Winter Sports

The pairing of Madison Chock and Evan Bates needed an epic performance in order to top the 89.66 points set by Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue to nab first place at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

They ended up setting a competition record with the highest score in rhythm dance with 90.10 points.

Still trying to catch their breath, the pair celebrated inside the spectator-less Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Friday as their score was announced. 

Record broken!

Highest rhythm dance score at U.S. Championships now belongs to @chockolate02 and @Evan_Bates! 👏#ToyotaUSChamps21 pic.twitter.com/JdoZ7pBpEJ

— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) January 15, 2021

Chock and Bates scored 51.66 on their executed elements (including straight-line lift four, diagonal-step sequence four and sequential twizzles) and added 38.44 on their program components, highlighted by a 9.75 on interpretation of music and timing. 

The pair, which has been skating together since 2011, entered the championships as the fourth-ranked duo in the world after the 2019-20 season. They begin 2021 with their third gold medal on the country's biggest stage after previously winning in 2014-15 and 2019-20. 

    

.@chockolate02 + @Evan_Bates = too darn HOT 🔥@USFigureSkating | #ToyotaUSChamps21

📺 NBCSN
💻 @peacockTV pic.twitter.com/Rxsl65XEZ6

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) January 15, 2021

  

Championship Rhythm Dance

1. Madison Chock and Evan Bates, 90.10

2. Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue, 89.66

3. Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker, 85.28

4. Caroline Green and Michael Parsons, 80.10

5. Molly Cesanek and Yehor Yehorov, 71.11

6. Lorraine McNamara and Anton Spiridonov, 65.87

7. Eva Pate and Logan Bye, 64.37

8. Livvy Shilling and Alexander Petrov, 53.81

9. Hilary Asher and Ryan O'Donnell, 51.38

10. Breelie Taylor and Tyler Vollmer, 39.40

11. Cara Murphy and Joshua Levitt, 36.62

Full scoring breakdown via U.S. Figure Skating 

Until Chock and Bates took the ice to defend their title, the gold was seemingly all lined up for Hubbell and Donohue, who were the fourth duo to perform and set the bar high. 

Hubbell and Donohue earned 51.66 points on their executed elements and 38.44 on their program components, with their pattern dance-type step earning an impressive 12.34.

Twizzles from @MadiHubbell and @ZachTDonohue ❗️#ToyotaUSChamps21 pic.twitter.com/J98bjYwVAp

— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) January 15, 2021

Stuck it! 🔥@MadiHubbell @ZachTDonohue #ToyotaUSChamps21 pic.twitter.com/MFs6DwF6Ds

— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) January 15, 2021

None of the next four pairings came close to topping their score as the majority of the field finished well below the 80 threshold. Only the pairings of Caroline Green/Michael Parsons and Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker came close, and the latter still finished four points below Hubbell and Bates. 

Disco 🕺
Fever ... ✨@KaitlinHawayek @jeanlucbaker #ToyotaUSChamps21 pic.twitter.com/8CJwledcMk

— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) January 15, 2021

The No. 1 pair in the world held on until Chock and Bates, the final performers, entered the rink. Only a few minutes later, U.S. Figure Skating history had been made, Hubbell and Donohue were dethroned, and the return of Chock and Bates to the top of the podium had been cemented. 

Ladies Championship

(Free Skate score in parenthesis)

1. Bradie Tennell, 232.61 (153.21)

2. Amber Glenn, 215.33 (144.50)

3. Karen Chen, 214.98 (143.99)

4. Alysa Liu, 213.39 (137.03)

5. Mariah Bell, 199.95 (127.58)

6. Lindsay Thorngren, 178.89 (116.35)

7. Audrey Shin, 176.82 (119.08)

8. Gabriella Izzo, 171.76 (109.44)

9. Rena Ikenishi, 169.89 (109.75)

10. Pooja Kalyan, 157.46 (99.17)

11. Finley Hawk, 152.84 (100.76)

12. Starr Andrews, 152.13 (95.17)

13. Gracie Gold, 149.05 (95.17)

14. Emilia Murdock, 138.80 (87.55)

15. Violeta Ushakova, 136.26 (86.50)

16. Heidi Munger, 136.05 (83.94)

17. Hanna Harrell, 130.72 (73.79)

Full scoring breakdown via U.S. Figure Skating 

https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating/status/1350291404405182464

Bradie Tennell is back on top of the women's figure skating world, winning the Ladies Championship for the second time after breaking through in 2018. 

It's a massive accomplishment for the 22-year-old, who earned a bronze medal at the 2018 Olympics and reaffirms what's long been known: Tennell isn't just the future of the sport in the United States, she's the present. 

Wow! @bradie_tennell 👏#ToyotaUSChamps21 pic.twitter.com/FOLlFKPrOD

— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) January 16, 2021

Tennell finished first in both the Short Program and Free Skate, winning by a nearly 20-point margin as she begins the road toward the Beijing Olympics in 2022. No one even came close to Tennell's score of 153.21 in the Free Skate, though there were plenty of impressive showings across the board. 

.@AmberGlenn_ brings it. 💪#ToyotaUSChamps21 pic.twitter.com/Wf3Chfb8NU

— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) January 16, 2021

Amber Glenn dazzled in the Free Skate after finishing fifth in the Short Program. The Dallas native nailed a triple flip and triple toeloop combo, earning a score of 11.83, her best individual element. The sheer bewilderment on Glenn's face when her scores rolled in said everything viewers needed to know about her performance. Not even Glenn could believe how well she executed. 

