Winter Sports

N/A

Tag Type
League
Slug
winter-sports
Short Name
Winter Sports
Visible in Content Tool
Off
Visible in Programming Tool
Off
Featured
Off
Auto create Channel for this Tag
On
Children
Figure Skating
Skiing

Winter X Games 2022: Full Results, Medal Winners and Best Trick Highlights

Jan 24, 2022
ASPEN, CO - JANUARY 21: Tess Ledeux, of La Plagne, France, smiles as she shows off her gold medal after winning the Jeep Women's Ski Big Air finals at Buttermilk Mountain for the X Games on January 21, 2022 in Aspen, Colorado. This is the third time she has won the event at the X Games. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
ASPEN, CO - JANUARY 21: Tess Ledeux, of La Plagne, France, smiles as she shows off her gold medal after winning the Jeep Women's Ski Big Air finals at Buttermilk Mountain for the X Games on January 21, 2022 in Aspen, Colorado. This is the third time she has won the event at the X Games. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

The 2022 Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado, brought a return of fans and plenty of memorable tricks and performances.

Here is a look at the full results of competitions that started Friday and ran through Sunday's Men's Ski SuperPipe.

The results are courtesy of the X Games' official website.

Friday, Jan. 21

Women's Snowboard Slopestyle

1. Zoi Sadowski-Synnott

2. Jamie Anderson

3. Laurie Blouin

Women's Ski Big Air

1. Tess Ledeux, 94.00

2. Megan Oldham, 89.00

3. Olivia Asselin, 72.00

Snowboard Knuckle Huck

1. Marcus Kleveland

2. Fridtjof Sæther Tischendorf

3. Dusty Henricksen

Women's Ski SuperPipe

1. Kelly Sildaru

2. Brita Sigourney

3. Hanna Faulhaber

Men's Snowboard SuperPipe

1. Scotty James

2. Ayumu Hirano

3. Kaishu Hirano

Saturday, Jan. 22

Women's Ski Slopestyle

1. Tess Ledeux

2. Mathilde Gremaud

3. Megan Oldham

Men's Snowboard Slopestyle

1. Mark McMorris

2. Marcus Kleveland

3. Sven Thorgren

Women's Snowboard Big Air

1. Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, 85.00

2. Jamie Anderson, 82.00

3. Miyabi Onitsuka, 78.00

Women's Snowboard SuperPipe

1. Sena Tomita

2. Queralt Castellet

3. Haruna Matsumoto

Men's Ski Big Air

1. Alex Hall, 94.00

2. Mac Forehand, 92.00

3. Teal Harle, 91.00

Men's Snowboard Big Air

1. Marcus Kleveland, 82.00

2. Max Parrot, 81.00

3. Rene Rinnekangas, 80.00

Sunday, Jan. 23

Men's Ski Slopestyle

1. Andri Ragettli

2. Max Moffatt

3. Alex Hall

Ski Knuckle Huck

1. Quinn Wolferman

2. Jake Mageau

3. Alex Hall

Men's Ski SuperPipe

1. Nico Porteous

2. Aaron Blunck

3. David Wise

It didn't take long for the drama to start at Buttermilk Mountain.

The Men's Snowboard SuperPipe is always one of the headline events, and Scotty James went head-to-head with Ayumu Hirano. While Hirano narrowly earned the gold over James the last time he competed in the X Games in 2018, it was James' time to shine on his way to a fourth X Games gold medal.

Elsewhere, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott was brilliant on her way to gold in the Women's Snowboard Slopestyle. ESPN's Grace Coryell suggested she unleashed "arguably the best Women's Snowboard Slopestyle run in contest history—Cab 270 on the down bar, a switch boardslide pretzel out, frontside bluntslide 450 out, switch backside 900 Indy, frontside double cork 1080 melon and backside double cork 1080 Weddle grab."

She wasn't the only one who dazzled, as Tess Ledeux became the first woman to land a double cork 1620 in competition as the Women's Ski Big Air winner, and Kelly Sildaru captured gold in the Women's Ski SuperPipe to win her 10th X Games medal and break a tie with Shaun White and Nyjah Huston for the most as a teenager.

That was just the beginning thanks to more record showings during Saturday's competition.

Coryell broke down the history that happened during the X Games' second day:

  • Ledeux became the first woman to win gold in Ski Big Air and Ski Slopestyle.
  • Mark McMorris won the Men's Snowboard Slopestyle and moved into a tie for fifth with 12 X Games medals.
  • Sadowski-Synnott won the Women's Snowboard Big Air, but Jamie Anderson's silver meant she was tied with McMorris for the most Winter X Games medals.
  • Sena Tomita became the first Japanese gold medalist in Women's Snowboard SuperPipe.
  • Marcus Kleveland won two medals in one day when he took home silver in the Men's Snowboard Slopestyle and gold in the Men's Snowboard Big Air.

