The year 2022 kicked off with the exciting National Championships of Canada, the United States of America and the Republic of Korea. Canada, the USA and Korea named their Olympic and ISU Championships teams following Nationals.
Most ISU Members decide their teams for the ISU Championships and the Olympic Winter Games based on the results from the National Championships and also international events such as the ISU Grand Prix and ISU Challenger Series.
__ISU%20Grand%20Prix%20of%20Figure__Canada%202022%20-%20@ISU%20-%201350109245.webp)
Nathan Chen (USA) competes in the Men's Short Program during the 2021 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Vancouver, Canada @International Skating Union (ISU)
USA
Three-time World Champion Nathan Chen scored a runaway-victory in Nashville, claiming his sixth National title and landing four quadruple jumps. Former junior Skater Ilia Malinin laid down two impressive performances to claim silver in his national senior-level debut while Vincent Zhou came third. Jason Brown was fourth.
Mariah Bell skated to her first National title with Karen Chen taking silver. The bronze went to Isabeau Levito, who is not age-eligible for international senior-level events. Alysa Liu stood in third following the Short Program, but had to withdraw before the Free Skating due to a positive Covid-19 test.
In the Ice Dance, Madison Chock/Evan Bates edged Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue in an exciting duel for the title. The bronze went to Kaitlin Hawayek/Jean-Luc Baker. Ashley Cain-Gribble/Timothy Leduc secured their second title in the Pairs event followed by Jessica Calalang/Brian Johnson and Audrey Lu/Misha Mitrofanov.
__%202021%20ISU%20Grand%20Prix%20of%20Figure%20Skating__Las%20Vegas,%20USA%20@ISU%20-1348683067.webp)
Madison Chock and Evan Bates (USA) compete in the Ice Dance Free Program of the 2021 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Las Vegas, USA @International Skating Union (ISU)
US Figure Skating announced their selection for the Olympic Games: Bell, Chen and Liu, the three Ice Dance medalists as well as Cain-Gribble/LeDuc. The second Pairs spot went to Alexa Knierim/Brandon Frazier who were unable to compete due to him testing positive for Covid-19. Full results US Championships.
Canada
Keegan Messing, Madeline Schizas, Pair Skaters Kirsten Moore-Towers/Michael Marinaro and Ice Dancers Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier were crowned Canadian Champions for 2022. Messing won with ten points to spare ahead of Roman Sadovsky while Schizas dominated the Women’s event. Moore-Towers/Marinaro put out two excellent performances to defend their National title.
Vanessa James/Eric Radford stood in fourth following the Short Program and withdrew before the Free Skating as they did not feel ready after both had caught Covid-19 over the Christmas holidays. Silver and bronze in the Ice Dance went to Laurence Fournier Beaudry/Nikolaj Soerensen and Marjorie Lajoie/Zachary Lagha.
Skate Canada selected Messing, Sadvosky, Schizas, Moore-Towers/Marinaro, James/Radford and the three top Ice Dance couples for the Olympic team.
Full results Canadian Nationals.
Republic of Korea
Young You claimed victory at the National Championships in what was a high-level competition followed by Yelim Kim. Haein Lee captured the bronze.
__2021%20ISU%20Grand%20Prix%20of%20Figure%20Skating__in%20Las%20Vegas,%20Nevada%20@ISU%20-1348771673.webp)
Young You (KOR) competes in the Women's Free Skate during the 2021 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Las Vegas, Nevada @International Skating Union (ISU)
Junhwan Cha defended his National title and triumphed with almost 43 points to spare over Sihyeong Lee. The Olympic spots in the Women’s and Men’s went to the champions and silver medalists.
