04)
14. Hannah Miller (52.75)
15. Heidi Munger (52.37)
16. Rena Ikenishi (51.01)
17. Julia Biechler (50.98)
18. Sierra Venetta (47.77)
Thursday Recap
Tarah Kayne and Danny O'Shea own a slim lead on Ashley Cain and Timothy LeDuc, as 1.36 points separate them.
Cain and LeDuc's second element largely doomed their chances of setting the pace. Judges deducted 0.95 points from their grade of execution after they under-rotated on their triple-loop attempt.
They recovered to earn a total score of 7.12 for a throw triple lutz, which helped get the rest of their routine back on track.
Despite their early mistake, Cain and LeDuc will be happy with their performance, especially given where they were a little over a month ago. Cain fell head-first on the ice at an event in December. Golden Skate shared Cain's thoughts about how far they've come as a team since then:
Cain and LeDuc are within striking distance of Kayne and O'Shea heading into Friday.
Consistency was the key for the defending silver medalists, who didn't score lower than 4.34 on any of their seven elements. They saved their best for last as their group-four lift earned them 6.92 points, including 1.82 points for grade of execution.
Kayne and O'Shea should feel confident about their chances of holding onto the top spot considering they placed second in last year's free skate, two spots higher than Cain and LeDuc.
At the very least, the pairs competition looks likely to crown new champions.
Alexa Scimeca-Knierim and Christopher Knierim earned gold in 2018, but they're in seventh place after the short program. Scimeca-Knierim and Knierim opened with a pair of costly errors.
The team might be able to make up enough ground to get on the podium, but a gap of 10.27 points on Kayne and O'Shea is probably a bridge too far.
Bradie Tennell is on pace to repeat as the champion in the ladies event. With a record-setting score of 76.60, she's 2.71 points clear of Alysa Liu.
Liu set the tone with her performance, so Tennell knew she needed something special to impress the judges. She started big, hitting a triple lutz plus a triple toe loop for a total score of 12.04, making it look effortless in the process.
And the champion reigns supreme. @bradie_tennell secures first place in the Ladies' short program by scoring 76.60 points - now the best score of all time at U.S. Nationals! #USChamps 🥇 pic.twitter.com/QRWMhZr8gT
As well as Tennell skated, Liu was arguably Thursday's biggest star.
Only 13, she became the third American female skater to hit a triple axel. The move opened her routine, and Liu continued to impress the Detroit crowd from there. She delivered a triple lutz and a triple toe loop.
Remember her name. At only 13 years old, Alysa Liu scores 73.89 points - the best EVER at U.S. Nationals! #USChamps19 🌟 https://t.co/GEds5pp6X8
Liu (43.86) got the better of Tennell (41.86) in terms of their respective element scores. Tennell's program components gave her the edge, though, which came as little surprise given the experience gap between the two.
Even if Liu falls short of winning gold, Friday's free skate could be a star-making moment for her.
US Figure Skating Championships 2019: Thursday TV Schedule, Top Contenders
Jan 24, 2019
Bradie Tennell of the US competes in the Ladies free skating during the Internationaux de France ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Grenoble, central-eastern France, on November 24, 2018. (Photo by JEAN-PIERRE CLATOT / AFP) (Photo credit should read JEAN-PIERRE CLATOT/AFP/Getty Images)
The senior skaters will take to the ice for the first time at the 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Thursday, with the pairs and ladies short program getting under way.
After the junior competitors took centre stage on Tuesday and Wednesday, some more familiar faces will be looking to delight the crowd on Day 3 of the event at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
Starting the action off on Thursday will be the junior pairs free skate. Success at this competition will be key to skaters qualifying for upcoming competitions, including the Four Continents Championship, the World Junior Championships and the World Championships.
Here is the schedule for Thursday and a preview of some of the star names taking part.
Thursday Schedule
12 p.m. - Junior pairs free skate
4:30 p.m. - Pairs short program
8:05 p.m. - Ladies short program
The event will be shown live on NBC. The full schedule for the competition can be found here.
Thursday Preview
In 2018, Bradie Tennell sprung a surprise when she beat Mirai Nagasu and Karen Chen, neither of whom will be competing in this discipline this year due to a skating hiatus and injury, respectively.
There's no reason why Tennell shouldn't be confident as she gears up for the short program as a result, especially following her performance in this part of the competition at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
She posted a season's best score in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and in doing so helped the United States win bronze in the team event.
Here's a reminder of what she conjured a year ago in the short program:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouBc4RHi9yc
Speaking prior to the defence of her national crown, Tennell said she hadn't even considered the fact she's the favourite for victory, per the Dave Skretta of the Associated Press (h/t the Daily Herald).