Sunday was a big day for men's skiing, and Switzerland's Andri Ragettli held off challenges from Canada's Max Moffatt and the United States' Alex Hall.

Hall also took bronze in the Men's Ski Knuckle Huck behind Quinn Wolferman and Jake Mageau before the grand finale of the Men's Ski SuperPipe. Nico Porteous closed the festivities with a brilliant showing in that final event.

It fittingly came down to the final run, but the defending champion was able to outlast Aaron Blunck for the second straight year in dramatic fashion.

Winter X Games 2022: Aspen Dates, TV Schedule, Live Stream, Athletes, Event Info

Jan 20, 2022
ASPEN, CO - JANUARY 29: Jamie Anderson flips on her third during the Women's Snowboard Slopestyle Finals at Winter X Games 2016 at Buttermilk Mountain on January 29, 2016 in Aspen, Colorado. Spencer O'Brien won the event with a score of 91 coming after her second run. (Photo by Brent Lewis/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
ASPEN, CO - JANUARY 29: Jamie Anderson flips on her third during the Women's Snowboard Slopestyle Finals at Winter X Games 2016 at Buttermilk Mountain on January 29, 2016 in Aspen, Colorado. Spencer O'Brien won the event with a score of 91 coming after her second run. (Photo by Brent Lewis/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

The next few weeks are going to be quite busy for some of the top male and female snowboarders and skiers in the world. That's because a number of them aren't heading to Beijing for the 2022 Winter Olympics quite yet.

The 2022 Winter X Games are set to take place in Aspen, Colorado, from Friday to Sunday, with a host of medals up for grabs. Among the athletes participating will be several who will then take part in the Olympics in February.

As it has been since 2002, the Winter X Games are being held at Buttermilk Mountain. However, this year's event will have a special feel after the 2021 edition was held without fans because of the coronavirus pandemic. This year, people who are fully vaccinated will be able to attend the competitions.

Here's everything else you need to know heading into this year's Winter X Games in Aspen.

                  

2022 Winter X Games Information

Dates: Jan. 21-Jan. 23

TV Coverage: ESPN, ABC

Live Stream: X Games social media channels, ESPN app

The full schedule is available at the competition's official site. A list of all invited athletes can be found here.

                

Preview

No woman has had more success at the Winter X Games than snowboarder Jamie Anderson, and the 31-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down in recent years.

At the 2021 Winter X Games, Anderson won the gold medals in both women's slopestyle and women's big air. She now has 19 medals in her Winter X Games career, which includes eight golds. Her seven golds in slopestyle are the most by any competitor in Winter X Games history.

Anderson will look to add to her impressive resume at the event this weekend, when she's set to compete in both slopestyle and big air again. It could be the start of an impressive stretch for Anderson, who will also be participating in the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

In Olympic competition, Anderson has been just as successful. She won the gold medal in women's slopestyle in 2014 and 2018, which are the only two Games in which it has been an event. She has a good chance to make it three in a row next month.

"I'm excited for the opportunity to represent the U.S. on such a big stage," Anderson said, per Justin Scacco of the Tahoe Daily Tribune. "I'm also excited to motivate young girls to follow their dreams."

Another name to watch at the Winter X Games will be Dusty Henricksen. The 18-year-old made his X Games debut last year, and he broke on to the scene in a big way, capturing gold medals in both slopestyle and knuckle huck.

Like Anderson, Henricksen will be representing the United States at the Winter Olympics. But before that, he will look to have another successful showing at the Winter X Games and continue his impressive start to his career.

Henricksen will first be in action Friday, when the knuckle huck is taking place. The other events scheduled for the opening day of the 2022 Winter X Games are men's snowboard superpipe, women's snowboard slopestyle, women's ski big air and women's ski superpipe.

On Saturday, the events taking place are women's ski slopestyle, men's snowboard slopestyle, women's snowboard big air, women's snowboard superpipe, men's ski big air and men's snowboard big air.

The 2022 Winter X Games will conclude Sunday with men's ski slopestyle, men's ski superpipe and ski knuckle huck.

US Figure Skating Championships 2022: Final Results, Highlights and Reaction

Jan 9, 2022
Nathan Chen competes in the men's short program during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Nathan Chen competes in the men's short program during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

Nathan Chen is a national champion for the sixth straight time.

Chen won the title with a score of 212.62 during Sunday's championship men's free skate in Nashville, Tennessee, to bring his total score to 328.01. Ilia Malinin clinched second place with a total score of 302.48, while Vincent Zhou finished in third after a total score of 290.16.

