U.S. Figure Skating Championships
Status	Active
Genre	National championships
Date	January
Frequency	Annual
Country	United States
Inaugurated	1914
Previous event	2026 U.S. Championships
Next event	2027 U.S. Championships
Organized by	U.S. Figure Skating

TheU.S. Figure Skating Championships are an annualfigure skating competition organized byU.S. Figure Skating to crown thenational champions of the United States.^[1] The first U.S. Championships were held in 1914 inNew Haven, Connecticut, and featured the men's, women's, and pairs events. Skaters may qualify for the national championships by competing at either thePacific Coast Sectional Finals,Eastern Sectional Finals,Midwestern Sectional Finals, U.S. Ice Dance Finals, or U.S. Pairs Finals. The results of the competition are among the criteria used to determine the American teams to theWorld Championships,World Junior Championships,Four Continents Championships, andWinter Olympics.^[2] They have been held without interruption since 1920.

Medals are awarded inmen's singles, women's singles,pair skating, andice dance at the senior and junior levels.Dick Button andRoger Turner are tied for winning the most U.S. Championship titles in men's singles (with seven each), whileMaribel Vinson andMichelle Kwan are tied for winning the titles in women's singles (with nine each).Theresa Weld-Blanchard andNathaniel Niles hold the record in pair skating (with nine), whileMadison Chock andEvan Bates hold the record in ice dance (with seven).

The inaugural U.S. Championships took place in 1914 inNew Haven, Connecticut, and was contested by skaters from both the United States and Canada.^[3]Norman Scott of Canada won the men's event, as well as the pairs event with his partner,Jeanne Chevalier.^[4]Theresa Weld of the United States won the women's event.^[4] No competitions were held from 1915 to 1917 due toWorld War I and again in 1919.^[5] The championships returned in 1920 and have been held without interruption since.

Men's singles, women's singles, and pair skating have been contested since the championships began. Ice dance was added in 1936, incorporating thewaltz, fourteenstep, tango, and foxtrot. A live orchestra provided the music.^[6] There were no full cancellations of the championships due toWorld War II as there had been during World War I; only the senior men's events were cancelled in 1944 and 1945, because all but one of the skaters who would have competed had enlisted in the military.^[7] Arthur Preusch II, the only remaining senior men's competitor, instead performed in exhibition.^[7]

Roughly two weeks after the1961 U.S. Championships, the airplane carrying most of the U.S. national team to theWorld Championships inPrague crashed while on approach toBrussels Airport in Belgium.^[8] All passengers on boardSabena Flight 548 were killed, including all of the recently crowned U.S. champions: men's championBradley Lord, women's championLaurence Owen, pairs championsMaribel Owen andDudley Richards, and ice dance championsDiane Sherbloom andLarry Pierce. Nine-time U.S. champion and coachMaribel Vinson-Owen, mother of both Laurence and Maribel, was on the flight as well. Also killed were men's silver medalistGregory Kelley, women's silver medalistStephanie Westerfeld, women's bronze medalistRhode Lee Michelson, pairs silver medalistsIla Ray Hadley andRay Hadley Jr., pairs bronze medalistsLaurie Hickox andWilliam Hickox, ice dance silver medalistsDona Lee Carrier andRoger Campbell, and ice dance bronze medalistsPatricia Dineen andRobert Dineen, in addition to fourteen family members, coaches, and skating officials who were accompanying the team. Out of respect, the 1961 World Championships were cancelled the next day.^[9]

Beginning with the1988 U.S. Championships,pewter medals have been awarded to the fourth-place finishers in each event.^[10]Compulsory figures, which had been a required element of men's and women's single skating since the championships began, were retired after the1990 U.S. Championships,^[11] although they continued as a separate event for men and women from 1991 to 1999,^[12] when they were retired altogether.^[13]

On January 6, 1994, one day before she was scheduled to compete at the1994 U.S. Championships,Nancy Kerrigan was struck above the knee by an assailant wielding a baton, and was forced to withdraw from the competition.^[14] Subsequent investigations determined that the assailant had been hired by the ex-husband of fellow skaterTonya Harding, with the intention of preventing Kerrigan from competing at the U.S. Championships and the upcomingWinter Olympics inLillehammer.^[14] Although Harding had originally won the women's event at the 1994 U.S. Championships,U.S. Figure Skating later stripped her of that title.^[15]

During theCOVID-19 pandemic, the2021 U.S. Championships were still held, albeit in a sealed arena with no live audience present. The sound of an audience was piped into the arena, seats were filled with fan cutouts, and the athletes' friends and families could be seen cheering them on via strategically-placed monitors.^[16]