Here for it. 👏@AmberGlenn_ #ToyotaUSChamps21 pic.twitter.com/3IsW1cpC9h

— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) January 16, 2021

It was a less than stellar outing for Gracie Gold, the former two-time U.S. champion who's been missing on the podium since 2016. Gold finished 13th in the Free Skate after a 12th place showing Thursday in the Short Program.

That landed Gold in 13th place overall, a slight decline from last year's 12th-place finish, but considering she was forced to withdraw in 2018 and 2019, it was noteworthy to see her finish at all.

ALYSA 👏 LIU 👏#ToyotaUSChamps21 pic.twitter.com/ZpNjXhja3f

— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) January 16, 2021

Meanwhile, 15-year-old Alysa Liu continued to stun the judges Friday, picking up a fourth-place finish in the Free Skate after placing second in the Short Program. That landed her in fourth overall, just off the podium, but unequivocally one of the skaters to keep an eye on as the Beijing Games draw closer.  

Bradie Tennell took an early lead Thursday on the opening day of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, scoring a competition record 79.40 in the women's short program as she attempts to regain her national title.

When you break your own U.S. Championships short program record. @bradie_tennell 😱👏#ToyotaUSChamps21 pic.twitter.com/VYIeX0AvCY

— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) January 15, 2021

She will have the opportunity to put an exclamation point on things in the women's free program.

Alysa Liu, in second-place, can still earn her third consecutive championship with a strong showing.

It is one of two programs held Friday.

   

Friday Schedule

Rhythm Dance (4-6 p.m., NBC Sports; Skate order)

Women's Free (8-11 p.m., NBC; Skate order currently unavailable)

   

Tennell Seeks Second Championship

If history repeats itself, the winner of Thursday's short program will see her quest to win a second national title end in heartbreak.

After winning the gold in the 2018 championships, Tennell jumped out to an early lead in 2019 and '20 by winning the short program. She would falter in the free program, though, and watch as Liu claimed the title.

Tennell hopes the third time is the charm, but she is not obsessing over it.

"Winning another has been a driving force for me," she told Philip Hersh of NBC Sports. "It can be very overwhelming if you constantly dwell on it. I choose to keep it tucked away in the back of my mind. It's always there, but not like on a billboard, kind of in a drawer."

Even more impressive than Tennell's historic scores in the short program is the fact that she accomplished it with head coach Tom Zakrajsek back in Colorado after testing positive for COVID-19.

"It has been a bit strange, especially because of all the recent changes I've made," Tennell told Hersh. "Not having my head coach at a competition is a completely new experience for me."

She returns to the ice Friday seeking to rewrite her recent history. To do so, she will have to overcome familiar competition in position to eclipse her once more.

   

Can Liu Make It Three in a Row?

Despite finishing second to Tennell, 2019 and '20 national champion Liu scored higher in Thursday's short program than she had the previous two years. It is somewhat surprising given the literal growing pains and hip injury she suffered last October, as detailed by Hersh.

She said after her 76.36: "I've found a new appreciation for skating skills and spins, because before I would just focus on jumps. When I had my injury and couldn't jump I was a little sad, but then I started to enjoy the skating part of skating."

That the 15-year-old scored the way she did, with the hurdles she has overcome in the last year, makes her showing in the short program a bit surprising. More so would be a third championship, which she is more than capable of securing Friday.

U.S. Figure Skating agreed to pay $1.5 million in a settlement to Adam Schmidt, who filed a lawsuit alleging the organization was negligent in failing to protect him from sexual abuse, according to Pete Madden of ABC News.

The terms of the settlement state the governing body is "making no admissions of fault, liability, wrongdoing or misconduct of any kind, and no admissions as to the validity of any the claims or defenses in the action."

"I think the settlement speaks for itself," Schmidt said. "People don’t settle things for millions of dollars for nothing."

Schmidt also received a $1.75 million settlement from the Michigan skating rink where he said the abuse took place.

In the lawsuit, Schmidt said Callaghan sexually abused him multiple times while training with the coach in Michigan between 1999 and 2001.

Callaghan had been accused of sexual abuse previously but "the federation dismissed the grievance without full consideration because skating bylaws stipulated that alleged misconduct must be reported within 60 days," per Madden and Cho Park. As a result, Callaghan was allowed to continue coaching.

In July, former skater Craig Maurizi filed a lawsuit against Callaghan and U.S. Figure Skating alleging the former coach sexually abused him in the 1970s and 1980s. Maurizi had reported the alleged abuse to U.S. Figure Skating in 1999.

Callaghan has denied any misconduct and his initial lifetime ban from U.S. Figure Skating was overturned and lowered to a three-year suspension.

The long-time coach was known for leading Tara Lipinski to an Olympic gold medal in 1998, also coaching 1996 world champion Todd Eldredge.

The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing are still more than a year away, but the top American figure skaters are looking for a different type of gold medal this week at the 2021 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

Things got underway Thursday at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas with the pairs short program and the ladies short program.

The top individual women will finish their competition Friday during the ladies free, while the pairs finish with their free skate on Saturday. 

Here is a look at the results for Thursday's short programs.

          

Championship Pairs Short Program

1. Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier, 77.46

2. Jessica Calalang and Brian Johnson, 71.30

3. Audrey Lu and Misha Mitrofanov, 69.56

4. Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc, 65.81

5. Emily Chan and Spencer Howe, 60.41

6. Olivia Serafini and Mervin Tran, 59.23

7. Katie McBeath and Nathan Bartholomay, 58.23

8. Evelyn Grace Hanns and Jim Garbutt, 47.98

9. Laiken Lockley and Keenan Prochnow, 45.34 

*Results via U.S. Figure Skating's official website

         

The biggest storyline coming into competition was the Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier pairing.

