US Figure Skating Championships 2020: Sunday Results for Men's Free Skate
Jan 26, 2020
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 25: Nathan Chen skates in the Men's Short Program during the 2020 U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Greensboro Coliseum on January 25, 2020 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Nobody got close to Nathan Chen on Sunday.
After blowing away the field with his epic short program on Saturday, Chen didn't give any of his competitors a chance to catch him, posting a 216.04 score in his free skate, easily the top mark of the day. That gave him a total score of 330.17, putting him well beyond Jason Brown (292.88) and Tomoki Hiwatashi (278.08) for first place.
VincentZhou(275.23) and AndrewTorgashev(260.64) rounded out the top five.
Chen put his name in the record books with his performance. As NBC's OlympicTalk noted, he "became the first man to win four straight U.S. figure skating titles since Brian Boitano in 1988, landing six quadruple jumps between two programs."
On Sunday, he landed a quad flip plus triple toe loop, a quad Salchow and a quad toe loop plus single Euler plus triple Salchow. If Chen was feeling any fatigue due to his demanding routine, he sure didn't show it.
"I was, again, pretty worried about my stamina coming into this competition, but the audience really helped me get through it," he said during the NBC broadcast.
It was the kind of showing that will put Chen among the favorites at the World Figure Skating Championships in March and the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022. He has yet to lose a competition since finishing fifth at the PyeongChangOlympics in 2018.
That dominance was on full display Sunday, and it makes him a strong candidate to be the first United States Olympic figure skating gold medalist since EvanLysacek in 2010.
US Figure Skating Championships 2020: Sunday TV Schedule, Top Contenders
Jan 26, 2020
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 25: Nathan Chen skates in the Men's Short Program during the 2020 U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Greensboro Coliseum on January 25, 2020 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The 2020 U.S. Figure Skating Championships will conclude with the men's competition on Sunday, as Nathan Chen tries to become the first man since Brian Boitano in 1988 to win four titles in a row.
NBC will carry full coverage of the final day of competition, starting at 2:30 p.m. ET.
The overwhelming favourite for the gold medal, Chen finished Saturday's short program with a record score of 114.13 and is a virtual lock to take the top spot on Sunday.
Chen is a two-time world champion and winner of the past three editions of the Grand Prix. There are few athletes who dominate their sport the way he does on a global scale, and while the United States has several talented skaters, no one comes close to matching the world No. 1.
Barring a disastrous performance in Sunday's free program, Chen will defend his title with ease. The real competition will be for second place.
Vincent Zhou
Last year's bronze medalist at the World Championships has changed coaches since the event and hasn't skated in a competition since October. Vincent Zhou was the biggest wild card coming into the event and had a solid performance in the short program, scoring 94.82.
Zhou's main focus will be on making the team for the World Championships, and he's expected to build his form toward that event. He will likely be more conservative than usual in the free program but could be a podium candidate if others falter.
Camden Pulkinen
Camden Pulkinen came into the tournament as a dark horse for the podium after a breakout performance in his first-ever senior Grand Prix event, the 2019 Skate Canada International.
The 19-year-old finished fifth in that event and was ranked second after the short program, scoring an impressive 89.05.
His routine on Saturday was filled with small mistakes, and a final score of 79.19 was well below expectations. He will likely pull out all the stops on Sunday.
Andrew Torgashev
Andrew Torgashev was excellent during Saturday's short program, scoring 97.87 to put himself in a strong position to medal.
He felt he did everything he could to earn the score:
Andrew Torgashev on his 97.87 score: "I didn't know that was the score I was going to get. The scoring is all up to the judges and my job is just to perform. And I felt I performed that program as well as I could." #USChamps20pic.twitter.com/u95o0GjU9f
Consistency has been an issue for the 18-year-old in the past, but he now has a fantastic opportunity to show his mental growth by holding on to his podium place.
