Ladies Champion Ashley Wagner

Mariah Bell Celebrates Free Skate Win

Dance Event - The ice dance competition at Skate America was not very well attended, although ice dance has been the most successful category in U.S. figure skating for years. Especially in the free dance, many teams try to imitate the trend setters and two time world champions Gabriella Papadakis & Guillaume Cizeron from France. Perhaps the programs are too similar to fascinate a big crowd. The level of the competition was nevertheless high, no weak team skated at Skate America and nobody made any serious mistakes or even fell.

Men's Events -The men’s competition, especially the free program, was the highlight of Skate America 2016. The competition had a high level with at least five skaters performing world class programs.

Men's Champion Shoma Uno

Ladies Event - World silver medalist Ashley Wagner confirmed her role as the favorite and won the competition with 196.44 points and without serious mistakes. In the short program, she was already in the lead after performing an almost clean program to the disco evergreen "Sweet Dreams“ by Annie Lennox. She really looked like a dancing queen and therefore her components had an average of 8.7

Pairs Event - The pairs event at Skate America 2016 did not have a top level because only the top two teams skated almost without mistakes and even the winners had less than 200 points. Julianne Séguin & Charlie Bilodeau from Chambly in Quebec, eighth at the World Championships 2015, but injured during Worlds in Boston 2016, won their first Grand Prix competition with 197.31 points.

Skate America Preview - Two years ago Skate America took place in the Sears Arena in Hoffman Estates, a town which is situated about 35 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. It was so successful that U.S. Figure Skating decided in May 2016 to go there again this year. Especially hundreds of children and teenagers from several big skating clubs in the Chicago area are invited to come again. In 2014, the official (Hilton) hotel was 30 to 45 minutes away from the rink by bus and near the Chicago O’Hare airport. Hilton no longer being the title sponsor now, the skaters and officials are in a hotel only one mile from the rink.

Shibutanis Lead 2016 Progressive Skate America U.S. Dance Contingent - The dance competition is expected to be a main event at the 2016 Progressive Skate America this week in considering the entries on the roster, particularly those who will be representing the U.S.

The Team USA dance roster at this year’s Skate America, to be held September 21^st through 23^rd at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, is impressive, as it features such contenders as Maia and Alex Shibutani, the 2016 World silver medalists, 2011 World bronze medalists and reigning U.S. champions, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue, the three-time U.S. bronze medalists and Elliana Pogrebinsky and Alex Benoit, who are two-time U.S. junior bronze medalists.

U.S. Ladies and Men Set Sights on 2016 Skate America -This week, a handful of the U.S.’s top singles skaters will kick of their international competitive season at the 2016 Progressive Skate America, to be held October 21^st to the 23^rd at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, a Chicago suburb.  According to the U.S. contenders, this is an event they’re looking forward to, as it represents the first of six International Skating Union Grand Prix events that culminate with a final showdown in Marseille, France, in December.

2016 Skate America Gold Medalists