Here is a look at the full results:

1. Nathan Chen, 328.01 (115.39 short and 212.62 free)

2. Ilia Malinin, 302.48 (103.46 short and 199.02 free)

3. Vincent Zhou, 290.16 (112.78 short and 177.38 free)

4. Jason Brown, 289.78 (100.84 short and 188.94 free)

5. Camden Pulkinen, 260.41 (90.16 short and 170.25 free)

6. Jimmy Ma, 226.98 (91.62 short and 135.36 free)

7. Liam Kapeikis, 221.31 (73.77 short and 147.54 free)

8. Dinh Tran, 215.72 (71.18 short and 144.54 free)

9. Ryan Dunk, 191.36 (65.66 short and 125.70 free)

10. Paul Yeung, 183.74 (60.01 short and 123.73 free)

11. Artur Dmitriev, 183.01 (62.40 short and 120.61 free)

12. Mitchell Friess, 171.19 (66.07 short and 105.12 free)

13. Sebastien Payannet, 162.28 (48.52 short and 113.76 free)

The primary storyline coming into Sunday's free skate was whether Chen would take home the title for a sixth straight time.

He staked himself to an early lead with a sparkling score of 115.39 in the short program. Zhou was nearly three points behind at 112.78, while Malinin built a cushion in the battle for third with a score of 103.46.

Jason Brown checked in at 100.84 as he competed with the 17-year-old Malinin for the third spot on the Olympic team.

Yet Chen's brilliance stole the show, and George Ramsay of CNN noted his short program score broke his own U.S. scoring record he set in 2020. The three-time world champion looked the part of Olympic favorite even though the competition will increase in Beijing when he faces Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu.

It was Brown who took the ice first among the contenders for the free skate, and an early fall left the door open for Malinin.

He wasn't the only one who came up short with an opportunity to jump a spot. Zhou stumbled on multiple landings while making a handful of mistakes. There was something to be said for taking some chances and pressing the technical skills when chasing an all-time great like Chen, but the 21-year-old came up short after he was largely excellent in the short program.

In fact, he barely stayed ahead of Brown despite having approximately a 12-point cushion after the short program.

With second place now realistically on the table, Malinin unleashed a dazzling combination of technical skill and artistry that moved him up the leaderboard. Not only did he fire up the crowd at this year's nationals, but he announced himself as a future star for American figure skating who figures to be a headline name for 2026.

It was arguably a cleaner skate than Chen's considering the victor fell multiple times, but the winner's combination of quad jumps and overall program was too much to beat.

The result was another victory on the illustrious resume for the best men's figure skater in the United States heading into the Olympics next month.

US Figure Skating Championships TV Schedule 2022: Sunday Preview, Predictions

Jan 9, 2022
Nathan Chen competes in the men's short program during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Nathan Chen competes in the men's short program during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

As expected, Nathan Chen has gotten off to a strong start at the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. And on Sunday, he will have an opportunity to continue his recent dominance at the event.

Chen posted a score of 115.39 points in Saturday's men's short program, breaking his own record of 114.13 that he set at the event in 2020. He will look to seal the gold medal for the sixth consecutive year Sunday, when the men's free skate concludes proceedings at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

There hasn't been a men's figure skater to win six straight U.S. championships since Dick Button captured the gold in seven straight years from 1946-52. If Chen maintains his performance level, he is on track to break that record.

Here's everything else you need to know heading into Sunday's action at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

                   

Sunday TV Schedule

Men's Free, 2-4 p.m. ET, NBC

               

Sunday Preview, Predictions

Chen wasn't the only men's figure skater to have an impressive showing in the short program Saturday. And while he's the leader and in a good position to capture the gold medal Sunday, other skaters are not too far back on the leaderboard.

While Chen set a new short-program record with 115.39 points, Vincent Zhou (112.78), Ilia Malinin (112.78) and Jason Brown (100.84) all exceeded the 100-point mark. It was an impressive day.

"This U.S. national short program was insane," Chen said, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "Every guy laid down amazing programs."

But not one of them was more impressive than Chen's. And he'll be the favorite to win Sunday's free skate.

If Chen is upset, then it will likely be by Zhou, who set a personal best at the event with his short-program score of 112.78 points. The 21-year-old isn't too far behind Chen, and he's had success at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in the past.

Zhou has never won the event, but he's captured the silver medal in three of the past five years. He finished third and fourth in the other two years during that stretch.

Like Chen, Zhou was impressed by the performances that took place Saturday.

"One of the craziest short-program events ever probably," Zhou said, per the AP (h/t ESPN). "The general idea, the pressure was on, so I'm honored to have the opportunity to compete in this field."

There's a good chance that the four men's leaders will all perform well again during Sunday's free skate. However, it's highly likely that Chen will continue his dominance and win the gold for the sixth year in a row.

Chen has been on a different level than the rest of the field in recent years. And with him preparing to compete at the 2022 Beijing Olympics in February, he will be focused on building momentum toward that.

Expect Chen to put up another strong score and hold off the rest of the field. Zhou, meanwhile, will take another silver medal.

