U.S. Men 2024-25 news & updates

[Firedancer]

I love Cam’s skating but he was terrible this fall and at worlds last year. And none of the other guys not named Ilia or Andrew were any better. I think it seen as a safer to go with the guy who skated better, including finishing 5th at the last worlds than taking a chance of Cam bombing again.

Jason has 2 months and I don’t think he will show up if he is not ready.

 

[zebobes]

I don’t think this proves nationals doesn’t matter. I think it proves the fall does. I think if the bronze medal had gone to a skater who didn’t show up to the GP completely unprepared and look the worst he’s ever looked, they would have taken that person. But Camden made the case for himself to be left off this team, honestly. He gave USFSA they keys to make this choice.

Interesting that Ashley so confidently gave wrong info tho.

I agree. I think the USFS is trying to get it through to the men that they need to be prepared next year, and they can use Jason in a way to get it through that these inconsistent men can't just rely on putting all their eggs in the basket of Nationals, they need to steadily build throughout the year like Andrew this year. If they directly assigned Camden to the team, this would take away pressure from the other men to prepare properly for next fall, as if Camden could make the team this way at the last minute, any of them would be able to do the same.

Really, Jason wouldn't have been all that hard to beat this year. All Camden had to do was be prepared enough to score in the high 70s in the short on the Grand Prix, but for whatever reason, he was not in a position to do even that. Camden should totally have the potential to outscore the current Jason, but it takes time and hard work.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

What are the rules if Jason were to skate the short program, qualify for the long, and then withdraw?

Oh that’s interesting but what would be the point? At that point just turn the triple axels into doubles if that is an issue.

 

[Karen-W]

Honestly, I won’t count Jason out for worlds. At this point, I think he probably wouldn’t show up if he wasn’t in decent shape even if there was no monitoring.

Neither Jason nor Camden is a great bet at this point, so it’s kind of a wash. Neither of them have proven to be in good shape this year, so you might as well take a guy with a history of coming through rather than a history of falling apart. And I say this as someone who actually does not root for Jason

I don’t think this proves nationals doesn’t matter. I think it proves the fall does. I think if the bronze medal had gone to a skater who didn’t show up to the GP completely unprepared and look the worst he’s ever looked, they would have taken that person. But Camden made the case for himself to be left off this team, honestly. He gave USFSA they keys to make this choice.

Interesting that Ashley so confidently gave wrong info tho.

Yeah, I think had Jacob or Tomoki catapulted themselves onto the podium - 4th or 3rd, they would have gotten a serious look, but the rest of the guys... They simply didn't deliver consistently through the fall to warrant consideration.

As it is, we may be looking at only 3 guys with 2 GP assignments right out of the gate next season (Ilia, Torgy & Jacob) unless Camden & Max skate like they did this weekend in Seoul in a few weeks.

 

[BittyBug]

Way to motivate your athletes, USFS. Work hard, show up prepared, skate well, and then get passed over for someone who couldn't even be bothered to compete because they were by their own admission "not prepared." It's terrible sportsmanship on their part.

 

[Allskate]

Oh that’s interesting but what would be the point? At that point just turn the triple axels into doubles if that is an issue.

I really am wondering if Jason is injured. If he is, then maybe he can construct and train for a short program. The long is a different story with more jumps and conditioning and training required. I'm not sure he wants to go out there and be a disaster in the long program at Worlds, especially if that might be the last major competition of his entire career.

 

[Karen-W]

I'm seriously beginning to wonder this myself. There is a certain logic to it.

What are the rules if Jason were to skate the short program, qualify for the long, and then withdraw?

Rules for what? I think he has to skate in the FS in order to have a placement that fulfills the criteria for the 3rd Olympic spot, but I'd need to review the wording more carefully to be certain.

Oh that’s interesting but what would be the point? At that point just turn the triple axels into doubles if that is an issue.

I think this would be the better option - if he can skate clean and make the FS with a 2A, then he can certainly put together a FS with just a 2A and at least ensure a placement, so that we have the 3rd spot locked up.

 

[ChillSkate]

On the one hand, I understand that Jason scores well internationally despite his lack of a quad.

On the other, I think Jason should have not petitioned - he did terribly in the Grand Prix, he went and skated in paid shows, and then had alleged equipment issues. He put USFS in a difficult position and I think it is unfair to his fellow competitors who showed up at Nationals and skated. It is a bad look for him.

 

[tangerine dream]

It's also entirely possible that USFS knows Jason is going to withdraw but named him to the team just bc they think it will sell some more tickets to worlds. Hell, maybe he never even petitioned in the first place and they are just using his name to sell tickets.

 

[Allskate]

Work hard, show up prepared, skate well, and then get passed over

Um, I don't exactly think this describes Camden this season. And we still don't know if Jason is going to go.