After all, Knierim won a bronze medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang in a team event and three U.S. pairs titles (2015, 2018 and 2020) with her husband and former partner, Chris. Frazier and his former partner, Haven Denney, won the national title in 2017.

While it seems like a dynamic pairing on paper, this was the first time Knierim and Frazier skated together at nationals.

"Our tryout got cut short, because of the [COVID-19] lockdowns," Frazier said before the competition, per Lynn Rutherford of NBC Sports. "But we didn't need the whole normal, traditional tryout to make the decision. I mean, we grabbed each other's hand on the ice and did a lap of crossovers. And I just was like, 'Yeah, it's going to work.'"

Work it did, as the Knierim-Frazier pairing set the tone from the start.

🔥🔥🔥@alexa_knierim @Brandon_F1992 #ToyotaUSChamps21 pic.twitter.com/6x9PHPQHhk

— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) January 14, 2021

Fierce❗️❗️❗️@alexa_knierim @Brandon_F1992 #ToyotaUSChamps21 pic.twitter.com/r78LO9tIfF

— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) January 14, 2021

This kiss and cry reaction >>> @alexa_knierim @Brandon_F1992 #ToyotaUSChamps21 pic.twitter.com/cQQkeDMS7w

— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) January 14, 2021

They put on a graceful and nearly flawless performance compared to the competition and are now more than six points clear of the second-place team of Jessica Calalang and Brian Johnson.

Anything but victory for the pair in their first U.S. championships together would be a shocking result, as they appeared as comfortable with each other as they did with their former partners. That development alone spells trouble for the rest of the field, as the only realistic chance for the challengers was a lack of chemistry and practice time spilling into the competition for Knierim and Frazier.

The race for second place figures to be closer, as the Audrey Lu and Misha Mitrofanov pairing and Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc pairing are well within striking distance of Calalang and Johnson.

Still, everyone is looking up at Knierim and Frazier.

        

Championship Ladies Short Program 

1. Bradie Tennell, 79.40

2. Alysa Liu, 76.36

3. Mariah Bell, 72.37

4. Karen Chen, 70.99

5. Amber Glenn, 70.83

6. Lindsay Thorngren, 62.54

7. Gabriella Izzo, 62.32

8. Rena Ikenishi, 60.14

9. Pooja Kalyan, 58.29

10. Audrey Shin, 57.74

11. Hanna Harrell, 56.93

12. Gracie Gold, 53.88

13. Heidi Munger, 52.11

14. Finley Hawk, 52.08

15. Emilia Murdock, 51.25

16. Violeta Ushakova, 49.76

17. Starr Andrews, 45.93

*Results via U.S. Figure Skating's official website

           

There was no shortage of star power in the ladies short program.

Gracie Gold won a bronze medal at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and is a two-time U.S. champion. She was solid at the U.S. Championship Series and bounced back from a disappointing showing at Skate America in October.

Gold may be the Olympic medalist, but Alysa Liu was the headliner coming into Thursday's competition as the two-time defending champion at just 15 years old.

Still, Philip Hersh of NBC Sports suggested defending her crown would be an uphill battle as she works her way back from a hip injury. She also faced a number of challenges this year because of closed rinks in the Bay Area where she trains and a number of coaching changes.

"Obviously, you want to win, but the most important thing will be to skate my best," Liu said. "You can win and skate bad, and you don't feel so good about yourself. I would rather skate very well and not focus on placement."

ALYSA LIU ✨@USFigureSkating | #ToyotaUSChamps21

📺 NBCSN
💻 @peacockTV pic.twitter.com/2i0tTO1pUu

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) January 15, 2021

While she did not attempt her patented triple axel given some of the uncertainties in the lead-up, she was surely pleased with how well she skated. Liu was in the final group and catapulted to the lead with a head-turning performance. Her jumps were all clean, and she put herself in position to challenge for a third straight title.

Gold, on the other hand, struggled with a handful of technical mistakes. She also fell on one of her jumps and does not appear to be a challenger.

.@bradie_tennell closes out the night in first place with this powerhouse performance 💥@USFigureSkating | #ToyotaUSChamps21

📺 NBCSN
💻 @peacockTV pic.twitter.com/ZxXWick4Z7

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) January 15, 2021

Bradie Tennell very much is a challenger and concluded the competition with the best showing. She moved ahead of even Liu with a combination of technical brilliance and execution and is primed to return to the top of the podium at the U.S. Championships for the first time since 2018.

As has been the case for so many sporting events during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 U.S. Figure Skating Championships will be held without fans in attendance this year in Las Vegas.

The championships, which get underway Thursday, will have significant implications for the 2022 Beijing Olympics and feature defending champions Nathan Chen and Alysa Liu.

U.S. Figure Skating Championships competition will takes place at Orleans Arena, with each discipline airing live on NBC or NBCSN and streaming live on Peacock, which will also stream practice sessions.

The event is under an even greater spotlight this year as uncertainty surrounds the viability of the world championships in light of COVID-19.

Skate Canada announced on Monday it would cancel its national championships, which had already been delayed to February. In December, skating officials in Sweden cancelled all remaining domestic competition. We will have to wait and see if the worlds will be able to go on in 2021. 

For now, though, we have the events over the coming days in Las Vegas to focus on. All the information you need to know about how to tune in to the championships and who to watch is below. 

         

2021 U.S. Figure Skating Championships

Dates: Monday, Jan. 11-Thursday, Jan. 21

Location: Orleans Arena, Las Vegas

Thursday TV Time: 6-8 p.m. ET (Pairs Short); 10 p.m.-12 a.m. (Ladies Short)

TV: NBCSN

Live Stream: Peacock Stream 

     

It’s time for #ToyotaUSChamps21 ❗️

Read the event preview. ⤵️https://t.co/9Li4ArjaAK

— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) January 11, 2021

The major storyline surrounding this year's U.S. Figure Skating Championships is, of course, whether Chen can win his fifth straight national title in the men's field. 