"You know, honestly that never really crossed my mind," she said. "I don't think of things like that. I think every time I go out on the ice I want to do the best for myself, and as long as you do that, I'm happy."
Competition is poised to come in the form of Mariah Bell, who has made impressive progress this season, as well as 13-year-old Alysa Liu, who has been tipped for a bright future in the sport.
Broadcaster Jamie Edmonds noted that the youngster is definitely one to watch:
In the pairs event, the duo of Alexa Scimeca-Knierim and Chris Knierim are back in a bid to become three-time national champions.
They've not had the most straightforward of seasons, although there were some signs of improvement when they won bronze recently at the NHK Trophy.
The duo are without a win in any of the major events this season, although they have traditionally been able to find their best at the national championships.
The couple reminded us in the buildup to this event that they've been on this stage plenty of times previously:
If they are to make it a third title in five years, they'll have to overcome 2016 champions Tarah Kayne and Danny O'Shea, who were second last year.
Others to look out for include Ashley Cain and Timothy LeDuc, who will be out to build on the bronze they picked up at Skate America.
US Figure Skating Championships 2019: TV Schedule, Top Contenders and Event Info
Jan 23, 2019
Nathan Chen of United States competes in the Men Short Program during the Internationaux de France ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Grenoble, central-eastern France, on November 23, 2018. (Photo by JEAN-PIERRE CLATOT / AFP) (Photo credit should read JEAN-PIERRE CLATOT/AFP/Getty Images)
The 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championships will reach its conclusion on Sunday, January 27, with this year's event taking place at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
Nathan Chen and Bradie Tennell will defend their men's and ladies' titles, respectively, and are in a strong position to repeat as champions.
NBC will provide full coverage of the event, beginning on Thursday, January 24. For a look at the complete schedule and TV or live-stream info, click here.
Nathan Chen of the US competes in the Mens Free Skating during the Internationaux de France ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Grenoble, central-eastern France, on November 24, 2018. (Photo by JEAN-PIERRE CLATOT / AFP) (Photo credit should read JE
In the men's event, Chen is the clear favourite to repeat as national champion. The 19-year-old is the current world champion and this year's winner of the Grand Prix Final, despite balancing skating with attending Yale.
Chen's focus this year has been less on raw athleticism―which made him one of the biggest stars at the Winter Olympics last year, despite several key mistakes―and more on the artistic side of skating. Mistakes still plagued him at the Grand Prix Final, but his overall brilliance was enough to seal the deal.
Should he falter in Detroit, 2015 champion Jason Brown and Olympic standout Vincent Zhou will like their chances.
The former has rediscovered his form after a difficult spell and is peaking at the right time, courtesy of a coaching change:
Tennell's win last year was something of a surprise, beating Mirai Nagasu and Karen Chen to the top spot thanks to remarkable consistency and a sensational short program.
No longer an underdog, she took the win at the Autumn Classic and Golden Spin this season and seems in a prime position to repeat.
Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue are the clear favourites in the ice dancing competition, but the pairs contest could be wide open this year.
Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue of the US perform in the Senior Ice Dance program at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2018-19 in Vancouver, British Columbia on December 8, 2018. (Photo by Don MacKinnon / AFP) (Photo credit should read
The current champions are Alexa Scimeca-Knierim and Chris Knierim, who have enjoyed a solid season so far but fell short of expectations at Skate America. The pair has skated well in most events, consistently finishing in the top four, but are without a major win this winter.
Last year's runners-up and 2016 champions Tarah Kayne and Danny O'Shea have been building up form throughout winter, with a silver medal at the Grand Prix event in France and another second place in Estonia.
Ashley Cain and Timothy LeDuc were among the standouts at Skate America and have won major events this winter, but their season was interrupted by an unfortunate injury for Cain, per Thomson Reuters (for CBC).
Winter X Games 2019: Aspen Dates, TV Schedule, Live Stream, Athletes, Event Info
Jan 23, 2019
BRECKENRIDGE, CO - DECEMBER 16: Chloe Kim of the United States competes in the Women's Snowboard Modified Superpipe Final presented by Toyota during Day 4 of the Dew Tour on December 16, 2018 in Breckenridge, Colorado. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
The 2019 Winter X Games will return to the iconic Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen, Colorado, for a four-day extravaganza kicking off on Thursday, January 24.
Events will run between Thursday and Sunday, culminating in the Men's Snowboard SuperPipe Final, the Snow Bike Best Trick Final and the Snow Hill Climb Final. The full schedule for each event can be found by clicking here.
ESPN and ABC will provide TV coverage, with live streaming options available through WatchESPN and the X Games' official YouTube channel. The full TV schedule can be accessed here. For all of the invited athletes, click here.
Women's snowboarding will feature a pair of superstars taking to the slopes in Aspen this year, as expectations for both Anna Gasser and Chloe Kim are enormous.