Jason Brown
Jason Brown crossed the 100-point mark with a 100.99 skate on Saturday, underlining his credentials as a favourite for the podium. He finished second at Skate America earlier this season and has struggled for consistency since, but his talent is unquestionable, and he's arguably the favourite to finish best of the rest going into the free skate.
Prediction: Chen takes the gold ahead of Brown and Torgashev.
US Figure Skating Championships 2020: Saturday TV Schedule, Top Contenders
Jan 25, 2020
USA's Nathan Chen performs during the Men Free Skating program on December 7, 2019 at the ISU Grand Prix of figure skating Final 2019 in Turin. (Photo by Marco Bertorello / AFP) (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)
Nathan Chen is in action on Saturday at the 2020 United States Figure Skating Championship as he bids to defend his national title at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, North Carolina.
The reigning champion is the overwhelming favourite for gold in the men's event where victory will see him become the first man to win four consecutive national titles since Brian Boitano in 1988.
Chen will kick off his campaign in the men's short program on Saturday, while in the pairs event, the free skate should provide plenty of excitement.
All eyes will be on three-time champion Chen on Saturday, who heads into the tournament in great form and unbeaten since a disappointing showing at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
The 20-year-old has since scooped two world titles, as well as two ISU Grand Prix Final victories, and has been in great form:
Chen is expected to continue his dominance of this event but said in the buildup he has not thought too much about the prospect of winning for a fourth straight year, per the Associated Press' Barry Wilner:
"I have never really thought about that. It's awesome to be able to be in a position for that to possibly happen. Of course, going to competitions you are driven by wanting to medal, wanting to, of course, stand on the top of the podium. But regardless, that is based on how results are scored and how the rest of the skaters do, and that is something that you can’t really control."
Vincent Zhou and Jason Brown, who finished second and third in 2019, will again provide competition. However, Chen looks to be head and shoulders above the chasing pack and is expected to clinch gold again.
Alexa and Chris Knierim lead the way in the pairs after a clean performance in the short program on Thursday.
The Knierims put in a superb showing to register a score of 77.06, putting them comfortably ahead of Tarah Kayne and Danny O'Shea in second place with 70.35:
Defending champions Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc (68.86) lie in third ahead of the free skate, while Jessica Calalang and Brian Johnson (67.56) came in fourth.
Alexa Knierim could not hide her delight at their display after finishing top of the pile, per Lynn Rutherford at NBC Sports.
"It was a dream that was attainable to skate the way we did today, but it always seems something gets in the way. I've just been wanting for this moment to happen, because it's been a little bit of time for Chris and I to have a skate that makes you feel, like, alive. I’m just so happy."
The pair were good value for their win on Thursday, scoring big with a triple twist, side-by-side triple toe loops and a throw triple lutz, to put them in an excellent position for Saturday's free skate.
US Figure Skating Championships 2020 Results for Ladies Free Skate, Rhythm Dance
Jan 25, 2020
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 23: Alysa Liu skates in the Ladies Short Program during the 2020 U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Greensboro Coliseum on January 23, 2020 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The 2020 United States Figure Skating Championships continued Friday with the championship rounds of the Ladies Free Skate and Rhythm Dance competitions at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, North Carolina.
A full recap of the evening's action can be found below, while a full list of scores is available at the competition's official website.
Ladies Free Skate
Alysa Liu, who became the youngest U.S. champion in figure skating history last season, successfully defended her title Friday night. The 14-year-old became the first repeat winner at the U.S. Championships since Ashley Wagner won back-to-back titles in 2013.
The rise of Liu has been nothing short of awe-inspiring. In order to repeat this year, she pulled off an epic comeback after trailing Bradie Tennell by 3.56 points following the Short Program. Liu’s Free Skate score of 160.12 pushed her into first place, giving her a total of 235.52 and a lead of 10 points over second-place finisher Mariah Bell (225.21).