The most recent singles champion in the U.S. to win five consecutive titles is Michelle Kwan, who claimed eight in a row from 1998 to 2005.

The last American man to win at least that many was two-time Olympic champion Dick Button, who won seven straight titles from 1946 to 1952. 

It's rarefied air for Chen, but there's no question he belongs there. The 21-year-old is the first skater to land five types of quadruple jumps in competition (toe loop, Salchow, loop, flip and Lutz).

Though he was suffering from the flu prior to the 2020 U.S. championships, returning to training only two weeks before the event, he took the title. At the 2019 World Championships, he set the men's record for the combined total with 323.42 points.

On the women's side, defending champion Liu is looking to become the first woman to win three national titles in a row since Kwan did it in 2005. 

Now 15, Liu won her first national title at 13. She will be challenged by 2018 Olympian and former national champion Bradie Tennell and Mariah Bell, the reigning Skate America champion. 

Part of what makes Liu so dangerous in competition is her signature triple axel and quad jumps. However, those may not be in her back pocket this time around; as she told NBC Sports recently, a three-inch growth spurt and an injury have threatened her jumps in practice. 

In pairs, Alexa Knierim has a new partner, Brandon Frazier, after her former partner and husband Chris Knierim retired. The new pairing won the discipline at Skate America. Both skaters individually have won titles at the U.S. championships, but it would be their first national win as a pair. 

The U.S. Figure Skating Championships action will continue Friday with the Rhythm Dance and Ladies Free. The full schedule can be found here. 

Alysa Liu and Nathan Chen will seek to successfully defend their U.S. Figure Skating Championships when they return to the ice for the 2021 competition in Las Vegas.

There will be no fans in attendance, but the eyes of the figure skating world will be on them as they attempt to etch their names into the history books.

Who will stand in their way, attempting not only to dethrone them as champions but also earn their way on to the U.S. national team ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics?

     

Schedule

Thursday, January 14: Pairs Shorts (6 p.m. - 8 p.m.); Women's Short (10 p.m. - 12 a.m.)

Friday, January 15: Rhythm Dance (4 p.m. - 6 p.m.); Women's Free (8 p.m. - 11 p.m.)

Saturday, January 16: Men's Short (4 p.m. - 6 p.m.); Free Dance/Pairs Free (9 p.m. - 12 a.m.)

Sunday, January 17: Men's Free (3:30 p.m. - 6 p.m.)*

Sunday, January 24: Free Dance (5 p.m. - 6 p.m.)*

*Will air on NBC and stream on Peacock. All other competition will air on NBC Sports and stream on Peacock.

     

Liu Faces Competition

Liu will look to become the first female skater to win three consecutive U.S. National Championships since Michelle Kwan, but she will have to overcome growing pains in order to do so.

Speaking with Philip Hersh of NBC Sports, she said, "I don't necessarily care about my placement anymore."

Her growth and physical ailments may make it difficult for her to stand atop the podium as a three-time champion. She told Hersh she has grown three inches taller since last year's championships, affecting her ability to make jumps that she would have otherwise easily completed in years past.

Then there is a hip injury suffered last October that prevented her from practicing.

Throw in the numerous changes in routine and training forced upon her and many of her peers in this year's competition and you have a series of obstacles she will have to overcome to realize her goal of a three-peat.

Mariah Bell, the reigning Skate America winner, is likely to provide Chen with her fiercest competition while building on a 2020 campaign that proved her best and most successful to this point.

Do not count out Bradie Tennell, who broke the scoring record at the national competition just one year ago and is a 2018 Olympian.

     

Chen Looks to Continue His Domination

For Chen, he will seek to win his fifth consecutive U.S. Figure Skating Championship, a feat not accomplished since Dick Button won seven from 1946-52.

He is the heavy favorite, but there is plenty of competition.

Jason Brown should join Chen on the podium when all is said and done. He's ready to get back to live competition for the first time since February.

"I didn't realize until now how much competitions and the breaks from the daily routine they give you and the anticipation of them help you pace yourself and work through the monotony of training," he told Hersh. 

Coach Tracy Wilson marveled at Brown's work: "There have been moments in his training so brilliant that [coach Brian Orser] looks at me with tears in his eyes. There was one moment, watching Jason do his choreography, that Brian said, 'I've never seen anything better than that.'"

Chen will be difficult to unseat as he continues an incredible streak of success, but keep an eye on Brown, who is determined to perform at a high level and make the national team.

Mariah Bell and Nathan Chen each won gold in Skate America on Saturday in Las Vegas' Orleans Arena.

Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Brandon Frazier won the pairs competition, and Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue took the gold in ice dance.

Bell and Chen each took first in the short program on Friday. Bell finished fourth in the free skate but did well enough to barely hold off Bradie Tennell by 1.66 points.

Close call at the top in the ladies competition at #skateamerica. Congrats to Mariah Bell on her victory! pic.twitter.com/NJX9ZnKldn

— IFS Magazine (@ifsmagazine) October 24, 2020

Chen dominated his free skate run and finished first in that and tops overall by 24.05 points over second-place finisher Vincent Zhou.

Nathan Chen now has a quad of #skateamerica titles to his credit. Vincent Zhou captured his first Grand Prix medal (silver) and Canada's Keegan Messing achieved his goal of landing on the podium (bronze). pic.twitter.com/9GegEelNvu

— IFS Magazine (@ifsmagazine) October 24, 2020

Per the Associated Press, Chen landed five quadruple jumps over the two-day event. His free skate was not as crisp as his short program, however. 