US Figure Skating Championships 2022: Results, Latest Schedule After Saturday

Jan 9, 2022
Nathan Chen competes in the men's short program during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Nathan Chen competes in the men's short program during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

Nathan Chen set the U.S. National Figure Skating Championship men's short program record Saturday en route to a dazzling performance that highlighted Day 5 of the action at Nashville, Tennessee's Bridgestone Arena.

Chen's 115.39 points broke the record he previously set in 2020 (114.13 points).

Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc dazzled once again to win the pairs program, as they took first in the free skate after landing first in the short program two days earlier.

In the ice dance, Madison Chock and Evan Bates won gold after holding off a strong challenge from Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue.

Saturday's action will lead to the final event of the championships, with the men's free skate occurring Sunday at 12:15 p.m. ET.

For now, here's a look at the Saturday results as well as some highlights and notes.

Men's Free Skate (Top 5)

1. Nathan Chen (115.39)

2. Vincent Zhou (112.78)

3. Ilia Malinin (103.46)

4. Jason Brown (100.84)

5. Jimmy Ma (91.62)

Full results here.

Championship Pairs: Total (Top 5)

1. Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc: 225.23 (79.39 Short Program, 145.84 Free Skate)

2. Jessica Calalang and Brian Johnson: 209.87 (77.48 Short Program, 132.39 Free Skate)

3. Audrey Lu and Misha Mitrofanov: 191.54 (68.11 Short Program, 123.43 Free Skate)

4. Emily Chan and Spencer Howe: 177.25 (61.94 Short Program, 115.31 Free Skate)

5. Katie McBeath and Nathan Bartholomay: 167.10 (50.11 Short Program, 116.99 Free Skate)

Full results here.

Championship Ice Dance (Top 5)

1. Madison Chock and Evan Bates: 227.37 (91.94 Rhythm Dance, 135.43 Free Dance)

2. Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue: 225.59 (89.39 Rhythm Dance, 136.20 Free Dance)

3. Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker: 205.68 (79.39 Rhythm Dance, 126.29 Free Dance)

4. Caroline Green and Michael Parsons: 203.27 (80.85 Rhythm Dance, 122.42 Free Dance)

5. Emily Bratti and Ian Somerville: 187.98 (76.70 Rhythm Dance, 111.28 Free Dance)

Full results here.

Men's Free Skate

Chen nailed a pair of quads en route to his mind-blowing performance. Highlights can be found below.

"Chen looked at home in his return to 'La Boheme,' opening with a quadruple flip before hitting a triple Axel and closing with a quad Lutz-triple toe-loop combination.," Nick McCarvel of Olympics.com wrote.

"He earned Level 4s for each of his spins and his step sequence, helping him to a 48.46 overall in Program Components, second only to the ethereal [Jason] Brown (49.15)."

Chen is searching for his sixth straight national title and second consecutive Olympic appearance. He's also been on fire the last four years.

He rebounded from a 17th-place finish in the short program to take first in the free skate en route to fifth overall.

Vincent Zhou appears well in line to grab an Olympic spot alongside Chen and a to-be-determined third teammate.

Jackie Wong of Rocker Skating gave more insight into Zhou's performance Saturday:

Ilia Malinin, 17, is in third place, with Jason Brown ending fourth. Malinin was a surprise third-place finisher, but he was sensational Saturday. It appears he'll be going all out Sunday to earn the final Olympic spot, too:

Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi shouted out the top four American competitors:

Fourteen skaters will take part in the free skate Sunday.

Pairs

Cain-Gribble and LeDuc finished what they started on Thursday, taking first overall after a first-place finish in the free skate Saturday.

The Cain-Gribble/LeDuc pair, which also took first in the short program, shone once again:

"I don’t have a lot of words. It’s just crazy," Cain-Gribble said, per Dave Skretta of the Associated Press.

"We've visualized this moment so many times and to have done a performance like that, and the whole week the way it went—it's just surreal."

LeDuc, who came out publicly as nonbinary earlier this year, also had a message to share following the team's victory:

Two American pairs will be headed to the Olympics, with LeDuc and Cain-Gribble assuredly one of them, as noted by Wong and Bally Sports' Maggie Hendricks:

https://twitter.com/maggiehendricks/status/1479983658962403332

Jessica Calalang and Brian Johnson closed the pairs competition, and as Wong noted, the group needed to be perfect. They were not, but they were very good in their own right en route to a second-place finish.

Audrey Lu and Misha Mitrofanov, who finished third in the short program, also took third in the free skate to win the bronze.

Ice Dance

Bates and Chock are now three-time U.S. national champions after their victory:

Per OlympicTalk, Bates will become the first U.S. figure skater to take part in four Olympic Games.