Liu executed a quad lutz, triple axel-plus-toe tap and a triple loop in her free skate, completely winning over the judges as she captured the gold medal.
Friday evening marked the return to the U.S. Championships for skating icon Gracie Gold, and there was no shortage of love shown for her efforts.
Gold has missed this event for the last three years and was the focus of one of the night’s most emotional moments as she received a massive ovation after completing her Free Skate program.
Gold’s Free Skate performance earned her a 107.24 from the judges, bringing her total score to 161.75 after she notched a 54.51 in her Short Program. The 24-year-old from Illinois finished 12th overall.
Rhythm Dance
In the Rhythm Dance bracket, the pairing of Madison Chock and Evan Bates (87.63) narrowly took home the top prize over two-time defending champions Madison Hubbell and Zach Donohue (86.31).
The two couples began training together recently following Chock and Bates' move to Montreal after Chock’s ankle surgery in the wake of the Pyeongchang Olympics.
“We’re just finding our groove right now,” Bates said per NBC Sports. “It feels like we’re just having a bit of a renaissance with our career.”
That’s not to say Hubbell and Donohue didn’t win over the crowd during their performance. Dressed as the late Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio—in pinstripes, of course—the pair scored a 9.57 on interpretation of music as they landed sequential twizzles and a midline step sequence among their elements.
The pairing of Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker (82.59) finished third.
US Figure Skating Championships 2020: Friday TV Schedule, Top Contenders
Jan 24, 2020
Alysa Liu greets fans while wearing her gold medal after winning the women's title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Friday, Jan. 25, 2019, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
The 2020 United States Figure Skating Championships continue on Friday at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, North Carolina.
After the opening ladies short program saw Bradie Tennell take first place ahead of defending champion Alysa Liu, attention turns to the free skate routines. The 14-year-old Liu is expected to impress during the free skate as the women's medals are decided.
In 2019, Liu also finished second behind Tennell in the short program, but a first-place finish in the free skate saw her become the youngest individual senior champion in U.S. history.
Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue will also be looking to claim gold for the second successive year in the ice dancing, which begins with the rhythm dance event. A competitive field will be chasing podium places, which include qualification for the upcoming world championships.
Friday TV Schedule
Rhythm Dance: 4:30 p.m. ET, 9:30 p.m. GMT, NBC Sports Gold and NBCSN
Women's Free: 7:25 p.m. ET, 12:25 a.m. GMT (Saturday), NBC Sports Gold and NBC
NBC's full coverage and schedule of the championship is availablehere. The event will be streamed on NBC Sports Gold.
Top Contenders
Friday was a big day at the nationals last year for Liu as she dethroned Bradie Tennell with an enthralling display.
Having trailed the 2018 champion after the short program by a score of 78.60-73.89, the California-born youngster successfully landed two triple axels on her way to gold after Tennell suffered a fall during her routine.
Tennell again leads Liu this year entering the free skate, this time by a score of 78.96-75.40, and the 21-year-old will be hoping she can avoid last year's mistake to hold off Liu and reclaim the title she won in 2018.
The top two skaters will join Team USA in Montreal in March for the World Figure Skating Championships. With Liu still too young to represent the United States at the event, a spot at the worlds could be up for grabs with a third-place finish if Liu finishes higher. Tennell took her place alongside Mariah Bell at the 2019 worlds, and the pair finished seventh and ninth, respectively.
Bell sits third again after the short program with a score of 73.22, with Amber Glenn (73.16) and Karen Chen (70.41) in fourth and fifth.
Hubbell and Donohue enjoyed a solid season last year, adding a world bronze to their gold at national level, but it might be difficult to retain their U.S. crown for a third consecutive year in the face of improving competition in 2020.
The champions executed near-flawless routines to capture the title last year, but 2015 gold medalists Madison Chock and Evan Bates took the silver medal at 2019–20 Grand Prix final in December ahead of Hubbell and Donohue in third place.
