Figure skating in the United States
American Michelle Kwan performing a spiral at the practice for the 2002 United States National Championships.
Governing bodyU.S. Figure Skating
National competitions
International competitions

Figure Skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform on figure skates on ice. Although ice skating began in 3,000 BCE in Scandinavia, American Edward Bushnell's 1855 invention of steel blades and Jackson Haines bringing elements of ballet to figure skating were critical to the development of modern-day figure skating.[1] Since then, figure skating in the United States has grown to have 186,038 members as of the 2020–2021 season.[2]

Overview

The governing body of figure skating in the United States is US Figure Skating,"U.S. Figure Skating is a member of the International Skating Union (ISU), the international federation for figure skating; and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC)."[3] U.S. figure skating, along with USA Hockey, endorses Learn to Skate USA, which provides lessons in the basics of skating, including for ice hockey, speed skating, multiple disciplines of figure skating, along with adaptive skating for skaters with disabilities.[4] U.S. Figure Skating also contains a series of levels and testing for skaters beyond Learn to Skate USA.[5] In addition, U.S. Figure Skating also governs collegiate skating, including intercollegiate competitions, collegiate championships, and collegiate synchronized skating.[6] The membership demographics of U.S. Figure Skating are 69% female and 27% male.[2] In addition, Ice Sports Industry "an international industry trade association" hosts competitions, runs learn to skate programs, and offers an alternate set of levels to US Figure Skating.[7]

Ice skating used to be a popular television sport in the United States but has fallen out of favor since the 1970s, and the number of medals they have won at the winter Olympics has declined.[8][9][10] This may be partially in response to the financial crisis, as figure skating has always been an expensive sport, as well as in response to the retirement of Michelle Kwan and decline in the international success of the United States with the growing success of the vastly different Russian program.[11]

History

During the 1860s, Jackson Haines created and popularized figure skating in the United States.[12][13]

In 1914, the first U.S. Figure Skating Championships were held.[14]

In 1928, Maribel Vinson set the record for most U.S. national championship titles at 9. Michelle Kwan has since tied this record.[15]

At the 1948 Olympics, 14-year-old American Dick Button became the first person to land a double axel in competition, having only landed it for the first time days earlier.[16] He then became the first to land a triple jump in competition at the Oslo 1952 Olympic Winter Games.[16]

In 1953, 15-year-old Tenley Albright became the first American woman to win a world championship title. In 1956, she became the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal.[17]

In 1956, synchronized skating was founded in Ann Arbor Michigan by Dr. Richard J. Porter. His team, the Hockettes began skating in between the periods at University of Michigan hockey games.[18]

In 1961, the United States national team was headed to the World Championships in Czechoslovakia when their flight, Sabena Flight 548 crashed, killing the entire world team.[19]

In 1976, Dorothy Hamill became the last female skater to win Olympic gold without including a triple jump.[20]

In 1984, the first United States Synchronized Skating Championships was held.[21]

In July 1990, the ISU stopped including figures as part of competitions, impacting American and International competitions.[22]

In 1992, Kristin Yamaguchi became the first Asian American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in figure skating, and in 1998, she became the first Asian American to be inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame.[23]

The 1994 Cobo Arena attack on Nancy Kerrigan increased nationwide interest in figure skating.[11] The controversy itself sparked public interest, as did the quality of women's skating at the time, and figure skating was very popular in the 1990s.[11] Tonya Harding, whose ex-husband was charged with orchestrating the attack on Kerrigan, was the first American woman to land a triple axel in competition.[24][25] The eventual Olympic competition between Kerrigan and Harding set ratings records.[24] Harding was eventually implicated in the attack, and forced to renounce her membership in U.S. Figure Skating and was barred from the organization.[26][24]

In 1996 Tara Lipinski became the youngest person to win the world championship, and in 1998, she became "the youngest winner of an individual event in the history of the Winter Games".[27]

From 1996 to 2005, Michelle Kwan won the U.S. national championships 9 times and won the World Championships 5 times. Although she never won Olympic gold, she did win a silver in 1998 and bronze medal in 2002.[28] She is the most decorated American woman in figure skating.[29]

Beginning in 2004 and fully implemented by 2006, the ISU implemented the ISU Judging system, a new code of points replacing the old 6.0 system and used in both American and international competition.[30]

In 2018, Mirai Nagasu became first ever U.S. woman to land the triple axel in Olympic competition.[31]

In 2019, then 13 year-old Alysa Liu became the youngest U.S. women's figure skating champion.[32]

As of the 2020 U.S. synchronized skating championships, synchronized skating team the Haydenettes have won a total of 28 US national titles, and have won the last 11 US championships at the senior level.[33]