NATHAN CHEN...

(•_•)
<) )╯HIT
/ \
\(•_•)
( (> THE
/ \
(•_•)
<) )> QUAD
/ \

He is your #SkateAmerica champion! pic.twitter.com/QTwcqw5ACD

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) October 24, 2020

"I made quite a few big mistakes in that program, things that I shouldn’t have made mistakes on," Chen said. "It is what it is. I’ll learn from it and move forward."

The AP noted that Chen was forced to double a quad Salchow and was off on a triple axel.

Chen owns eight gold medals in international competitions, including victories at the 2018 and 2019 World Championships. He has won Skate America four years running.

Like Chen, Bell was not satisfied despite coming away with the victory.

"I try not to look at outcomes, more how I feel," Bell told reporters. "I’m walking away from this performance a little disappointed, and I look back at nationals and that’s a program I was really proud of. I want to feel really great about what I did."

Mariah Bell 🇺🇸 takes the gold at Skate America after scoring 136.25 points in the Free Skate! She finished the competition with a total of 212.73 points 🔥

Take a look at this stunning part of her routine 🤩⬇ #GPFigure #FigureSkating pic.twitter.com/muOmAbB5Wy

— ISU Figure Skating (@ISU_Figure) October 24, 2020

Bell fell on a triple lutz to finish her free skate but still did well enough for the overall win. Tennell came close to victory, however, finishing first in the free skate thanks in part to landing a triple axel-triple toe combination.

.@bradie_tennell grit. 💪#SkateAmerica x @bradie_tennell pic.twitter.com/BsJtM7POZQ

— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) October 24, 2020

Sixten-year-old Audrey Shin impressed with a bronze medal in her Grand Prix debut:

.@AudreyShin4 ❗️❗️❗️#SkateAmerica x @AudreyShin4 pic.twitter.com/DZY9B5pvm6

— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) October 24, 2020

It was all Scimeca Knierim and Frazier in the pairs competition, with the duo taking first in the Friday short program and Saturday free skate, finishing 7.37 points ahead of Jessica Calalang and Brian Johnson overall.

Congratulations to @alexa_knierim and Brandon Frazier on their well-deserved victory in the pairs competition at #SkateAmerica2020 in their debut as a team. pic.twitter.com/W21QDgNvAA

— IFS Magazine (@ifsmagazine) October 25, 2020

Scimeca Knierim and Frazier made their international debut at Skate America but looked like they had been skating for years based off their two days:

🥇🤩 It's their first ever international competition together... and it's a golden debut for Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Brandon Frazier 🇺🇸

Two amazing performances helped them to a total score of 214.77 to win Skate America 2020! #GPFigure #FigureSkating pic.twitter.com/KWaCJJMfp2

— ISU Figure Skating (@ISU_Figure) October 25, 2020

The two rightfully earned their gold medals and were satisfied with their performance per post-event comments:

A moment to remember. 🥇@alexa_knierim @Brandon_F1992 #SkateAmerica x @GuaranteedRate pic.twitter.com/m7I4G8sjsQ

— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) October 25, 2020

"We’re very happy with the progress we made this week," Frazier said, per Nick McCarvel of the Olympic Channel. "We had small goals to achieve and we’re very satisfied with the foundation that we’ve laid down and now we have loads of work ahead of us."

"I made a joke to Brandon when we got our scores that this partnership is going to work," Scimeca Knierim said. "But I didn’t have my doubts prior. More than anything inside, we’re pleased with the progress. We feel like our hard work is being validated. We’re excited for what’s to come and excited to keep moving."

To close the night, Hubbell and Donohue took first free dance, one night after finishing No. 1 in rhythm dance. Their overall effort gave them the gold by nearly nine points over Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker.

Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue claim the last of this season’s #SkateAmerica titles!

🥇Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue 🇺🇸
🥈Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker 🇺🇸
🥉Christina Carreira/Anthony Ponomarenko 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/1jXr0LWwJ7

— Europe On Ice (@europeonice) October 25, 2020

Hubbell and Donohue were electric en route to gold:

Hallelujah for these twizzles. 🙌@MadiHubbell @ZachTDonohue #SkateAmerica pic.twitter.com/YUHxAfqb86

— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) October 25, 2020

The pair have enjoyed much success on the international circuit, notably winning silver at the 2018 World Championships and bronze at the 2019 Worlds.

Mariah Bell, Nathan Chen and the pairs teams of Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Brandon Frazier and Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue were the big winners on Friday at Skate America in Las Vegas. 

Bell and Chen finished first in the women's and men's short programs, respectively, while Scimeca Knierim and Frazier were No. 1 in pairs and Hubbell and Donohue finished atop the field in rhythm dancing.

Skate America is the first event in the 2020 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating. This year's series will feature the Cup of China, the 2020 Rostelecom Cup, the 2020 NHK Trophy and the Grand Prix Final.

Results, recaps and highlights from Friday can be found below encompassing all events.

