2026 U.S. Nationals - St. Louis!

[Karen-W]

I hope the skaters will know before the show. It would be terrible for the ones that don't get a spot on the team to get the info in a live show. This is about a dream they have been working for all their life. It's not some kind of silly casting show.

Given that it's only a 2 hour show & there are likely to be special presentations, remarks, etc, I'm operating under the assumption that the only skaters performing in the exhibition will be the ones who actually made the team.

 

[Debbie S]

I hope the skaters will know before the show. It would be terrible for the ones that don't get a spot on the team to get the info in a live show. This is about a dream they have been working for all their life. It's not some kind of silly casting show.

The Int'l Committee (or whatever the official name is) meets after the finals and finalizes the selections and then skaters get a text informing them they made the team (and I assume coaches and the other competitors are also notified). This is also how World team selection is done. Skaters and coaches know well in advance of USFS press releases.

 

[ice coverage]

Do we know for a fact that the Sunday event will involve an exhibition?

Emphasis added to blurb from St. Louis Sports Commission event page:

Sunday, Jan. 11

Session 9* – 1:00 P.M. – Making the Team presented by Xfinity
Witness the live reveal of the figure skaters selected to represent Team USA at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan. Enjoy inspiring, non-competitive programs that highlight each skater’s artistry, athleticism, and personality. This family-friendly event offers a unique chance to see all the 2026 U.S. champions on the ice as America’s first Olympic city gives the country’s top skaters a grand send-off to the Milan Games!

https://stlsports.org/special-event/2026-us-figure-skating-championships/schedule/​

As for the announcement aspect of Session 9, my sense is that USFS for this cycle is really, really, really going to try to avoid leaks before the Sunday show. (Whether USFS will be successful is a separate question.)
When the panel of figure skaters appeared at the Team USA Media Summit in Oct, the USFS vp of communications basically told journalists there that the Sunday show is the announcement to the public. (I'm paraphrasing, but that was the gist.)
AFAIK, no one asked point blank whether media would have embargoed access to Olympic selection news in advance, but the USFS person did not mention even any embargoed release, so my guess would be that it ain't happening?

Very different from 2022 Nashville, at which USFS officially had announced Olympic selection news for all disciplines (including men) before the gala.

 

[Karen-W]

Emphasis added to blurb from St. Louis Sports Commission event page:

Sunday, Jan. 11​

​

Session 9* – 1:00 P.M. – Making the Team presented by Xfinity​

Witness the live reveal of the figure skaters selected to represent Team USA at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan. Enjoy inspiring, non-competitive programs that highlight each skater’s artistry, athleticism, and personality. This family-friendly event offers a unique chance to see all the 2026 U.S. champions on the ice as America’s first Olympic city gives the country’s top skaters a grand send-off to the Milan Games!​

As for the announcement aspect of Session 9, my sense is that USFS for this cycle is really, really, really going to try to avoid leaks before the Sunday show. (Whether USFS will be successful is a separate question.)
When the panel of figure skaters appeared at the Team USA Media Summit in Oct, the USFS vp of communications basically told journalists there that the Sunday show is the announcement to the public. (I'm paraphrasing, but that was the gist.)
AFAIK, no one asked point blank whether media would have embargoed access to Olympic selection news in advance, but the USFS person did not mention even any embargoed release, so my guess would be that it ain't happening?

Very different from 2022 Nashville, at which USFS officially had announced Olympic selection news for all disciplines (including men) before the gala.

Well, then, I suppose we all need to pray for very clear results in each discipline that make the team selection obvious but for the formality of Sunday.

 

[tony]

The Int'l Committee (or whatever the official name is) meets after the finals and finalizes the selections and then skaters get a text informing them they made the team (and I assume coaches and the other competitors are also notified). This is also how World team selection is done. Skaters and coaches know well in advance of USFS press releases.

Exactly this. This is how I knew (and spoiled) Miner being left off the team in 2018 in favor of Rippon the night before it was ‘officially named’.

This happens quickly after events finish, likely within the hour. The skaters will know. The ‘announcement’ part is for the fans.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Everyone get your eyes and ears ready at the hotel bar Saturday night.

 

[Spikefan]

If you are headed to Centene Center be sure to pack a clear bag (not required at Enterprise).

Centene Community Ice Center

Bag Policy

• Clear plastic/vinyl tote bags no larger than 12” x 6” x 12” and/or small clutch bags (6” x 9”).
• Small clutch bags do not need to be clear.
• No other bags of any type will be allowed unless required for medical reasons. Any bags that do not meet venue guidelines must be returned to your vehicle.

 

[Karen-W]

You know, it is possible that they just have one Int'l Committee meeting, on Saturday evening, after all of the disciplines are done. If they do that, then the time where the information could leak out is reduced significantly.

