ing two triple-triple combinations, as well as challenging spins — but the California skater must skate clean and fully rotate her jumps. The top three spots are not a certainty.
Strong-jumping Courtney Hicks, who de- feated Wagner in the free skate at Trophée Eric Bompard, will challenge for the U.S. World Team, as will the charismatic and glamorous New Yorker Samantha Cesario. 2008 U.S. champion Mirai Nagasu is a wild- card. The U.S. bronze medalist is training with renewed fervor under noted technical coach Tom Zakrajsek in Colorado Springs. If she fully rotates her triple jumps, she can place in the top three.
Abbott looking for No. 5 Four-time and reigning U.S. cham-
pion Jeremy Abbott seeks to join skating legends Sherwin Badger and Robin Lee with five titles when he takes the ice at the Greensboro Coliseum. If successful, he would trail only Dick
Button and Roger Turner (7), and Todd El- dredge (6) for the most men’s crowns in U.S. Figure Skating history. The Aspen, Colorado, native and De-
troit-based skater has traditionally saved his best for the U.S. Championships, includ- ing last year when he destroyed the U.S. short program record and qualified for his second Olympic Games. Although he con- templated retirement, he went on to finish a strong fifth at the 2014 World Figure Skat- ing Championships in Japan and wants nothing more than another trip to Worlds. “All of Worlds was fantastic, and the
audience was absolutely magical,” Abbott said at the end of last season. “I’m thinking, ‘I could maybe do this again.’” Abbott, who turns 30 this year, will
have plenty of competition, led by U.S. silver medalist and fellow Olympian Jason Brown. The 20-year-old fared well this fall, winning a silver medal in his hometown of Chicago at Hilton HHonors Skate America. Like Abbott, Brown is a crowd favorite and one of the sport’s great entertainers. Colorado-based Max Aaron, the 2013
U.S. champion and 2014 U.S. bronze med- alist, brings his unrivaled athleticism to the show. Fearless, he opens both of his pro- grams with quad Salchows and plans two quads in his free skate. “I hope to deliver two clean skates and
win the U.S. title again,” Aaron said. “Keys to success for me are to stay focused on my- self and deliver what I know how to do.” Boston’s Ross Miner and Stephen Car-
riere, California’s Richard Dornbush and Pennsylvania’s Adam Rippon are all former U.S. medalists and threats to put it all to- gether in Greensboro. Another compelling competitor: two-
time and reigning U.S. junior champion Na- than Chen of California. His unique blend of showmanship and athleticism make him
Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier
one to watch, especially since he recently added a quadruple jump to his repertoire. At age 15, his birthdate of May 5, 1999, makes him age-eligible for one of the three U.S. men’s spots at the 2015 World Figure Skating Championships. And with quads as a wildcard, don’t
count out Douglas Razzano, who finished sixth last season, and Joshua Farris, who has claimed back-to-back U.S. pewter med- als. Farris, the 2013 World Junior champion, has been fighting an ankle injury but did compete at NHK Trophy late in the fall.
Pairs race wide open Two-time and reigning U.S. titlists Ma-
rissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir split after last season, and 2012 U.S. titlists Caydee Denney and John Coughlin are injured, leaving the door wide open for one of sev- eral teams to claim the coveted crown. The pair riding the most momentum
into Greensboro: Florida-based Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier, who enjoyed a stellar Grand Prix Series. The 2013 World Junior champions finished second at Hil- ton HHonors Skate America and missed the podium by .01 point at the Rostelecom Cup in Russia, where they turned in the sec- ond-best free skate of the event. “We take each competition one at a
time,” Frazier said. “We have been working hard to improve the areas we know have been our weaknesses, in hopes of reaching our full potential heading into nationals.” Alexa Scimeca and Christopher Knier-
im, the 2013 U.S. silver medalists and 2014 Four Continents bronze medalists, are also top contenders. The Colorado Springs- based tandem, who announced their en- gagement in April 2014, finished fourth at both of their Grand Prix events in the fall. At their second event, Trophée Eric Bompard in France, they turned in a near-flawless and season-best free skate. “All season our focus has been on “We have made
growth,” Scimeca said.
some changes to our programs that we feel very good about. We’re looking for a great nationals in Greensboro.” Madeline Aaron and Max Settlage, the
2014 U.S. junior champions, produced sol- id back-to-back Grand Prix performances. Rink mates of Scimeca and Knierim, Aaron and Settlage have skated together since May of 2010 and show a strong connection, as well as balletic grace, on the ice. Tarah Kayne and Daniel O’Shea, and
Jessica Noelle Calalang and Zack Sidhu, are also in the mix. Kayne and O’Shea, sixth at the 2014 U.S. Championships, withdrew from their
SKATING 17
JAY ADEFF/U.S. FIGURE SKATING
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68