                

Women's Short Program

1. Mariah Bell (USA): 76.48

2. Bradie Tennell (USA): 73.29

3. Audrey Shin (USA): 69.77

4. Karen Chen (USA): 68.13

5. Amber Glenn (USA): 67.85

6. Paige Rydberg (USA): 63.91

7. Lin Shan (CHN): 59.29

8. Sierra Venetta (USA): 59.28

9. Finley Hawk (USA): 59.12

10. Starr Andrews (USA): 57.20

11. Pooja Kalyan (USA):  55.50

12. Gracie Gold (USA): 46.36

          

Men's Short Program

1. Nathan Chen (USA): 111.17

2. Vincent Zhou (USA): 99.36

3. Keegan Messing (CAN): 92.40

4. Tomoki Hiwatashi (USA): 87.17

5. Alex Krasnozhon (USA): 78.06

6. Aleksei Bychenko (ISR): 77.48

7. Ilya Malinin (USA): 76.75

8. Maxim Naumov (USA): 70.91

9. Camden Pulkinen (USA): 69.09

10. Joseph Kang (USA): 68.08

11. Jimmy Ma (USA): 63.36

12. Daniel Samohin (ISR): 61.60

          

Pairs, Short Program

1. Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Brandon Frazier (USA): 74.19

2. Jessica Calalang and Brian Johnson (USA): 71.08

3. Audrey Lu and Misha Mitrofanov (USA): 67.52

4. Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy Leduc (USA): 64.21

5. Tarah Kayne and Danny O'Shea (USA): 59.86

6. Olivia Serafini and Mervin Tran (USA): 59.67

7. Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe (USA): 55.58

8. Anna Verinkov and Evgeni Krasnopolski (ISR): 48.23

          

Pairs, Rhythm Ice Dance

1. Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue (USA): 85.30

2. Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker (USA): 81.15

3. Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko (USA): 78.63

4. Caroline Green and Michael Parsons (USA): 74.98

5. Molly Cesanek and Yehor Yehorov (USA): 66.01

6. Lorraine McNamara and Anton Spiridonov (USA): 63.50

7. Eva Pate and Logan Bye (USA): 59.61

8. Emily Monaghan and Ilias Fourati (HUN): 54.88

All results via U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

        

Bell Takes First in Women's Short Program

Bell edged out Bradie Tennell by just 3.19 points for the victory:

Mariah Bell 🇺🇸 leads the way after the Ladies Short Program at Skate America with 76.48 points 🤩 #GPFigure #FigureSkating pic.twitter.com/5fDAX6zAsS

— ISU Figure Skating (@ISU_Figure) October 24, 2020

Bell was able to come away with the win even after being forced to call a late wardrobe audible:

Mariah Bell said her short program costume did not fit well, so she wore the long program costume for the short tonight and will wear it also for the free skate tomorrow.

— IFS Magazine (@ifsmagazine) October 24, 2020

Nick McCarvel of the Olympic Channel praised her efforts:

It's an absolute honor to watch Mariah Bell figure skate#SkateAmerica

— Nick McCarvel (@NickMcCarvel) October 24, 2020

He also called her skating performance "sensational" and "effortless."

Melted the ice with this one. 🔥#SkateAmerica x @bradie_tennell pic.twitter.com/FBIMFD24NV

— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) October 24, 2020

It was a night to remember for Tennell as well, who nearly came away with the win.

Tennell spoke afterward about her increased confidence during her routine on Saturday, per FigureSkatersOnline:

"I feel like now that I’m older, I have more confidence in myself and I’m able to portray this fierceness [in her short] better than I was when I was a little bit younger. And it’s just really fun for me to be able to show that and perform that."

Audrey Shin edged Karen Chen and Amber Glenn for third.

      

Chen Dominates Men's Short Program Field

Chen hadn't skated in nine months, but he was excellent on Friday evening en route to defeating his next-closest competitor, Vincent Zhou, by nearly 12 points.

He dazzled in an empty Orleans Arena in Las Vegas:

.@nathanwchen did that. 👏#SkateAmerica x @nathanwchen pic.twitter.com/NQb9RKd584

— U.S. Figure Skating (@USFigureSkating) October 24, 2020

Chen was pleased with his performance, per post-event comments:

Nathan Chen in the press conference: "I'm very happy where I'm in this season. Really fortunate to have an opportunity (competing at #SkateAmerica) like this." pic.twitter.com/q8VyXcXso8

— FigureSkatersOnline (@fsonline) October 24, 2020

Per Trisha Nguyen and Jamie Richardson of the Yale Daily News, Chen danced to music from the 1995 film Desperado starring Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas. His free skate Saturday will feature music from American composer Philip Glass.

“I’ve never done this style of program,” Chen said in his press conference, per OlympicTalk.
"There’s still a lot of work and improvement to be done. I did the best that I can, considering that this is still very new to me."

However, Chen looked quite comfortable during the routine en route to a great finish.

          

Scimeca Knierim, Frazier Set Bar High in Pairs

Scimeca Knierim and Frazier formed the first pair to skate on Friday, and their performance proved too strong for the rest of the competition, beating second-place finishers Jessica Calalang and Brian Johnson by 3.11 points. 

The two were making their international debut as a pair, but they looked phenomenal en route to finishing first:

International debut: check ✅! Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Brandon Frazier 🇺🇸 are currently leading the way in the Pairs Short Program, after having scored 74.19 points 😀#GPFigure #FigureSkating pic.twitter.com/lfgIXMfPZt

— ISU Figure Skating (@ISU_Figure) October 24, 2020

Scimeca Knierim used to skate with her husband, Christopher Knierim, but he stepped away from the sport this year.

She then began teaming with Frazier, whose partnership with Haven Denney ended earlier in 2020.

Scimeca Knierim and Frazier looked like they have been skating for years, however, en route to taking first.

              

Hubbell, Donohue Easily Top Competition in Rhythm Dancing

Aside from Chen, nobody delivered a cleaner performance Friday night than Hubbell and Donohue.

The pair, which also finished first in rhythm dancing in Skate America the past two years, once again eased past their competition with relative ease. In turn, they became the first tandem to win the event three times since Meryl Davis and Charlie White won four straight starting in 2010.