The form book suggests there could be new champions in the ice dancing, but Hubbell and Donohue can raise their game to retain the title.
The men's competition begins on Saturday and ends on Sunday, with defending champion Nathan Chen expected to clinch the title for a fourth consecutive season.
US Figure Skating Championships 2020: Results for Pairs, Ladies Short Program
Jan 23, 2020
Alexa Knierim and Christopher Knierim react at the completion of their program in the senior pairs at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020 in Greensboro, N.C. They are in currently in first place after the program. (AP Photo/Lynn Hey)
The U.S. Figure Skating Championships continued on Thursday, with the short programs in the Championship Pairs and Championship Ladies competitions on the docket.
Alexa and Christopher Knierim sit in first place after the pairs competition by a solid margin, registering a score of 77.06. In the ladies competition, Bradie Tennell leads with a record-setting score of 78.96.
The Knierims are now in excellent position heading into Saturday's free skate after Thursday's dominant showing.
Tarah Kayne and Danny O'Shea (70.35) finished in second, with Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc (68.86), Jessica Calalang and Brian Johnson (67.56) and Audrey Lu and Misha Mitrofanov (65.06) rounding out the top five.
In the women's short program, Alysa Liu (75.40), Amber Glenn (73.16), Mariah Bell (73.22) and Karen Chen (70.41) rounded out the top five behind Tennell.
Tennell was awesome on Thursday, holding off an incredibly competitive field. Record-setting, even. According to NBC OlympicTalk, "Tennell, the 2018 U.S. champion, skated clean for the highest women's short score in nationals history."
She'll have her work cut out for her, however, with Liu and Glenn lurking.
The evening also included the return of Gracie Gold, who scored just a 54.51 and finished 13th but was one of the night's better stories. Gold had abandoned her pursuit of a place in the 2018 Pyeongchang Games in 2017 due to an eating disorder, depression and anxiety.
"I feel like in the sport of skating, comebacks don't happen that much because to go through the process and some of the ridicule that comes with it at first is hard," she told Karen Crouse of the New York Times in December. "You're essentially being criticized by the judges, by the fans, by your coach and by yourself. That can be a lot."
But Gold nonetheless qualified for the U.S. Championships and continues her comeback bid.
Friday's events continue at 4 p.m. ET and include the Championship Rhythm Dance (broadcast on NBCSN) and Championship Ladies Free Skate (on NBC).
US Figure Skating Championships 2020: Thursday TV Schedule, Top Contenders
Jan 23, 2020
US skater Alysa Liu competes during the Junior Ladies short program at the ISU Grand Prix of figure skating Final 2019 on december 5, 2019 in Turin. (Photo by Marco Bertorello / AFP) (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)
The 2020 U.S. Figure Skating Championship begins in earnest on Thursday, with the focus on the ladies and the pairs short program at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, North Carolina.
National titles are up for grabs at the prestigious event, but skaters will also be aiming to seal their places in the U.S. team for the world championships in March.
Alysa Liu will defend her title in the ladies event, after becoming the youngest U.S. champion in history when she claimed victory in 2019 at the age of 13.
The pairs title has been won by different teams in each of the last four years, and they are all going for gold again in 2020.
Thursday Schedule
Junior ladies free skate, 10:55 a.m.
Pairs short program, 5 p.m.
Ladies short program, 9 p.m.
The full schedule is available here. NBC will be showing live coverage of the tournament.
Top Contenders
All eyes will be on Liu on Thursday, but she will face stiff competition again from Bradie Tennell and Mariah Bell, who finished second and third, respectively, in 2019.
Liu told Helene Elliott at the Los Angeles Times that she is not feeling the pressure as she bids to become the youngest skater to win back-to-back titles at the tournament.
"I don't really worry or think about pressure," she said. "I don't feel pressure that much, right now at least. I don't think I will as it comes closer, either. I'm just excited and I think I've trained enough. I think I'm ready for nationals, and we'll see how I do."