The latter was the breakout star of last year's Winter Olympics, winning the gold medal in the halfpipe, but she's already been a star on the X Games circuit for some time. The SuperPipe specialist is a four-time gold medal winner at the X Games, including in Aspen last year.
Here's how she claimed the gold in 2018:
On the Big Air side, Gasser made history this winter by becoming the first woman to land a cab triple 1260, and the big question is whether she'll show off the trick in Aspen:
"For sure it was one of the craziest tricks I've ever done": Austrian snowboarder Anna Gasser became the first woman ever to land a cab triple 1260 https://t.co/UDNKjEL9VZpic.twitter.com/8fmL4RdELz
Jamie Anderson has been the most consistent rider in Slopestyle for years, and she's expected to add to her medal tally.
In the men's competitions, Max Parrot leads a strong Canadian Big Air contingent, and the back-to-back Aspen winner will be difficult to dethrone. It can be done, however, and both the Big Air and Slopestyle men's events are regarded as some of the hardest to call this year.
BRECKENRIDGE, CO - DECEMBER 16: David Wise of the United States competes in the Men's Ski Modified Superpipe Final presented by Toyota during Day 4 of the Dew Tour on December 16, 2018 in Breckenridge, Colorado. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
In skiing, David Wise is the SuperPipe defending champion after scoring 90+ points with two of his three runs last year, but he could face a difficult challenge from 2017 winner Aaron Blunck, who has shown strong form this winter.
Maddie Bowman has taken the women's SuperPipe gold in five of the last six Aspen contests, but she will go up against a fresh challenger this year. Estonia's Kelly Sildaru became the youngest ever X Games gold medalist in 2016, winning the Slopestyle, and she has now made the switch to SuperPipe.
In December she won the FIS Halfpipe contest at Copper Mountain in Summit County, Colorado, showing she's ready for the big stage.
Musical guests at this year's X Games include Lil Wayne and The Chainsmokers.
Suspended U.S. Pairs Figure Skating Champion John Coughlin Dies at 33
Jan 19, 2019
John Coughlin, left, and Caydee Denney compete in the pairs short program at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
American figure skating champion John Coughlin took his own life Friday.
The Associated Press reported the Kansas City Police Department responded to a suicide call Friday afternoon and found Coughlin's body.
U.S. Figure Skating released a statement Saturday morning:
We are stunned at the news of the death of two-time U.S. pairs champion John Coughlin. Our heartfelt and deepest sympathies are with his father Mike, sister Angela and the rest of his family. Out of respect to the family, we will have no further comment until a later time.
Coughlin, 33, won back-to-back United States national championships in pairs skating with Caitlin Yankowskas in 2011 and Caydee Denney in 2012.
The Missouri native last competed during the 2013-14 season.
Christine Brennan of USA Today reported his death came one day after he was suspended by SafeSport and U.S. Figure Skating. The discipline prohibited Coughlin, who'd operated as a coach and commentator, from participating in the sport in any form.
Coughlin told USA Today the unspecified allegations against him were "unfounded."
First placed United States' Mikaela Shiffrin, center, celebrates with second placed Slovakia's Petra Vlhova, left, and third placed Switzerland's Wendy Holdener on the podium of an Alpine ski, women's World Cup slalom in Semmering, Austria, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018 (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta)
American Alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin won her 36th World Cup slalom race Saturday in Austria to break a tie with Marlies Raich for the most in history by a female competitor.
Eric Willemsen of the Associated Press provided comments from Shiffrin, who edged Petra Vlhova of Slovakia and Wendy Holdener of Switzerland.
"[Raich] is my biggest idol beside Bode Miller," Shiffrin said. "When I was young, I wanted to be the best skier in the world. I was always watching Marlies; she was a legend. To me, she is the best slalom skier. I wouldn't be here without her. For me, she has this record forever."
The victory capped a memorable 2018 for the 23-year-old Colorado native.
Shiffrin won a gold medal in the giant slalom during the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and also captured silver in the combined event.
She earned her second straight World Cup overall title in March on the strength of her fifth slalom title in the past six years.
"It's a little bit unbelievable, in every meaning of the word," she said of her year, per Willemsen.
Shiffrin is on pace for an even more dominant World Cup result during the 2018-19 season thanks to a greater focus on the super-G, in which she ranks first after wins in Canada and Switzerland.
It's helped her build a massive lead in the overall. With 1,034 points following Saturday's win, she is nearly 500 ahead of her closest competitor (Vlhova, 568).
Her improvement in the super-G could make her a serious threat for four medals when the 2022 Olympics roll around, and she may even make enough strides in the downhill by then to compete in all five medal events in Beijing.
Shiffrin has won 51 World Cup races across all disciplines since her first victory in December 2012.
