FIGURE SKATING Preview: Nathan Chen looking for third straight U.S. men’s title

The U.S. Figure Skating National Championships have been going on for days in Detroit, Michigan, with the action finally headed to Little Caesars Arena for the Junior and Senior divisions.

This is a year of transition after the PyeongChang Games of 2018, but the U.S. has multiple stars who will make an impression. In terms of the top contenders, the best scores from U.S. skaters so far this season include (with their world score ranking):

Men:
2. 282.42 Nathan Chen ~ Two-time defending National Champ; 2018 World Champion
7. 263.42 Jason Brown ~ 2015 National Champion; 2014 Nationals silver
17. 234.52 Vincent Zhou ~ 2017 Nationals silver; 2018 Nationals bronze
30. 223.95 Camden Pukinen ~ 2018 National Junior Champion
38. 215.16 Tomoki Hiwatashi ~ 2016 National Junior Champion

Women:
9. 206.31 Bradie Tennell ~ 2018 National Champion
17. 199.79 Ting Cui ~ 2018 National Juniors bronze
18. 198.96 Mariah Bell ~ 2017 Nationals bronze
37. 181.21 Ashley Lin ~ 2017 National Juniors bronze
41. 178.07 Courtney Hicks

Pairs:
9. 181.56 Tarah Kayne/Danny O’Shea ~ 2016 National Champions; 2018 Nationals silver
10. 190.49 Alexa Scimera Knierim/Chris Knierim ~ 2015 & 2018 National Champions
18. 181.56 Ashley Cain/Timothy Leduc ~ 2017 Nationals bronze
19. 176.44 Deanna Stellato-Dudek/Nathan Bartholomay ~ 2018 Nationals bronze
21. 172.31 Jessica Callalang/Brian Johnson

Ice Dance:
2. 205.35 Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue ~ Defending Champions; 2018 Worlds silver
8. 184.63 Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker ~ 2014 & 2018 Nationals fourth
10. 180.95 Rachel Parsons/Michael Parsons ~ 2017 National Junior Champions
11. 180.57 Lorraine McNamara/Quinn Carpenter ~ 2015-16 National Junior Champions
13. 180.22 Christina Carreira/Anthony Ponomarenko ~ 2018 National Junior Champions

While Chen will be trying to win his third consecutive U.S. National Senior title in succession, he will also be looking for his seventh U.S. title at all levels: two as a Novice, two as a Junior and already two as a Senior … and he’s all of 19 years old..

The women’s wild card is Alysa Liu, just 14, but who landed a clean triple axel at the Asian Open Trophy meet in Thailand last August – in the Novice division!

In Pairs, the 2017 U.S. champs Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier have scored just 170.22 this season (world rank: 23), but could surprise given their experience.

Ice Dancers Hubbell and Donohue, fourth in PyeongChang, have been outstanding this season and won at Skate America, Skate Canada Int’l and in the Grand Prix Final in Vancouver (CAN).

The schedule (with television times):

● 24 Jan.: Pairs Short Program (NBCSN: 5 p.m. Eastern time)
● 24 Jan.: Women’s Short Program (NBCSN: 9 p..m. Eastern)

● 25 Jan.: Rhythm Dance (NBCSN: 4 p.m. Eastern)
● 25 Jan.: Women’s Free Skate (NBC: 8 p.m. Eastern)

● 26 Jan.: Men’s Short Program, Pairs Free Skate (NBCSN: 1:30 p.m. Eastern)
● 26 Jan.: Free Dance (NBCSN: 7 p.m.)

● 27 Jan.: Men’s Free Skate (NBC: 3:30 p.m. Eastern)

Look for results here.