Three days after the2025 U.S. Championships, a group of twenty-eight skaters, coaches, and family members flying toWashington, D.C., were killed when their airplanecollided with a military helicopter and crashed into thePotomac River. CoachesEvgenia Shishkova andVadim Naumov, the parents of U.S. skaterMaxim Naumov, who had just won the pewter medal in the senior men's event, were among those killed.^[17]

The2026 U.S. Championships are scheduled to be held from January 5 to 11 inSt. Louis, Missouri, where the team selections for the2026 Winter Olympics will be announced.^[18]

Beginning with the2022–23 season, skaters qualify for the U.S. Championships by competing in the National Qualifying Series (NQS), a series of regional competitions running from mid-July to early October. Skaters compete in one of three sections (Pacific Coast, Midwestern, or Eastern) based on geographic location. The highest earned score across all competitions advance to the NQS finals (Pacific Coast Sectional Finals,Eastern Sectional Finals,Midwestern Sectional Finals, U.S. Ice Dance Finals, or U.S. Pairs Finals). The top juvenile, intermediate, and novice skaters are invited to the National High Performance Development Camp, while junior and senior skaters advance to the U.S. Championships. Athletes may also receive abye to the NQS finals by being assigned to and competing at one international assignment from an approved list.^[1]

Advancement to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships:^[1]

• Senior singles: 18 spots available
  • Athletes receiving a bye
  • Top two from each section, plus the next best scores nationwide until the maximum number of entrants is met
• Senior pairs: 12 spots available
  • Athletes receiving a bye
  • Next best scores from the NQS Finals until the maximum number of entrants is met
• Senior ice dance: 15 spots available
  • Athletes receiving a bye
  • Next best scores from the NQS Finals until the maximum number of entrants is met

Skaters can earn the right at the U.S. Championships without qualifying through a sectional championship by accomplishing any of the following:^[1]

1. Placing in the top five in each discipline at the previous U.S. Championships at the senior level
2. Selection to the previous year'sWorld Championship team
3. Winning a medal at anyWinter Olympic Games (excluding the team event)
4. Qualifying for theJunior Grand Prix Final orGrand Prix Final
5. Competing at three international competitions from an approved list

Prior to 2020, qualification for the U.S. Championships began at one of nine regional competitions. The regions were New England, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Upper Great Lakes, Eastern Great Lakes, Southwestern, Northwest Pacific, Central Pacific, and Southwest Pacific. The top four finishers in each regional advanced to one of three sectional competitions (Eastern,Midwestern, orPacific Coast). Skaters who placed in the top four at each sectional competition advanced to the U.S. Championships.^[1]

• Eastern Section^[1]
  • New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
  • North Atlantic: New Jersey; New York;Erie, Pennsylvania
  • South Atlantic: Delaware; District of Columbia; Florida; Georgia; Maryland; North Carolina; Pennsylvania (excluding Erie); South Carolina; Virginia; West Virginia;Chattanooga, Tennessee
• Midwestern Section^[1]
  • Eastern Great Lakes: Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan (Lower Peninsula), Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee (excluding Chattanooga)
  • Southwestern: Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas (includingKansas City andSt. Joseph, Missouri), Louisiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas City
  • Upper Great Lakes: Illinois, Iowa, Michigan (Upper Peninsula), Minnesota, Missouri (excluding Kansas City and St. Joseph), North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin
• Pacific Coast Section^[1]
  • Central Pacific:Northern California, Hawaii, Nevada, Utah
  • Northwest Pacific: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming
  • Southwest Pacific: Arizona,Southern California

During the2020–21 and2021–22 seasons, the traditional qualification system was replaced with the Championship Series due to theimpact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 U.S. Championship Series took place in a virtual format from November 10 through December 6.^[19] The top scorers from the series in junior and senior men's singles, women's singles, and pair skating, as well as junior ice dance, advanced to the2021 U.S. Championships. All senior ice dance teams who registered for the in-person qualifying season also advanced to the championships.^[20] The 2022 U.S. Championship Series featured a series of eight competitions held from October 4 through November 20.^[21]

From left to right: The reigning U.S. figure skating champions:Ilia Malinin (men's singles);Madison Chock andEvan Bates (ice dance);Amber Glenn (women's singles); andAlisa Efimova andMisha Mitrofanov (pair skating)