You can also learn more about the duo here:

The gold medalist's training partners, Hubbell and Donohue, finished a close second in their last-ever national performance:

Robert Samuels of the Washington Post complimented the duo as they made their nationals exit:

Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker held off Caroline Green and Michael Parsons to finish third.

Mariah Bell Headlines US Figure Skating Olympics Women's Team 2022

Jan 8, 2022
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JANUARY 07: Mariah Bell reacts after skating in the Ladies Free Skate during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Bridgestone Arena on January 07, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JANUARY 07: Mariah Bell reacts after skating in the Ladies Free Skate during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Bridgestone Arena on January 07, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

U.S. Figure Skating announced its women's team for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing on Saturday, headlined by national champion Mariah Bell.

According to Team USA, Bell is joined by Karen Chen and Alysa Liu, who round out the three-woman squad.

At 25 years of age, Bell became the oldest United States women's figure skating champion since 1927 when she won the title Friday in Nashville, Tennessee, per Alex Azzi of NBC Sports.

Bell will also be the oldest American female figure skater to compete in the Olympics since 34-year-old Theresa Weld-Blanchard in 1928.

This year will mark Bell's first time on the Olympic team, as she was named a second alternate for the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Chen, 22, finished second to Bell in the U.S. Championships on Friday and is set to make her second consecutive Olympic appearance.

After finishing third at the U.S. Championships in 2018, Chen was one of three women to be named to Team USA in Pyeongchang, where she finished 11th.

Like Bell, the 16-year-old Liu is set to make her Olympic debut as well. Liu did not place at the U.S. Championships, as she had to withdraw from the competition because of a positive COVID-19 test.

Liu was in third place after the short program, however, and she is the most decorated skater on this year's Olympic team.

In addition to taking bronze at the Junior World Championships in 2020, Liu won gold at the U.S. Championships in both 2019 and 2020.

Isabeau Levito took bronze at the 2022 U.S. Championships, but since she is only 14 years of age, she is not old enough to be part of the Olympic team.

Gracie Gold, 26, won bronze in the team event at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, but she failed to qualify for the Beijing Games after finishing 10th at the 2022 U.S. Championships.

Bell, Chen and Liu will all look to become the first American women's figure skater to medal in singles at the Olympics since Sasha Cohen took silver in 2006.

US Figure Skating Championships TV Schedule 2022: Saturday Preview, Predictions

Jan 8, 2022
Nathan Chen of the United States skates his free program in the mens competition at Skate Canada International in Vancouver, British Columbia on October 30, 2021. (Photo by Geoff Robins / AFP) (Photo by GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty Images)
Nathan Chen of the United States skates his free program in the mens competition at Skate Canada International in Vancouver, British Columbia on October 30, 2021. (Photo by Geoff Robins / AFP) (Photo by GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty Images)

There are two days of events left in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Nashville, Tennessee, with the men's short program, free dance and pairs free skate left to come on Saturday, and the men's free skate wrapping things up Sunday afternoon. 

Friday night's women's free skate was upended when two-time national champion Alysa Liu, who came in third in Thursday's short program, withdrew after testing positive for COVID-19 Friday morning.

Mariah Bell took gold in women's free skate, while Karen Chen claimed silver and Isabeau Levito earned bronze. 

Liu is the highest-ranking U.S. woman this season, and her withdrawal does not necessarily endanger her chances of being named to her first Olympic team for the 2022 Games in Beijing. 

The U.S. Figure Skating Championships aren't an Olympic qualifying event; rather, a selection committee will name the team after taking into consideration results over the past year, dating back to the January 2021 U.S. Championships.

Liu will be able to petition for a spot on the Olympic team even though she didn't compete at the U.S. Championships, as will reigning U.S. champion pairs partners Brandon Frazier and Alexa Knierim after Frazier tested positive on Wednesday. 

In 2006, Michelle Kwan petitioned for a spot on the Olympic team after missing the U.S. Championships with a groin injury, though it ultimately kept her out of the Games. 

As long as COVID-19 doesn't continue to derail skaters' plans, let's take a look at the athletes who are scheduled to compete on Saturday and what events will be taking place at Bridgestone Arena. 

       

U.S. Figure Skating Championships 2022 Overview

Dates: Monday, Jan. 3 - Sunday, Jan. 9

Location: Bridgestone Arena; Nashville, Tennessee

TV: USA Network, NBC

Live Stream: Peacock 

      

U.S. Figure Skating Championships Remaining TV Schedule

Saturday, 3 p.m. ET: Men's Short Program (NBC)

Saturday, 6:45 p.m. ET: Pairs Free Skate and Free Dance (USA Network)

Sunday, 12:15 p.m. ET: Men's Free Skate (NBC)

         

Undoubtedly one of the highlights of Saturday's coverage will be Nathan Chen's performance in the men's short program, the same event that saw a singles medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games slip through his hands, finishing in 17th place after a fall. 