What a way to end the night! 🌟@HubbellDonohue x #SkateAmerica pic.twitter.com/mhVTXo9ksX

— Team USA (@TeamUSA) October 24, 2020

Hubbell and Donohue finished fourth, just off the podium, in the 2018 Winter Olympics but they've stuck together with an eye on gold at the 2022 Games in China.

Hawayek and Baker, the former junior world champions, posted their best result at Skate America to finish second. Carreira and Ponomarenko rounded out the podium.

The event wraps up Saturday with four more events: ladies free skate, men's free skate, pairs free skate and free dance.

Much like every other sport, figure skating hasn't been immune to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the International Skating Union's 2020 Skate America is set to open Friday, albeit without fans at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

Skate America typically brings together skaters from all over the world, but that won't be the case for this year's installment. The ISU laid out rules restricting the participants for Grand Prix events to only domestic skaters.

As a result, Anna Shcherbakova won't be back to defend her gold medal in the ladies' competition, nor will the pair of Peng Cheng and Jin Yang have the opportunity to repeat.

The United States won't be the only country represented at Skate America, but Americans overwhelmingly comprise the entrant pool.

          

Viewing Info

Friday, Oct. 23: 8 p.m.-12 a.m. ET (NBCSN)

Saturday, Oct. 24: 3 p.m.-6 p.m. ET (NBC); 9 p.m.-12 a.m. ET (NBCSN)

Live-stream coverage is available on Peacock

           

Nobody will command more attention at the event than Nathan Chen, who earned his third straight gold at Skate America in 2019. 

The 21-year-old put on a dominating display in 2019, with his final score of 299.09 being more than 40 points higher than silver medalist Jason Brown. It was the largest margin of victory in event history, eclipsing a record he had previously set in 2018.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wbDXvM-K-M

Todd Eldredge is the only male skater to win four gold medals in a row at Skate America, reigning supreme in the men's event from 1994-97. Barring a catastrophic mistake, Chen should equal that feat.

The ladies' competition might be similarly predictable.

Including the aforementioned Shcherbakova, five of the top six finishers in 2019 aren't back. That leaves Bradie Tennell at the head of the pack.

The 22-year-old has appeared at Skate America three times, finishing in third, fourth and second. She is also second in the ISU world standings behind Japan's Rika Kihira.

Illustrating the gulf at the top of the field, Mariah Bell (14th) and Starr Andrews (19th) are the next closest skaters, and Amber Glenn (26th) is the only other skater in the top 30.

Bell will be Tennell's biggest threat, having bested her in the 2020 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. She took home silver in her last Skate America appearance, but that was back in 2016.

Gracie Gold is a wild card, though.

The 25-year-old burst onto the scene by winning silver in the 2013 U.S. Championships when she was 17. She won gold in 2014 and 2016 before falling victim to depression and an eating disorder.

Gold revealed to the New York Times' Karen Crouse that she was only eating "a few hundred" calories each day as her star began to rise around the time of her senior-level breakout. Following a fourth-place showing in the 2016 World Figure Skating Championships, she began to spiral.

"Within months, Gold's body, and her psyche, had begun to deteriorate," Crouse wrote. "In the summer of 2016, she arrived in Colorado Springs for one of U.S. Figure Skating's regular monitoring sessions for elite skaters—something of a training camp, if you will—with an extra 20 pounds on her 5-foot-5 frame and a glower almost perpetually on her face."

Gold reached a breaking point at a monitoring session in 2017, after which she sought out treatment for her eating disorder.

The Newton, Massachusetts native made her return to the U.S. Championships in January, and the significance of the moment was evident during her free skate.

Even if she doesn't earn a spot on the medal stand, simply getting back to Skate America is a major achievement for her.

          

Skate America Gold Medal Predictions

• Mens: Nathan Chen
• Ladies: Mariah Bell
• Pairs: Tarah Kayne, Danny O'Shea
• Ice Dance: Madison Hubbell, Zachary Donohue

The 2020 Winter X Games came to a close Sunday in Aspen, Colorado.  

Here is a look at the full results of the extended competition that started handing out medals Thursday and featured a number of awe-inspiring tricks and highlights. Results are courtesy of the X Games' official website.

            

Thursday, Jan. 23

Special Olympics Unified Snowboarding

1. Mike Schultz and Daina Shilts, 35.76

2. Danny Davis and Dmitrii Tiufiakov, 36.02

3. Jack Mitrani and Henry Meece, 36.04

Special Olympics Unified Skiing

1. Gus Kenworthy and Palmer Lyons, 31.23 

2. Alex Ferreira and Haldan Pranger, 32.83

3. Sarah Hoefflin and Kohlor Von Eschen, 34.71

Ski Knuckle Huck

1. Colby Stevenson

2. Henrik Harlaut

3. Quinn Wolferman

Monster Energy Men's Snowboard SuperPipe Final

1. Scotty James

2. Yuto Totsuka

3. Jan Scherrer

Pacifico Women's Snowboard Big Air Final

1. Miyabi Onitsuka

2. Kokomo Murase

3. Reira Iwabuchi

              

Friday, Jan. 24

Snowmobile Freestyle Final

1. Brandon Cormier, 88.00

2. Daniel Bodin, 87.33

3. Willie Elam, 84.00

Women's Ski Big Air Final

1. Tess Ledeux

2. Mathilde Gremaud

3. Sarah Hoefflin

The Real Cost Men's Ski Big Air Final

1. Henrik Harlaut

2. Birk Ruud

3. Andri Ragettli

Men's Snowboard SuperPipe Session

1. Taylor Gold

2. Jake Pates

3. Toby Miller

           