Senior men's event medalists

Year	Location	Gold[22]	Silver	Bronze	Pewter	Ref.
1914	New Haven	Norman Scott(Canada)	Edward Howland	Nathaniel Niles	No pewter medals awarded	[4]
1915–17	No competitions due toWorld War I					[5]
1918	New York City	Nathaniel Niles	Karl Engel	Edward Howland		[23]
1919	No competition held					[5]
1920	New York City	Sherwin Badger	Nathaniel Niles	Petros Wahlman		[24]
1921	Philadelphia			Edward Howland		[25]
1922	Boston			No other competitors		[26]
1923	New Haven		Chris Christenson	Julius Nelson		[27]
1924	Philadelphia		Nathaniel Niles	Chris Christenson		[28]
1925	New York City	Nathaniel Niles	George Braakman	Carl Engel		[29]
1926	Boston	Chris Christenson	Nathaniel Niles	Ferrier Martin		[30]
1927	New York City	Nathaniel Niles	Roger Turner	George Braakman		[31]
1928	New Haven	Roger Turner	Fredrick Goodridge	Walter Langer		[32]
1929	New York City			J. Lester Madden		[33]
1930	Providence		J. Lester Madden	George Hill		[34]
1931	Boston					[35]
1932	New York City			Gail Borden		[36]
1933	New Haven			Robin Lee		[37]
1934	Philadelphia		Robin Lee	George Hill		[38]
1935	New Haven	Robin Lee	Roger Turner	J. Lester Madden		[39]
1936	New York City		Erle Reiter	George Hill		[40]
1937	Chicago			William Nagle		[41]
1938	Philadelphia			Ollie Haupt Jr.		[42]
1939	Saint Paul		Ollie Haupt Jr.	Eugene Turner		[43]
1940	Cleveland	Eugene Turner		Skippy Baxter		[44]
1941	Boston		Arthur Vaughn Jr.	William Nagle		[45]
1942	Chicago	Bobby Specht	William Grimditch	Arthur Vaughn Jr.		[46]
1943	New York City	Arthur Vaughn Jr.	Arthur Preusch II	William Nagle		[47]
1944	Minneapolis	No senior men's competitions due toWorld War II				[7]
1945	New York City					[48]
1946	Chicago	Dick Button	James Lochead Jr.	John Tuckerman		[49]
1947	Berkeley		John Lettengarver	James Grogan		[50]
1948	Colorado Springs		James Grogan	John Lettengarver		[51]
1949				Hayes Alan Jenkins		[52]
1950	Washington, D.C.		Hayes Alan Jenkins	Richard Dwyer		[53]
1951	Seattle		James Grogan	Hayes Alan Jenkins		[54]
1952	Colorado Springs					[55]
1953	Hershey	Hayes Alan Jenkins	Ronald Robertson	Dudley Richards		[56]
1954	Los Angeles		David Jenkins	Ronald Robertson		[57]
1955	Colorado Springs			Hugh Graham Jr.		[58]
1956	Philadelphia		Ronald Robertson	David Jenkins		[59]
1957	Berkeley	David Jenkins	Tim Brown	Tom Moore		[60]
1958	Minneapolis					[61]
1959	Rochester			Robert Lee Brewer		[62]
1960	Seattle					[63]
1961	Colorado Springs	Bradley Lord	Gregory Kelley	Tim Brown		[64]
1962	Boston	Monty Hoyt	Scott Allen	David Edwards		[65]
1963	Long Beach	Thomas Litz		Monty Hoyt		[66]
1964	Cleveland	Scott Allen	Thomas Litz			[67]
1965	Lake Placid	Gary Visconti	Scott Allen	Tim Wood		[68]
1966	Berkeley	Scott Allen	Gary Visconti	Billy Chapel		[69]
1967	Omaha	Gary Visconti	Scott Allen	Tim Wood		[70]
1968	Philadelphia	Tim Wood	Gary Visconti	John Misha Petkevich		[71]
1969	Seattle		John Misha Petkevich	Gary Visconti		[72]
1970	Tulsa			Kenneth Shelley		[73]
1971	Buffalo	John Misha Petkevich	Kenneth Shelley	Gordon McKellen Jr.		[74]
1972	Long Beach	Kenneth Shelley	John Misha Petkevich			[75]
1973	Minneapolis	Gordon McKellen Jr.	Robert Bradshaw	David Santee		[76]