Medal Name(s) Event Year
 Bronze Theresa Weld[34] Singles 1920
 Silver Beatrix Loughran [35] Singles 1924
 Bronze Beatrix Loughran [35] Singles 1928
 Silver Beatrix Loughran and Sherwin Badger[35] Pairs 1932
 Bronze Maribel Vinson[36] Singles 1932
 Gold Dick Button[16] Singles 1948
 Bronze Colleen O'Connor and James Millns[37] Ice Dance 1951
 Gold Dick Button[16] Singles 1952
 Silver Tenley Albright[17] Singles 1952
 Silver Karol Kennedy and Peter Kennedy[38] Pairs 1952
 Bronze James Grogan[39] Singles 1952
 Gold Tenley Albright[17] Singles 1956
 Silver Carol Heiss[40] Singles 1956
 Gold Hayes Allen Jenkins[41] Singles 1956
 Silver Ronnie Robertson[42] Singles 1956
 Bronze David Jenkins[43] Singles 1956
 Gold Carol Heiss[40] Singles 1960
 Bronze Barbra Roles[44] Singles 1960
 Gold David Jenkins[43] Singles 1960
 Bronze Nancy Ludington and Ronald Ludington[45] Pairs 1960
 Bronze Vivian Joseph and Ronald Joseph[46] Pairs 1964
 Bronze Charles Tickner[47] Singles 1964
 Gold Peggy Fleming[48] Singles 1968
 Silver Timothy Wood[36] Singles 1968
 Bronze Janet Lynn[34] Singles 1972
 Gold Dorothy Hamill[20] Singles 1976
 Silver Linda Fratianne[42] Singles 1980
 Bronze Charles Tickner[41] Singles 1980
 Gold Scott Hamilton[39] Singles 1984
 Silver Rosalynn Sumners[38] Singles 1984
 Silver Kitty Carruthers and Peter Carruthers[37] Pairs 1984
 Bronze Debi Thomas[49] Singles 1988
 Gold Brian Boitano[50] Singles 1998
 Bronze Jill Watson and Peter Oppegard[47] Pairs 1988
 Gold Kristi Yamaguchi[23] Singles 1992
 Bronze Nancy Kerrigan[51] Singles 1992
 Silver Nancy Kerrigan[51] Singles 1994
 Silver Paul Wiley[46] Singles 1992
 Gold Tara Lipinski[27] Singles 1998
 Silver Michelle Kwan[28] Singles 1998
 Gold Sarah Hughes[45] Singles 2002
 Bronze Michelle Kwan[28] Singles 2002
 Bronze Timothy Gobel[44] Singles 2002
 Silver Sasha Cohen[52] Singles 2006
 Silver Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto[53] Ice Dance 2006
 Gold Evan Lysacek[54] Singles 2010
 Silver Meryl Davis and Charlie White[55] Ice Dance 2010
 Gold Meryl Davis and Charlie White[55] Ice Dance 2014
 Bronze Jeremy Abbot, Jason Brown, Ashley Wagner, Gracie Gold, Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir, Meryl Davis and Charlie White[56] Team 2014
 Bronze Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani[57] Ice Dance 2018
 Bronze Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani, Adam Rippon, Alexa Knierim and Chris Knierim, Mirai Nagasu, Bradie Tennell, Nathan Chen[58] Team 2018

Current Senior Team Representing the United States

Currently, the team of senior skaters representing the United States consists of Starr Andrews, Maxine Marie Bautista, Mariah Bell, Amber Glenn, Karen Chen, Gabriella Izzo Alysa Liu, Sierra

Venetta, Bradie Tennell, Audrey Shin and Paige Rydberg in the ladies category, Jason Brown, Nathan Chen, Tomoki Hiwatashi, Jimmy Ma, Maxim Naumov, Yaroslav Paniot, Camden Pulkinen, Andrew Torgashev, Dinh Tran and Vincent Zhou in the men's category, Valentina Plazas and Maximiliano Fernandez, Katie McBeath and Nathan Bartholomay, Audrey Lu and Misha Mitrofanov, Chelsea Liu and Danny O'Shea, Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier, Emily Chan and Spencer Howe, Jessica Calalang and Brian Johnson, and Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc in pairs, and Caroline Green and Michael Parsons, Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue, Lorraine McNamara and Anton Spiridonov, and Eva Pate and Logan Bye in ice dance.[59] This includes skaters "includes athletes in the A, B and C team envelope, as well as athletes with international assignments".[59] The current senior level synchronized skating teams are The Haydenettes, The Skyliners, Miami University, Adrian College, and the Crystallettes.[60]