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 27: Alysa Liu skates in the skating spectacular after the 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Little Caesars Arena on January 27, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Liu only celebrated her 14th birthday in August and is still not old enough to compete in senior events internationally, but her technical ability and reputation for landing difficult jumps will ensure she is one of the favourites.
Bell heads into the tournament in great shape and with momentum. She won gold in the Challenger Series at the 2019 Nebelhorn Trophy in September and has two Grand Prix bronze medals this season.
Tennell is another strong contender, and she will be hoping to win the national title for the second time after clinching gold in 2018.
The 21-year-old has spoken about what viewers can expect from her in Greensboro:
Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc will return to defend their title in the pairs but face plenty of competition in what looks like an open event.
They made it clear just how determined they are to succeed in the buildup:
On their pre-U.S. Nationals conference call today, Ashley Cain-Gribble/Timothy LeDuc said: "We're excited to go back to Greensboro. We've worked super-hard for this, and we're very hungry to put out strong performances."
Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier are also strong contenders with plenty of experience. The duo finished as runners-up last year but won the title in 2017. They have enjoyed a good season so far, winning bronze medals at two Grand Prix events.
The 2016 champions, Tarah Kayne and Danny O'Shea, and two-time winners Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Chris Knierim also have the quality and experience to compete for gold in 2020.
Winter X Games 2020: Aspen Dates, TV Schedule, Live Stream, Athletes, Event Info
Jan 22, 2020
COPPER MOUNTAIN, COLORADO - DECEMBER 12: Scotty James of Australia competes during the Men's Snowboard Halfpipe Qualifiers on December 12, 2019 in Copper Mountain, Colorado. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
The 2020 Winter X Games begins on Thursday, with the four-day event once again taking place in the glorious surroundings of Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen, Colorado.
The Winter X Games has developed into an iconic competition in extreme sports since its inception in 1995, and a collection of world-class athletes will compete in some of the wildest snow events.
The full schedule is available at the competition's official website. A list of all invited athletes can be found here.
Preview
Innovation remains one of the major draws of the Winter X Games, and new events have been scheduled for the 24th running of the annual competition.
A Snowboard SuperPipe Session and Snowboard Rail Jam events will be included this year. Also making a debut is the Ski Knuckle Huck after the success of last year's snowboarding equivalent, alongside Special Olympics Unified Skiing.
Scotty James will once again be present in the Snowboard SuperPipe after winning last year's gold. The 25-year-old Australian is a six-time medalist at the competition since 2017, and he'll expect to carry on his stellar form, with Shaun White not in attendance this year.
Yuto Totsuka should be James' nearest challenger after the 18-year-old established himself a potential future champion on the circuit after winning silver in 2019's event.
ASPEN, COLORADO - JANUARY 25: (L-R) Mark McMorris of Canada second place, Takeru Otsuka of Japan first place and Sven Thorgren of Sweden stand on the podium after receiving medals for the Men's Snowboard Big Air final at the 2019 Winter X Games on Jan
Canadian superstar Mark McMorris will be attempting to win his 19th Winter X Games medal and is the current Snowboard Slopestyle champion.
The eight-time X Games gold medalist will also feature in the Big Air event after claiming silver behind Takeru Otsuka last year. The Japanese champion will not be defending his crown in Aspen, though.
Snowboarding icon Jamie Anderson will try to add a 17th podium finish to her previous X Games successes. The Olympic champion will feature in the women's Big Air and Slopestyle.
The United States topped the Winter X Games medal count in 2019 with 20 medals, including seven golds, while Canada came second with 10 medals.
US Figure Skating Championships 2020: TV Schedule, Top Contenders and Event Info
Jan 22, 2020
United States' Nathan Chen celebrates after winning the men's free skating during the figure skating Grand Prix finals at the Palavela ice arena, in Turin, Italy, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
The 2020 United States Figure Skating Championship begins on Thursday, with Nathan Chen and Alysa Liu ready to defend their individual titles.