Rules for what? I think he has to skate in the FS in order to have a placement that fulfills the criteria for the 3rd Olympic spot, but I'd need to review the wording more carefully to be certain.

I meant rules for qualifying Olympic spots. You answered my question. Thanks!

 

[Rukia]

I agree. I think the USFS is trying to get it through to the men that they need to be prepared next year, and they can use Jason in a way to get it through that these inconsistent men can't just rely on putting all their eggs in the basket of Nationals, they need to steadily build throughout the year like Andrew this year. If they directly assigned Camden to the team, this would take away pressure from the other men to prepare properly for next fall, as if Camden could make the team this way at the last minute, any of them would be able to do.

This is a good point. It is does come across like "hey look, andrew got the results in the fall and got his spot now it's your turn" lol

 

[cailuj365]

Meh, after Torgy and Malinin, I don't really care who the US 3rd spot is. Jason could show up and be fantastic again, or it could be not good and maybe he realizes he should have a nice swan song with the US crowd, idk. If Camden ends up going, then hope he makes the most of his opportunity.

I'm more shocked that Fegan is 1st alternate to JW. I loooove Fegan, but over Elano who beat him for the Junior title? It was very close, but still.

 

[Allskate]

He put USFS in a difficult position and I think it is unfair to his fellow competitors who showed up at Nationals and skated. It is a bad look for him.

I doubt USFS is unhappy with him. I think the speculation that USFS has been pressuring Jason to stay in could even be correct.

 

[BittyBug]

Um, I don't exactly think this describes Camden this season.

I'm talking about Nationals. And it's not as if Brown lit up the Grand Prix circuit. Forget no quad, he has no 3A and no lutz (just a flutz). Whatever.

 

[Allskate]

And it's not as if Brown lit up the Grand Prix circuit.

And yet his short program scores were better than Camden's and he sure as heck has a better career body of work and reputation with international judges that he earned. Nobody made a case for themselves over the course of the season other than Ilia and Andrew. Nationals does not and should not count for everything.

 

[Lanie]

I doubt USFS is unhappy with him. I think the speculation that USFS has been pressuring Jason to stay in could even be correct.

I've heard enough from to think this is a very strong possibility.

I love Jason to pieces but he's not really made a case for himself this season so far. I do understand why they'd send him though, but if he is doing shows will he be prepared for Worlds? Will the equipment issues still continue to be a concern?

 

[Karen-W]

I meant rules for qualifying Olympic spots. You answered my question. Thanks!

Well, looking it over, here is the verbiage:

"NOCs, who through their ISU Members Nation, have obtained necessary points according to Rule 378, paragraph 2b) and c) will have the right for two (2) or three (3) entries, only if, in addition, they had two (2) or respectively three (3) Skaters/Pairs/Couples qualified for the Free Skating/Free Dance in the ISU World Championships 2025 (ISU Rule 400, paragraph 3)."

And from the ISU Rules & Regs -

"Twenty-four entries for Women and Men, sixteen entries for Pairs and nineteen entries for Ice Dance will be determined according to the classification outlined in paragraph 2 above. ISU Members who have earned the necessary points according to Rule 378, paragraph 3 will have the right for two or three entries if, in addition, they had two, respectively three Skaters/Pairs/Couples qualified for the Free Skating/Free Dance in the World Senior Championships immediately preceding the OWG. The remaining entries under this paragraph 3 will be attributed to the ISU Members with the best placed and qualified for the Free Skating/Free Dance Skaters at the World Senior Championships immediately preceding the OWG."

So, all Jason needs to do is make the FS with a strong SP and then he could withdraw like you suggest...

 

[tangerine dream]

And yet his short program scores were better than Camden's and he sure as heck has a better career body of work and reputation with international judges that he earned. Nobody made a case for themselves over the course of the season other than Ilia and Andrew. Nationals does not and should not count for everything.

Not just his short program scores...

Brown 218.75 SC
Brown 229.09 NHK

Pulkinen 193.60 GPdF
Pulkinen 195.18 Finlandia

 

[BittyBug]

Nationals does not and should not count for everything.

It should not, but it should count for something, and so should having actual Senior Men-level content.

 

[PRlady]

I’m cynical enough to think this is a chance for a big tearful goodbye in Boston in front of a home crowd to juice ratings (since ticket sales were strong even at godawful prices.) NBC wants storylines to interest folks in next year’s Olys.

I hereby volunteer to protect Amber, who’s been fragile in the past, from the NBC hype machine, especially if Isabeau is too injured to skate.

 

[her grace]

I'm more shocked that Fegan is 1st alternate to JW. I loooove Fegan, but over Elano who beat him for the Junior title? It was very close, but still.

Fegan’s more experienced internationally and has a higher world standing for start order. But then it’s hard to build your world standing when you’re barely sent anywhere. Sad for Elano.