1974	Providence		Terry Kubicka	Charles Tickner		[77]
1975	Oakland					[78]
1976	Colorado Springs	Terry Kubicka	David Santee	Scott Cramer		[79]
1977	Hartford	Charles Tickner	Scott Cramer	David Santee		[80]
1978	Portland		David Santee	Scott Hamilton		[81]
1979	Cincinnati		Scott Cramer	David Santee		[82]
1980	Atlanta		David Santee	Scott Hamilton	[83]
1981	San Diego	Scott Hamilton		Robert Wagenhoffer	[84]
1982	Indianapolis		Robert Wagenhoffer	David Santee	[85]
1983	Pittsburgh		Brian Boitano	Mark Cockerell	[86]
1984	Salt Lake City				[87]
1985	Kansas City	Brian Boitano	Mark Cockerell	Scott Williams	[88]
1986	Uniondale		Scott Williams	Daniel Doran	[89]
1987	Tacoma		Christopher Bowman	Scott Williams	[90]
1988	Denver		Paul Wylie	Christopher Bowman	Daniel Doran	[10]
1989	Baltimore	Christopher Bowman	Daniel Doran	Paul Wylie	Erik Larson	[91]
1990	Salt Lake City	Todd Eldredge	Paul Wylie	Mark Mitchell		[11]
1991	Minneapolis		Christopher Bowman	Paul Wylie	Mark Mitchell	[12]
1992	Orlando	Christopher Bowman	Paul Wylie	Mark Mitchell	Scott Davis	[92]
1993	Phoenix	Scott Davis	Mark Mitchell	Michael Chack	Aren Nielsen	[93]
1994	Detroit		Brian Boitano	Aren Nielsen	Todd Eldredge	[94]
1995	Providence	Todd Eldredge	Scott Davis		Damon Allen	[95]
1996	San Jose	Rudy Galindo	Todd Eldredge	Daniel Hollander	Scott Davis	[96]
1997	Nashville	Todd Eldredge	Michael Weiss			[97]
1998	Philadelphia			Scott Davis	Shepherd Clark	[98]
1999	Salt Lake City	Michael Weiss	Trifun Zivanovic	Timothy Goebel	Matthew Savoie	[99]
2000	Cleveland		Timothy Goebel	Trifun Zivanovic		[100]
2001	Boston	Timothy Goebel	Todd Eldredge	Matthew Savoie	Michael Weiss	[101]
2002	Los Angeles	Todd Eldredge	Timothy Goebel	Michael Weiss	Matthew Savoie	[102]
2003	Dallas	Michael Weiss		Ryan Jahnke	Scott Smith	[103]
2004	Atlanta	Johnny Weir	Michael Weiss	Matthew Savoie	Ryan Jahnke	[104]
2005	Portland		Timothy Goebel	Evan Lysacek	Matthew Savoie	[105]
2006	St. Louis		Evan Lysacek	Matthew Savoie	Michael Weiss	[106]
2007	Spokane	Evan Lysacek	Ryan Bradley	Johnny Weir	Jeremy Abbott	[107]
2008	Saint Paul		Johnny Weir	Stephen Carriere		[108]
2009	Cleveland	Jeremy Abbott	Brandon Mroz	Evan Lysacek	Ryan Bradley	[109]
2010	Spokane		Evan Lysacek	Johnny Weir		[110]
2011	Greensboro	Ryan Bradley	Richard Dornbush	Ross Miner	Jeremy Abbott	[111]
2012	San Jose	Jeremy Abbott	Adam Rippon		Armin Mahbanoozadeh	[112]
2013	Omaha	Max Aaron	Ross Miner	Jeremy Abbott	Joshua Farris	[113]
2014	Boston	Jeremy Abbott	Jason Brown	Max Aaron		[114]
2015	Greensboro	Jason Brown	Adam Rippon	Joshua Farris	Max Aaron	[115]
2016	Saint Paul	Adam Rippon	Max Aaron	Nathan Chen	Grant Hochstein	[116]
2017	Kansas City	Nathan Chen	Vincent Zhou	Jason Brown		[117]
2018	San Jose		Ross Miner	Vincent Zhou	Adam Rippon	[118]
2019	Detroit		Vincent Zhou	Jason Brown	Tomoki Hiwatashi	[119]
2020	Greensboro		Jason Brown	Tomoki Hiwatashi	Vincent Zhou	[120]
2021	Las Vegas		Vincent Zhou	Jason Brown	Yaroslav Paniot	[121]
2022	Nashville		Ilia Malinin	Vincent Zhou	Jason Brown	[122]
2023	San Jose	Ilia Malinin	Jason Brown	Andrew Torgashev	Maxim Naumov	[123]
2024	Columbus			Camden Pulkinen		[124]
2025	Wichita		Andrew Torgashev			[125]
2026	St. Louis			Maxim Naumov	Jacob Sanchez	[126]