Four days of action will conclude on Sunday at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, North Carolina.
Chen is seeking his fourth consecutive gold at the nationals, and he remains undefeated since his disappointing performance at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Places in the USA team for the world championship in March will also be decided during the event.
NBC's full coverage and schedule of the championship is available here.
Top Contenders
Chen is the huge favourite to bag his fourth national crown when he takes to the ice against a field that will likely struggle to match his quality.
The Salt Lake City-born star has found redemption after placing fifth at the Winter Olympics, and the 20-year-old has matured into a potent winner.
Chen would become the first man since Brian Boitano in 1988 to win four titles in a row, and he is young enough to capture many more golds in his career.
Vincent Zhou, who won silver in 2019, recently returned to the sport after a break to concentrate on his education. The 19-year-old went four months without training but has revamped his coaching regime as he attempts to restart his career.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 25: Alysa Liu holds her gold medal after winning the 2019 Senior Ladies Championship during the 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Little Caesars Arena on January 25, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/
Liu became the youngest national champion in history at the 2019 championships at just 13 when she swept to gold in Detroit.
The California-born starlet has continued to expand her repertoire since last year's triumph, but she will not be eligible to represent her country on the world stage until she is 16. She will then be able to chase glory at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
The 14-year-old became the first female figure skater in history to land a triple axel and quadruple jump in the same program last year, highlighting the incredible depth of her talent. Liu is also the first American female to successfully land a a quadruple lutz in competition.
US pair Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue pose with gold medals and US national flag at the ISU Grand Prix of figure skating Final 2019 on December 7, 2019 in Turin. (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO / AFP) (Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images)
Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue are back to defend their ice dancing title and will be attempting to win the nationals for a third consecutive year.
However, Madison Chock and Evan Bates are expected to run the champions close due to their current form. They won national gold in 2015 and could add a second title to their collection.
Chock and Bates are five-time silver medalists at the championship, and they placed just behind last year's champions 12 months ago.
US Olympic Figure Skating Coach Richard Callaghan Accused of Sexual Abuse
Aug 10, 2019
TOPSHOT - Close up of USA's Mirai Nagasu skate as she competes in the women's single skating free skating of the figure skating event during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at the Gangneung Ice Arena in Gangneung on February 23, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV (Photo credit should read KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/Getty Images)
U.S. Olympic figure skating coach Richard Callaghan has been accused of sexually abusing Adam Schmidt in a new lawsuit.
Christine Brennan of USA Today reported news of the suit, which was filed in San Diego and says Callaghan abused Schmidt from 1999 to 2001. The lawsuit names USFS and a Detroit skating facility.
Callaghan, 73, was first accused of sexual misconduct by Craig Maurizi in 1999. Maurizi said then that Callaghan began engaging in inappropriate conduct in 1976 when he was 13 years old. He said the pair later had a sexual relationship that lasted from the time Maurizi was 18 until he was 22.
USFS dismissed those complaints when they were first filed in 1999. Maurizi filed a report detailing those allegations again with the U.S. Center for SafeSport in January 2018, which resulted in Callaghan being suspended.
"U.S. Figure Skating does not comment on threatened or pending litigation," USFS said in a statement. "U.S. Figure Skating fully supports all victims of sexual abuse and misconduct and encourages anyone who has been abused or suspects abuse or misconduct to immediately report it to local law enforcement, the U.S. Center for SafeSport or U.S. Figure Skating."
Schmidt says USFS was negligent in its inaction following Maurizi's claims.
"How did this happen?" Schmidt said to ABC News. "Why 20 years ago did everyone know and do nothing? Because if they would have done something then ... I never would have been abused."
Callaghan is most notable for his coaching of Todd Eldredge and Tara Lipinski. He has denied all allegations.