He came back to take gold at the World Figure Skating Championships in March 2018 and then went undefeated for the next three-and-a-half years before finishing third at Skate America in October, once again because of mistakes in his short program. 

Chen, now 22, doesn't need redemption, not by any means. But there's a lot riding on his short program performance Saturday afternoon. 

Chen, ranked No. 3 in the world, is again a medal favorite for the Beijing Games. But he has some serious competition in 2021 Skate America winner Vincent Zhou, who has been runner-up at nationals three times. 

World No. 2 Jason Brown, who was an alternate for the 2018 Games, could also earn himself a spot on the Olympic team with a strong finish at nationals. 

With Frazier and Knierim out, Jessica Calalang and Brian Johnson—the 2020 and 2021 U.S. silver medalists who train with them—are the skaters to watch in the pairs free skate. 

Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc, the 2019 U.S. champions, could also enter the conversation for the Olympic team if they can take first or second. The pair finished first Friday night in the short program. 

The U.S. women's team will be announced on Saturday afternoon. The full U.S. Figure Skating Olympic team will be named by January 10. 

Saturday predictions: Nathan Chen wins men's short program; Cain-Gribble and LeDuc win pairs.  

US Figure Skating Championships 2022: Results, Latest Schedule After Friday

Jan 8, 2022
Madison Chock and Evan Bates compete in the rhythm dance program during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Madison Chock and Evan Bates compete in the rhythm dance program during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

The 2022 United States Figure Skating Championships continued Friday with two events from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. 

After a three-event day on Thursday, today's scheduled featured the rhythm dance and ladies championship free skate. 

The rhythm dance was an opportunity to get a first look at the pairings of Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue; and Madison Chock and Evan Bates. Those two teams finished first and second in the ice dance competition last year, with Hubbell and Donohue coming out on top thanks to their showing in the free dance. 

Chock and Bates got the early advantage in the competition with an impressive 91.94 score in the rhythm dance. Hubbell and Donohue were a close second with an 89.39. No one else is within eight points of second place.

The ladies championship was ensured to crown a new winner. Defending champion Bradie Tennell was unable to compete because of a foot injury that forced her to withdraw from the Championships in December. 

Mariah Bell led the way after Thursday's short program with a score of 75.55. Karen Chen, Alysa Liu, Isabeau Levito and Lindsay Thorngren rounded out the top five with scores over 70. 

Bell carried her positive momentum into the free skate. She posted the top score with her routine to win gold at the U.S. Championships for the first time in her career. 

Here are the full results from Friday's action, as well as a look at the remaining schedule for the U.S. Figure Skating Championships over the next two days. 

                 

Championship Ice Dance: Rhythm Dance (Top 5; Free Dance Still to Come)

1. Madison Chock and Evan Bates, 91.94

2. Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue, 89.39

3. Caroline Green and Michael Parsons, 80.85

4. Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker, 79.39

5. Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko, 77.90

Full results here. 

             

Championship Ladies: Free Skate (Top 5)

1. Mariah Bell, 140.70 (216.25 total points)

2. Karen Chen, 139.3 (213.85)

3. Isabeau Levito, 139.75 (210.75) 

4. Gabriella Izzo, 120.60 (188.11)

5. Lindsay Thorngren, 116.16 (186.38)

Full results here. 

               

Remaining Schedule (All times ET)

Saturday, Jan. 8

3 p.m.: Championship Ice Dance / Free Dance

6:45 p.m.: Championship Men / Short Program

8:25 p.m.: Championship Pairs / Free Skate

        

Sunday, Jan. 9

12:15 p.m.: Championship Men / Free Skate

      

Recap

Chock and Bates put together one of the best performances of their career on Friday. Their score in the rhythm dance was the highest ever by a pair at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, per NBC Olympics. 

Last year, Chock and Bates set the pace in this event with a score of 90.10, but their lead was only .41 points. Hubbell and Donohue erased that deficit in the free dance with a score of 134.90—two points better than their rivals (132.83)—to get the win. 

Both times Chock and Bates have won at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships (2015, 2020) they had the top score in the rhythm dance and free dance. 

The door remains open for Hubbell and Donohue to capture their fourth win at this event in the past five years. They put together a clean routine to stay close to Chock and Bates after their record-setting performance. 

In the ladies singles competition, Bell came into the day with little margin for error. She was in a position to medal last year after finishing third in the short program, but she dropped to fifth after her free skate. 

This time around, Bell left no doubt that she is ready to take the next step in her career. The 25-year-old posted the top score in the free skate (140.70) to finish almost three points ahead of Chen. 

Per NBC Olympics, Bell is the oldest woman to win the ladies singles title at the U.S. Championships in 95 years. Beatrix Loughran was 26 years old when she won her third of three straight titles in 1927. 