 

[zebobes]

It should not, but it should count for something, and so should having actual Senior Men-level content.

Which is why Andrew is likely second ranked among the US men at this point, and why any of the US men could, if they had worked strategically, could have started out scoring Jason in the fall. Camden shouldn't give up, he should see that this is a great starting point to make the US Olympic team, if he gets all his ducks in a row. He HAS to skate well at 4CC. He HAS to skate decently on the GP, and do well at nationals.

 

[Allskate]

Not just his short program scores...

Brown 218.75 SC
Brown 229.09 NHK

Pulkinen 193.60 GPdF
Pulkinen 195.18 Finlandia

Yes, but realistically, after what Karen-W posted about the rules, it is the short program score that matters. This year, I definitely would not expect Jason to do as well as he has in the past at Worlds, and I think three spots will depend on Torgy doing well enough along with Ilia and the third person qualifying for the long program with a good enough short program.

 

[Karen-W]

It should not, but it should count for something, and so should having actual Senior Men-level content.

Sure, but apart from Torgy, the only guys in the Top 7 at Nats who managed to put out an 80+ point SP prior to Nats are Tomoki & Jacob. And Jimmy's the only one of the other three who outscored either of Jason's SP scores from the fall.

I don't like it anymore than you, but I understand the rationale here, the more I look at it. And, frankly, I'm more than a little fed up with these guys fart-a$$ing their way through the fall season and then showing up at Nats looking like they want a Worlds assignment. They're lucky they're getting a 4CCs assignment, and they should make the most of it and demonstrate they're capable of delivering consistently what they did this week at Nats. This story, with all of these guys, has gotten really old, season after season for 4 years now.

 

[peibeck]

I can’t wait for Dave’s podcast tomorrow, maybe I’ll watch that one to see all of his complaining

I'm stunned he hasn't already been ranting on Xitter.

 

[zebobes]

Sure, but apart from Torgy, the only guys in the Top 7 at Nats who managed to put out an 80+ point SP prior to Nats are Tomoki & Jacob. And Jimmy's the only one of the other three who outscored either of Jason's SP scores from the fall.

I don't like it anymore than you, but I understand the rationale here, the more I look at it. And, frankly, I'm more than a little fed up with these guys fart-a$$ing their way through the fall season and then showing up at Nats looking like they want a Worlds assignment. They're lucky they're getting a 4CCs assignment, and they should make the most of it and demonstrate they're capable of delivering consistently what they did this week at Nats. This story, with all of these guys, has gotten really old, season after season for 4 years now.

And thinking about it, even Jason's not-so-successful fall was him ramping up to prepare for the Olympic season. It was ugly, but he is trying to figure things out, and he has gotten a wakeup call and needs to figure out what he will do differently. The other men don't really seem to have any sort of strategy together, and are wasting their valuable opportunities to build a reputation.

 

[Allskate]

I hereby volunteer to protect Amber, who’s been fragile in the past, from the NBC hype machine, especially if Isabeau is too injured to skate.

Good luck with that. Who is going to protect Alysa? It wasn't pretty for her at the Olympics and it was so sad that she had such a negative attitude about skating when she retired. It's so nice to see her skating with so much happiness. I don't want that to change. I think the international judges will not be as kind to her at Worlds with the scoring and NBC is likely to set up unrealistic expectations.

 

[Karen-W]

I can’t wait for Dave’s podcast tomorrow, maybe I’ll watch that one to see all of his complaining

I'm stunned he hasn't already been ranting on Xitter.

Hahahah - nahhhhhh... He's going to spin this one as if he knew, all along, that the USFS was going to get their money's worth out of Jason, and let him have, as @PRlady theorizes, one last, great, glorious, home crowd skate in the SP.

I'm seeing this all now, his hands pressed over his heart, as he shrugs his shoulders in faux humility, his smile alternating between wide as can be and lips pursed together in deep appreciation for the lovefest from the fans, all while he blinks back his tears of returned love and affection for his fans.

 

[Vagabond]

U.S. Figure Skating Names Men's World, World Junior and Four Continents Team Selections | U.S. Figure Skating

www.usfigureskating.org

The teams were selected following the 2025 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.

2025 World Championships
Jason Brown*
Ilia Malinin
Andrew Torgashev

Alternate 1: Camden Pulkinen
Alternate 2: Maxim Naumov
Alternate 3: Jimmy Ma

I recently posted that I thought that skaters shouldn't compete more often than they wanted to but should be prepared for the consequences.

The consequence here should have been that Brown was not named to the team. Giving him an extra chance undercuts the value of Nationals, reeks of favoritism, and sets a terrible precedent.[/RANT]

 

[Theatregirl1122]

someone who couldn't even be bothered to compete because they were by their own admission "not prepared." It's terrible sportsmanship on their part.

You mean exactly what Camden did on the GP?