 

[AnnM]

Everyone get your eyes and ears ready at the hotel bar Saturday night.

I still remember watching Emily Hughes ditching the banquet and rushing through the lobby next to the hotel bar when she found out Kwan was named to the team over her. So STL has a precedent for drama lol.

 

[peibeck]

Are we honestly expecting any surprises in the people who are going to get named? The only suspense seems to be the third guy.

Liu, Glenn, Levito for ladies

Chock/Bates, Car/Pon, Zingas/Kolesnik for dance

Kam/O'Shea and Chan/Howe (I'm assuming Efimova and Parkman didn't get citizenship) for pairs

Malanin, Brown and (only remaining mystery of which inconsistent guy is left standing)

 

[Rukia]

Are we honestly expecting any surprises in the people who are going to get named? The only suspense seems to be the third guy.

Liu, Glenn, Levito for ladies

Chock/Bates, Car/Pon, Zingas/Kolesnik for dance

Kam/O'Shea and Chan/Howe (I'm assuming Efimova and Parkman didn't get citizenship) for pairs

Malanin, Brown and (only remaining mystery of which inconsistent guy is left standing)

lol I was about to say the same thing like the only real question mark is man #3 other than that I feel like the teams are pretty set

 

[acraven]

You know, it is possible that they just have one Int'l Committee meeting, on Saturday evening, after all of the disciplines are done. If they do that, then the time where the information could leak out is reduced significantly.

I could be mistaken, but I have a vague recollection it's not the same group of people making up the "International Committee" for all four disciplines. In addition, sometimes there's quite a lot of discussion during those meetings. There are assignments to Four Continents, Junior Worlds and Worlds to consider in addition to the Olympic team. Trying to deal with all four disciplines at the same time could make for a very long meeting.

 

[Karen-W]

Are we honestly expecting any surprises in the people who are going to get named? The only suspense seems to be the third guy.

Liu, Glenn, Levito for ladies

Chock/Bates, Car/Pon, Zingas/Kolesnik for dance

Kam/O'Shea and Chan/Howe (I'm assuming Efimova and Parkman didn't get citizenship) for pairs

Malanin, Brown and (only remaining mystery of which inconsistent guy is left standing)

I don't trust the Int'l Committee to not find a way to justify putting ShiNagy on the team over ChanHowe, and I'm not sure I trust them to not find a way to screw CarPon either.

 

[Karen-W]

I could be mistaken, but I have a vague recollection it's not the same group of people making up the "International Committee" for all four disciplines. In addition, sometimes there's quite a lot of discussion during those meetings. There are assignments to Four Continents, Junior Worlds and Worlds to consider in addition to the Olympic team. Trying to deal with all four disciplines at the same time could make for a very long meeting.

I'm pretty sure you're correct about this. The Olympic selection doc references individual discipline sub-committees of the Int'l Committee. I have no idea if there is any overlap of membership on the various sub-committees - I would think that Justin Dillon probably is present for each meeting, but who knows?

 

[clairecloutier]

i don’t think things are as set in pairs or dance as it might appear … I won’t be surprised if we see some surprises, lol. P.S. and there is the Worlds team selection to consider as well.

 

[Rukia]

i don’t think things are as set in pairs or dance as it might appear … I won’t be surprised if we see some surprises, lol.

It should be set though like i need usfs to be so for real right now

 

[bobmcm]

There is a 7pm Gala for the Olympic skaters their families and donors, so it must be resolved before then.

 

[ice coverage]

Thursday night freebie for first 1000 fans thru turnstile for Men SP:

U.S. Nats gloves that also are St. Louis-themed
Source: St. Louis Sports Commission President Marc Schreiber
https://youtu.be/5ak6FvliW0M?si=5mhXFa1hoZWYqGfz&t=994 (25-minute video that is mostly about Nats)​

Examples of Winterfest programming:

Friday, January 9
At the Lodge:
4:00–5:00 pm | 1976 Figure Skating Team Panel, including Olympian Dorothy Hamill, moderated by Monique Coleman, Daytime Emmy–nominated host, award-winning actress, speaker, and adult figure skater
Free to attend, but space is limited

Saturday, January 10
At the Lodge:
12:00 - 12:45 pm | History of the Skate Blade and Boot with Bev Thurber
1:00 - 1:45 pm | Mabel Fairbanks Panel with US Figure Skating Hall of Famer Atoy Wilson, National Team Skater Starr Andrews, Ouida Robins, U.S. Figure Skating Official and Kendal Troutman, Founder of Thru Guidance and 24 Degrees of Color, moderated by Monique Coleman, Daytime Emmy–nominated host, award-winning actress, speaker, and adult figure skater
Free to attend, but space is limited