Chen's opportunity to pass Bell was undone when she was unable to fully rotate on multiple jumps during her routine, prompting the judges to deduct points from her final score. 

Levito actually posted the second-highest score in the free skate to jump up a spot and claim the bronze medal. The 14-year-old was making her senior debut at the United States Championships this week. 

This event was missing one major competitor, as Alysa Liu announced on Instagram (h/t USA Today's Tom Schad) that she had to withdraw earlier in the day because of a positive COVID-19 test. The two-time ladies singles champion was in third place coming out of the short program. 

Now, the focus for Bell, Chen and the other competitors will turn to the Olympics. The U.S. team that will represent the country in Beijing for the 2022 Winter Games is expected to be announced no later than Jan. 10. 

US Figure Skating Championships TV Schedule 2022: Friday Preview, Predictions

Jan 7, 2022
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JANUARY 06: Mariah Bell skates in the Ladies Short Program during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Bridgestone Arena on January 06, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JANUARY 06: Mariah Bell skates in the Ladies Short Program during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Bridgestone Arena on January 06, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Mariah Bell could come away with her first gold medal at the ninth time of asking at the 2022 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

However, the 25-year-old, who first competed at championship level in the tournament in 2014, will need to follow up her impressive opening performance with another strong showing on Friday to ensure she tops the podium.

Bell scored 75.55 points in the women's short program at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on Thursday and will look to hold off the other top challengers at the event in Friday's free skate.

That won't be the only action on the ice on Friday, as the championship-level ice dancers will compete in the rhythm dance competition.

Here's a look at the TV schedule for the remainder of this year's championships, followed by more on Friday's events.

        

TV Schedule

Friday, Jan. 7

Rhythm Dance, 4-6 p.m. ET, USA Network

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

        

Saturday, Jan. 8

Men's Short, 4-6 p.m. ET, NBC

Pairs Free and Free Dance, 7-10 p.m. ET, USA Network

          

Sunday, Jan. 9

Men's Free, 2-4 p.m. ET, NBC

          

Friday Preview, Predictions

Bell may have the lead in the women's competition after a strong showing in the short program, but her advantage at the top of the standings is narrow. And there are several fellow talented figure skaters who will be looking to overtake her on Friday.

Bell scored 75.55 points in the short program, which gave her a lead over Karen Chen (74.55) and Alysa Liu (71.42). Isabeau Levito (71) and Lindsay Thorngren (70.22) are also close behind and could push their ways into the top three.

It wasn't a huge surprise to see Bell get off to a strong start at the championships. She's had some success at the event in the past, winning the bronze medal in 2017 and 2019 before claiming silver in 2020.

However, the Tulsa, Oklahoma native ended up in fifth in 2021, and there was no guarantee she could get back on the medal stand this year. But she put herself in a great position to do so with her short-program performance, which marked the first time she's finished first in that portion of the competition.

"I've been in every position possible going into the long program, and the objective is always the same," Bell said, via a press release from U.S. Figure Skating. "I wouldn’t want to skate any worse or any better if I was lower or higher. I just want to do the best long that I can. But I feel like I have good confidence going into the free."

Chen isn't too far back in the standings, though, and the 22-year-old knows what it takes to excel on this stage. She captured the gold medal in 2017, and she's taken home the bronze three times, including in 2021.

Liu may not have had her best showing on Thursday, as her short program featured a fall on her opening triple axel. But the 16-year-old got back on track, finished strong and put herself in a position to contend for her third gold medal in four years.

Can Bell now hold off Chen and Liu, or will one of the former champions prevent her from winning the gold for the first time?

The prediction here is that Chen will end up taking the gold for the second time. Her 74.55 score in the short program was a personal best, and the free skate was her better portion last year. If she performs at her best, she should pass Bell, who will likely take home the silver by finishing ahead of Liu.

Liu may have been the favorite heading into the event, but she didn't look her best on Thursday. So while she'll capture the bronze, she won't score enough points to overtake Chen and Bell.

As for the rhythm dance competition on Friday, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue are the duo to watch. They've won the gold medal in three of the past four years, including 2021, and they should get off to a strong start again this year.

Madison Chock and Evan Bates have won a gold and four silvers over the past six years in ice dance, so they should also perform well again this year. But expect Hubbell and Donohue to be atop the leaderboard after Friday.

US Figure Skating Championships 2022: Thursday Results and Updated Schedule

Jan 7, 2022
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JANUARY 06: Mariah Bell skates in the Ladies Short Program during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Bridgestone Arena on January 06, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JANUARY 06: Mariah Bell skates in the Ladies Short Program during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Bridgestone Arena on January 06, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Day 3 of the United States Figure Skating Championships featured the junior ladies' free skate and short programs for championship pairs and championship ladies.

The junior ladies' free skate followed the short program the morning before. In the end, Clare Seo took home the gold after finishing first overall (first in short program, second in free skate). Katie Shen won the free skate on Thursday to move to fourth overall.

