The 2023 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships return to San Jose, California, five years after it helped determine the berths for the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games. The majority of the names have changed — though a few very familiar faces are still here — and the stakes are different. But U.S. titles are on the line, and the skaters will bring their best and the crowd will be with them every step of the way.
Below are five of the top storylines to watch for in San Jose.
Worlds Spots Up for Grabs
With three spots available in each discipline, and a number of skaters from last season retired or taking the season off, the prospect of new — and potentially even surprising — faces on the World team have never been higher. In all four disciplines, the favorites for gold are well established, but the remaining spots could go to a number of skaters who have the potential to impress.
Favoring the Favorites
In singles, fresh off winning medals at the Grand Prix Final, Ilia Malinin and Isabeau Levito are the heavy favorites to take the titles in San Jose. For pairs, World champions Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier look for their second title together, and a win here would give them six titles between the two of them. In ice dance, the top spot looks solid for Madison Chock and Evan Bates, who are going for U.S. title No. 4 together. The rest of the podiums? There are a lot of possibilities after that.
A Chance for New Talent to Emerge
The post-Olympic season is always one where the new generation gets a first look at the big stage. And whether or not they become future stars, a number of exciting debuts await us in San Jose. From the big jumps of Alexa Gasparotto and Ava Ziegler to the creativity of Sonja Hilmer, the women's event is wide open and some of these new faces could make a splash. In pairs, the last two junior champs, Anastasiia Smirnova and Daniil Siianytsia (2021) and Junior Grand Prix Final silver medalists Sonia Baram and Daniel Tioumentsev (2022) get a chance at the big leagues. And in the always-competitive ice dance event, brand new teams Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik, and Isabella Flores and Ivan Desyatov, have the chance to make big debuts.
Watch for the Juniors
Post-Olympic season U.S. Championships is a great chance to get to know the skaters who may become the future leaders of U.S. skating, so don't forget about the juniors. Olympians Mirai Nagasu won the junior event in 2007, and Bradie Tennell won it in 2015. 2013 U.S. champion Max Aaron won it in two years before his senior triumph. This year, Soho Lee, who won a Junior Grand Prix medal and has the highest junior international score of any U.S. woman this season, and Junior Grand Prix Final silver medalist Lucas Broussard could be standouts. And fun fact: Evan Bates won junior ice dance 16 years ago with Emily Samuelson.
The Return of Jason Brown
When 2015 U.S. champion Jason Brown finished his free skate at the Beijing Olympic Games, many thought that would be his final competitive appearance. But after surprising even himself with a solid skate at Japan Open in the fall, he decided to give San Jose a shot. Brown's last time in San Jose was not one to remember, but that experience also kickstarted Brown's rediscovery of his love of skating and fueled the renaissance that brought him back to the Olympics.