Saturday, Jan. 25

Jeep Women's Snowboard Slopestyle Final

1. Jamie Anderson

2. Laurie Blouin

3. Kokomo Murase 

Para Snow BikeCross

1. Doug Henry

2. Brandon Dudley

3. Leighton Lillie 

Jeep Men's Ski Slopestyle Final

1. Colby Stevenson

2. Evan McEachran

3. Fabian Boesch

Adaptive Snow BikeCross

1. Mike Schultz

2. Kevin Royston

3. Kolleen Conger

Jeep Men's Snowboard Slopestyle Final

1. Darcy Sharpe

2. Mons Roisland

3. Red Gerard 

Wendy's Snow BikeCross Elimination and Final

1. Cody Matechuk

2. Yanick Boucher

3. Jesse Kirchmeyer

Women's Ski SuperPipe Final

1. Kelly Sildaru

2. Rachael Karker

3. Cassie Sharpe

The Real Cost Men's Snowboard Big Air Final

1. Max Parrot

2. Mark McMorris

3. Sven Thorgren 

Women's Snowboard SuperPipe Final

1. Queralt Castellet

2. Kurumi Imai

3. Haruna Matsumoto

          

Sunday, Jan. 26

Jeep Women's Ski Slopestyle Final

1. Kelly Sildaru

2. Sarah Hoefflin

3. Maggie Voisin

Jeep Snowboard Slope Rail Jam

1. Jesse Paul

2. Darcy Sharpe

3. Sven Thorgren

Wendy's Snowboard Knuckle Huck

1. Zeb Powell

2. Marcus Kleveland

3. Fridtjof Saether Tischendorf

Great Clips Men's Ski SuperPipe Final

1. Alex Ferreira

2. Aaron Blunck

3. Brendan MacKay

Snow Bike Best Trick Final

1. Brett Turcotte, 79.33

2. Morgan Kaliszuk, 78.33

3. Jackson Strong, 75.66

        

Scotty James and the women snowboarders from Japan took center stage Thursday.

James won the Monster Energy Men's Snowboard SuperPipe, defending his gold medal and clinching his 10th straight competition victory in the process. He has not lost a competition since the beginning of the 2018-19 season. Elsewhere, X Games rookie Miyabi Onitsuka, Kokomo Murase and Reira Iwabuchi, who are all from Japan, took home gold, silver and bronze, respectively, in the Pacifico Women's Snowboard Big Air.

.@scottyjames31 🇦🇺 wins gold in Monster Energy Men’s Snowboard SuperPipe at #XGames Aspen 2020! pic.twitter.com/WtfNZ58l0B

— X Games (@XGames) January 24, 2020

Pacifico Women’s Snowboard Big Air Podium!
🥇: @MiyabiOnitsuka 🇯🇵
🥈: Kokomo Murase 🇯🇵
🥉: @Leila_4121 🇯🇵#XGames Aspen 2020 pic.twitter.com/8aIZ7enZcB

— X Games (@XGames) January 24, 2020

Friday featured individual excellence from an X Games legend and a notable upset.

Henrik Harlaut won the Real Cost Men's Ski Big Air and made history as the winningest skier in X Games history, per Olivia Wilson of ESPN. The gold catapulted him over Tanner Hall's record of 10 medals and gave him his sixth gold medal of his legendary career.

While Harlaut delivered on expectations, other notable names did not take home gold on Friday. Two-time Snowmobile Freestyle champion Daniel Bodin captured silver this year, finishing behind X Games rookie Brandon Cormier.

What's more, Mathilde Gremaud, who is one of two women to win two golds in the Women's Ski Big Air finished in second place behind Tess Ledeux. Ledeux is the other woman to accomplish as much after claiming her fifth X Games medal and second gold. They both defeated Kelly Sildaru, who was widely expected to challenge for gold.

Tess Ledeux 🇫🇷 wins gold in Women’s Ski Big Air at #XGames Aspen 2020! pic.twitter.com/Pe4jS0jqUb

— X Games (@XGames) January 25, 2020

Saturday was a day for legends, as Jamie Anderson won the Women's Snowboard Slopestyle for her sixth Slopestyle gold medal. Wilson noted the victory made Anderson the most-medaled female competitor in X Games history.

Kelly Sildaru won gold in the Women's Ski SuperPipe, giving her eight X Games medals at the age of 17.

.@JamieAsnow’s win in Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle qualifies her to win @Jeep’s Best in Snow award at #XGames Aspen 2020! #JeepXGames #ad pic.twitter.com/b47nm7dcTN

— X Games (@XGames) January 26, 2020

Kelly Sildaru 🇪🇪 wins gold in Women’s Ski SuperPipe at #XGames Aspen 2020! pic.twitter.com/xFkkJ7coPw

— X Games (@XGames) January 26, 2020

On the men's side, Doug Henry, who is also a Motorcycle Hall of Famer, won his eighth career medal in three X Games sports with a victory in the Para Snow BikeCross. Cody Matechuk also added to his impressive resume with a third straight gold in the Snow BikeCross.

Sunday belonged to Sildaru.

Kelly Sildaru earned her 9th XG medal with gold in Women's Ski Slopestyle. She ties Shaun White and Nyjah Huston for most by a teenager in #XGames history. pic.twitter.com/wLwVoweuFs

— X Games (@XGames) January 26, 2020

The youngster captured the gold medal in the Women's Ski Slopestyle, which marked her ninth X Games medal of her already illustrious career. She tied legends Shaun White and Nyjah Huston for the most medals as a teenager in X Games history.

If her performance was any indication, the record will be hers alone in the near future.