References

  1. ↑ "Figure Skating History". www.rookieroad.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
  2. 1 2 "Who We Are | U.S. Figure Skating". www.usfigureskating.org. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  3. ↑ "About | U.S. Figure Skating". www.usfigureskating.org. Retrieved 2021-09-24.
  4. ↑ USA, Learn To Skate. "Home - Learn to Skate USA". learntoskateusa.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
  5. ↑ "Test Structure | U.S. Figure Skating". www.usfigureskating.org. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
  6. ↑ "Collegiate Skating | U.S. Figure Skating". www.usfigureskating.org. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
  7. ↑ "The Ice Sports Industry (ISI)". ISI. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  8. ↑ Garcia, Ahiza (13 February 2018). "U.S. figure skating used to be wildly popular. What happened?". CNNMoney. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  9. ↑ "The state of figure skating is strong ... except in the United States". ESPN.com. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  10. ↑ Longman, Jeré (30 December 2017). "Where Are the American Women in Olympic Figure Skating?". Retrieved 11 March 2019 – via NYTimes.com.
  11. 1 2 3 Jennings, Rebecca (2021-02-18). "Where have all the figure skaters gone?". Vox. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  12. ↑ Blakemore, Erin. "The Man Who Invented Figure Skating Was Laughed Out of America". HISTORY. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  13. ↑ "Welcome to U.S. Figure Skating". www.usfsa.org. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  14. ↑ "United States Figure Skating Championships® | U.S. Figure Skating". www.usfigureskating.org. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  15. ↑ "The Thirties | U.S. Figure Skating". www.usfigureskating.org. Retrieved 2021-10-01.
  16. 1 2 3 4 "Dick Button | USOPMuseum". United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum. 2019-07-19. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  17. 1 2 3 "65 Years After Her Olympic Triumph, Dr. Tenley Albright is Still Blazing the Trail | U.S. Figure Skating". www.usfigureskating.org. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
  18. ↑ "Honoring a Legend: Dr. Porter Left Sport with a Mission to 'Push and Innovate'". U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  19. ↑ "In 1961 a Plane Crash Killed the Entire U.S. Figure Skating Team". Time. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  20. 1 2 "Dorothy HAMILL". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
  21. ↑ "Synchronized Skating | U.S. Figure Skating". www.usfigureskating.org. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
  22. ↑ Tribune, Phil Hersh, Chicago. "COMPULSORY FIGURES SKATE INTO HISTORY". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  23. 1 2 "Kristi Yamaguchi | USOPMuseum". United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum. 2019-07-21. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
  24. 1 2 3 "Skater Nancy Kerrigan attacked". HISTORY. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  25. ↑ "Tonya Harding on landing her history-making triple axel: 'Everything about life after that point became confusing'". ABC News. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  26. ↑ Brodesser-Akner, Taffy (2018-01-10). "Tonya Harding Would Like Her Apology Now". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
  27. 1 2 "Tara LIPINSKI". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
  28. 1 2 3 "Michelle KWAN". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
  29. ↑ "Michelle Kwan : California Sports Hall of Fame". californiasportshalloffame.org. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
  30. ↑ Abad-Santos, Alex (2018-02-14). "Figure skating scoring explained for people who don't follow figure skating". Vox. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  31. ↑ Park, Madison (2018-02-12). "Mirai Nagasu leaps into history with Olympic triple axel". CNN. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  32. ↑ "Alysa Liu, 13, becomes youngest U.S. women's figure skating champion in history". USA TODAY. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  33. ↑ "Haydenettes Capture 28th Title to Close 2020 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships". U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  34. 1 2 "U.S. Figure Skating: From a Flooded Field in Cambridge to the Olympic Games". New England Historical Society. 2014-02-10. Retrieved 2021-10-01.
  35. 1 2 3 "Beatrix LOUGHRAN". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  36. 1 2 "Maribel VINSON". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  37. 1 2 "Colleen O'CONNOR". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  38. 1 2 "Karol KENNEDY". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  39. 1 2 "James GROGAN". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-10-01.
  40. 1 2 "Carol Heiss | USOPMuseum". United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum. 2019-07-20. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
  41. 1 2 "Hayes Allen JENKINS". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  42. 1 2 Goldstein, Richard (2000-02-17). "Ronnie Robertson, 62, a Skater Who Entertained With His Spins". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  43. 1 2 "David JENKINS". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  44. 1 2 "Barbara ROLES". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  45. 1 2 "Nancy LUDINGTON". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  46. 1 2 "Vivian Laureen JOSEPH". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  47. 1 2 "Scott ALLEN". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-10-01.
  48. ↑ "Peggy FLEMING". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
  49. ↑ "Debra THOMAS". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  50. ↑ "Brian BOITANO". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  51. 1 2 "Nancy KERRIGAN". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  52. ↑ "Sasha COHEN". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  53. ↑ "Tanith BELBIN". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  54. ↑ "Evan LYSACEK". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  55. 1 2 Wilner, Barry. "'Always be grateful': Metro Detroit's Meryl Davis, Charlie White enter Figure Skating Hall of Fame". The Detroit News. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
  56. ↑ "XXII Olympic Winter Games 2014". www.isuresults.com. Retrieved 2021-10-01.
  57. ↑ "Alex SHIBUTANI". Olympics.com. Retrieved 2021-10-01.
  58. ↑ Chappell, Bill (2018-02-12). "Nagasu And Rippon Wow Crowd As U.S. Figure Skating Team Wins Bronze". NPR. Retrieved 2021-10-01.
  59. 1 2 "2021-22 Figure Skating Roster". U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  60. ↑ "2020-21 Synchronized Skating Roster". U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone. Retrieved 2021-09-30.
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