The pairing of Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc has the slight edge over Jessica Calalang and Brian Johnson going into the free skate. Cain-Gribble and LeDuc earned 79.39 points, and their closest challengers had 77.48. No other pair had more than 68.11 points.

The evening capped off with the beginning of the championship ladies program with the free skate. Mariah Bell has the slight lead over Karen Chen after earning a 75.56-point performance in the free skate. Chen is right there, however, getting 74.55 points.

Here's a look at some results from the evening, the remaining schedule and some highlights and notes from Thursday's action at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena.

    

Junior Ladies (Top 5; Overall)

1. Clare Seo: 185.53 (67.38 Short Program, 118.15 Free Skate)

2. Ava Ziegler 175.50 (60.24 Short Program, 115.26 Free Skate)

3. Josephine Lee 172.08 (60.61 Short Program, 111.47 Free Skate)

4. Katie Shen 170.77 (51.20 Short Program, 119.57 Free Skate)

5. Elyce Lin-Gracey 166.96 (62.53 Short Program, 104.43 Free Skate)

Full results here.

     

Championship Pairs: Short Program (Top 5; Free Skate to Come)

1. Ashley Cain-Gribble; Timothy LeDuc: 79.39

2. Jessica Calalang; Brian Johnson: 77.48

3. Audrey Lu; Misha Mitrofanov: 68.11

4. Emily Chan; Spencer Howe: 61.94

5. Kate Finster; Matej Silecky: 54.68

Full results here.

     

Championship Ladies: Short Program (Top 5; Free Skate to Come)

1. Mariah Bell: 75.56

2. Karen Chen: 74.55

3. Alysa Liu: 71.42

4. Isabeau Levito: 71.00

5. Lindsay Thorngren: 70.22

Full results here.

     

Schedule (All Times ET)

Friday, Jan. 7

3 p.m.: Championship Ice Dance / Rhythm Dance

7:20 p.m.: Championship Ladies / Free Skate

   

Saturday, Jan. 8

12:45 p.m.: Championship Pairs / Free Skate

1:42 p.m.: Championship Ice Dance / Free Dance

3 p.m.: Championship Men / Short Program

   

Sunday, Jan. 9

12:15 p.m.: Championship Men / Free Skate

     

Full schedule here.

Highlights and Notes

Mariah Bell, who won silver at U.S. nationals in 2020 and bronze in 2017 and 2019, put forth a phenomenal performance on Thursday:

"I had chills," Bell said on the USA Network broadcast (h/t OlympicTalk). "I have this part of me that’s just, like, so gritty. When I really need to do something, I can tap into it."

Bell landed the triple flip-triple toe combination that Olympic gold medalist and analyst Tara Lipinski said she didn't land cleanly in practice all week. That ultimately vaulted her into the top as she searches for her first national title.

Bell, who is coached by former Olympic skater Adam Rippon, has some fierce competition at her heels.

Chen did well in her own right, safely sliding into second:

Alysa Liu is in third and got there despite falling on a triple axel attempt. One would figure she'll be right in the mix again during the free skate.

Gracie Gold, a two-time national champion who won Olympic bronze at the team event in 2014, got a standing ovation from the Nashville crowd and excelled en route to sixth place:

In pairs, it's all about the top two right now. DeLuc and Cain-Gribble got a standing ovation for their work:

It's been an incredibly tough road for Cain-Gribble in particular at this point, with the skater telling reporters afterward that she developed asthma after testing positive for COVID-19 in August.

In addition, DeLuc is looking to become the first openly out non-binary athlete to compete in the Winter Olympics. You can learn more about them in a recent edition of the My New Favorite Olympian podcast.

Johnson and Calalang are right behind the leaders, with the former skater getting a shoutout for his strength from former Olympian and analyst Johnny Weir:

They also got a standing ovation.

It's been a tough road for Calalang, who was cleared of testing positive for a banned substance earlier this year that was attributed to a makeup she uses.

"I really had no option other than to be strong and to make it through," the 26-year-old said, per Nick McCarvel and Scott Bregman of the Olympics' website.

"We're a partnership and it's us together. For something like that to happen, that's solely on me...I'm just very thankful that Brian is the person that he is, [coming] to the rink every day into the rink, positive attitude. That made us so strong as partners and just as people."

Afterward, McCarvel commented on their respective performances:

As for the junior ladies, Seo is now a juniors champion in two different countries, having also won in South Korea:

https://twitter.com/ohforpetesskate/status/1479192720560300041

Ava Ziegler, who told Jillian L. Martinez of U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone that she got her first pair of skates at just 15 months old, finished a close second.

She was one of just three skaters to finish top four in both the free skate and short program, with the other being Josephine Lee.

Subscribe to Winter Sports