Sunday, January 11
At the Lodge:
10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Olympic Panel with Tenely [sic] Albright, Scott Hamilton, and Carol Heiss Jenkins, moderated by Monique Coleman, Daytime Emmy–nominated host, award-winning actress, speaker, and adult figure skater
Free to attend, but space is limited

https://www.archpark.org/events/winterfest#u.s-figure-skating-at-winterfest​

I'm pretty sure you're correct about this. The Olympic selection doc references individual discipline sub-committees of the Int'l Committee. I have no idea if there is any overlap of membership on the various sub-committees - I would think that Justin Dillon probably is present for each meeting, but who knows?

According to USFS published procedures, Justin Dillon is not a member of selection committee -- although maybe he would be present for selection meeting for each discipline.
And as you mentioned above, USFS published procedures say that one of the options is for selection committee to meet "at the conclusion of all of the Championships disciplines" (as opposed to the option of meetings at the conclusion of each individual discipline).

There is a 7pm Gala for the Olympic skaters their families and donors, so it must be resolved before then.

The 7 pm event is on Sunday, right?
Which would be after the announcement show on Sunday afternoon anyway.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Yeah I don’t think the second pair is a lock at all. I wouldn’t mind if there’s a surprise in dance as long as it’s not the Shibs.

 

[acraven]

Today's email from USFS includes anticipated door-opening times:

Enterprise Center

Tuesday Practice Session - 10:30 a.m.

• Session 1 - 7:45 a.m. for practice, 3:30 p.m. for ticket purchasers
• Session 2 - 6:30 p.m. for ticket purchasers
• Session 3 - 7:15 a.m. for practice, 3 p.m. for ticket purchasers
• Session 4 - 6:15 p.m. for ticket purchasers
• Session 5 - 7 a.m. for practice, 3 p.m. for ticket purchasers
• Session 6 - 5:20 p.m. for ticket purchasers
• Session 7 - 10:30 a.m. for practice, 1:30 p.m. for ticket purchasers
• Session 8 - 5 p.m. for ticket purchasers
• Session 9 - 12 p.m. for ticket purchasers (no practice)

Centene Community Ice Center

Doors will open approximately 60 minutes prior to the start of the first practice session

 

[Sylvia]

USFS' press release for Nationals (Jan. 2, 2026): https://usfigureskating.org/news/20...figure-skating-championships-in-st-louis.aspx

 

[peibeck]

Yeah I don’t think the second pair is a lock at all. I wouldn’t mind if there’s a surprise in dance as long as it’s not the Shibs.

Unless some miracle citizenship issues have been resolved, I don't see pairs any other way with the exception of Chan/Howe having a disastrous Nationals. When they replaced Shin/Nagy at SKAM I think the die was cast and set.

And after seeing Michael Parsons completely devastated in Nashville after the last Olympic trials, I would be thrilled if he and Caroline Green got the nod, but they've had an injury prone season and were the #3 team last year, and Zing/Kol have mightfully ascended. CarPon's programs are pretty lackluster this year, but I still think their worlds placement last season seals the deal for them.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

Unless some miracle citizenship issues have been resolved, I don't see pairs any other way with the exception of Chan/Howe having a disastrous Nationals. When they replaced Shin/Nagy at SKAM I think the die was cast and set.

Shin/Nagy won Golden Spin after that, though. I just feel like they’re still in the conversation considering how USFS has handled them in the past.

 

[peibeck]

...and there is the Worlds team selection to consider as well.

I could be mistaken but usually the Worlds team pretty closely mirrors the Olympic team, but post games alternate(s) get the nod if/when a skater or pair of skaters decides to "retire," or is too drained mentally and physically (i.e. too busy doing post games press tours) for another major comp on the heels of the Olympics which interrupts training.

Of course a third pair team will get named for Worlds.

 

[peibeck]

Shin/Nagy won Golden Spin after that, though. I just feel like they’re still in the conversation considering how USFS has handled them in the past.

Since we are again seated near each other in STL, I will pull @Karen-W 's voodoo doll pins out of you when I see you next.

 

[Karen-W]

Shin/Nagy won Golden Spin after that, though. I just feel like they’re still in the conversation considering how USFS has handled them in the past.

Yeah, well, they still biffed it hard at the Olympic Qualifying Event and it took them nearly 3 months to come up to a level of scoring that would have secured the 3rd spot. But, yes, I'm concerned they're still in the conversation because they've got the SCoNY backing them.

Since we are again seated near each other in STL, I will pull @Karen-W 's voodoo doll pins out of you when I see you next.

Oh, the voodoo doll pins aren't going into any FSUer.