If you’re not hugely excited, jumping for joy, and making your carpool plans in advance of the US Figure Skating Championships happening in Wichita, KS at INTRUST Bank Arena from January 20-26, you’re doing it wrong. This is a big deal. Huge. Monumental.
Here are a few reasons why you should buy your tickets now (and then spend the last three weekends before Championships bedazzling your scarves and gloves and catching up on this season’s podcast episodes of The Runthrough, hosted by Olympic medalists Ashley Wagner and Adam Rippon).
Reason 1: In three of the four disciplines, US skaters are top placeholders in the world.
In mens, the front-runner is Ilia Malinin. You might have seen him on your social media accounts at @quadg0d. His moniker is apt: at the Grand Prix Finals in Grenoble, France, Malinin attempted all seven jumps as quads during his free skate. That is a feat never before seen. Ever. He’s the first skater in the history of skating to land a quadruple axel (that’s four and a half rotations!), and now he’s got people talking about how he’s practicing quints. As in five rotations in the air. On blades less than 5 millimeters thick. Landing them on a sheet of ice. For your enjoyment (as well as the chance to remain undefeated this season and three-peat his gold medal performance at US Men’s Figure Skating Championships in 2022-2023).
Amber Glenn is the one to watch in the women’s discipline; like Malinin, Glenn is undefeated this season, and like Malinin, she is the top jumper in her field (one of the few US Women to land the Triple Axel since Tonya Harding). She’s competed against a stacked line-up of the world’s top Japanese skaters and come out on top in every competition this season. For those not knee-deep in the sport, this is a big deal, as the Japanese women have claimed the top spots in the discipline for years. And Amber Glenn is an underdog who’s finally come into her own; her emoting on the ice and in the Kiss-and-Cry are worth the cost of admission. She’s a joy to watch. Like, for real. She visited Wichita at Pride in the Park in June 2024 and hosted some skating activities with VisitWichita, and fans (READ: me) loved seeing her. It’s clear Glenn has a love for the sport; and her fans, GlennHeads, love her back. Also of note is Alysa Liu; she took two years off from the sport, and now she’s back and looking more mature on her skates. Her music choice for her short program, “Promise,” by Laufey, is exquisite.
For those who love absolute precision and routines that require perfection, Ice Dance is the discipline. You won’t see big, overhead lifts or throws (that’s Pairs), but you will see a mix of formal and funky costumes, turns and twizzles matched flawlessly, some of the best footwork, and unmatched musical interpretation. The theme this year for the Rhythm Dance is Social Dance of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Yes, that’s quite a wide “theme,” but it also means you’ll get routines to doo wop and disco, and these teams skate with an exactness that is truly impressive. At the top of the list is pair Madison Chock and Evan Bates; these two rival America’s sweethearts Meryl Davis and Charlie White (from 2009-2014), and they’re on their way to gaining as many medals. Behind them is a crop of young Ice Dance teams, and the field really is wide open; it’s almost as vast as the music selections.
I’m not giving short-shrift to the Pairs teams, but beyond Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea, most of the teams are quite young, so it’s really anyone’s opportunity to win (or at least come in second behind Kam and O’Shea). Here’s the thing about the Pairs discipline: big chances for big, bold, thrilling throws, lifts, and side-by-side jumps and spins, but doing any of those singularly is hard enough, and adding a synchronization also leaves room for what might look like less-impressive skating. Don’t get me wrong; what they do is amazing, and even a failed attempt at a Throw Triple Loop is impressive to see. (Now, imagine seeing it live, with the sound of blades on ice, followed by the roar of the crowd. Yeah, you should get your tickets.)
Reason 2: Spectacle! Spectacle! Spectacle!
Y’all, this is a big year for figure skating. Seriously. Not only because the front-runners in three of the four disciplines are US skaters, but because it is the year leading-up to the 2026 Olympics in Milano-Cortina. This is the chance for figure skaters to make their claim that they’re the best option for the Olympic Selection Committee. These skaters are gonna be working their hardest, doing their damndest to make the case for a chance to be on that roster. We won’t know how many skaters get to compete at the Olympics in any given discipline until after the ISU World Championships in Boston, MA in March, but it’s a big, big deal to medal at the US Championships prior to the Olympics. It *almost* always guarantees you a spot on the roster (I could go on, but only my front door and I care about my thoughts on the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic roster).
Olympic selection notwithstanding, figure skating is the perfect sport for spectacle. We’re talking bejeweled costumes, polished boots and blades, big jumps (see: Ilia Malinin and Amber Glenn), and even bigger chances for the lesser-known skaters to become break-out stars. And don’t get me started on the plushies that will get thrown onto the ice! That’s a show in-and-of itself. Watching spectators shower their favorite skaters (after they do their thing) with flowers, stuffed animals, and loads of cheering is its own kind of joy. And that could be YOU throwing the plushie! If you’re close enough, you might even get a first-hand view of the Kiss-and-Cry, the little couch they all sit on to see their scores roll in. Talk about a chance for some spectacle!
Reason 3: Figure Skating Royalty will be here.
Beyond the skaters who are busting their butts on the ice, you’ll probably get a chance to glimpse some Figure Skating Royalty, the likes of Brian Boitano, Johnny Weir, Tara Lipinsky, Ashley Wagner, and Adam Rippon. You know Tara and Johnny from their Olympic coverage (Johnny’s sky-high hair and their shared bling-y headphones and mics). You might also know Johnny Weir from his recent stint on the reality television show Surreal Life and as a judge on the roller-skating competition show, Roller Jam. The who’s-who of the sport show up for US Championships.
Boitano is even hosting Boitano’s Lounge, and if you’ve got the means to purchase those tickets, I’m offering myself as your plus-one. He’s promised to have special guests (even more Figure Skating Royalty?) at each of the five sessions, and there will be drinks and hors d’oeuvres available. When else would you have a chance to bump elbows with Olympic, World, and National champions? And in Wichita, KS? Sounds like you should get tickets for Boitano’s Lounge (and one for me) now, too!
How to get the most out of your figure skating viewing:
If you want to see big, big jumps (the kind that will probably make history), you’ll want to make sure you see the Men’s Free Skate. It’s on Sunday, January 26. The programs are longer, coming in at just over four minutes, but they’re required to do seven jumps in each program.
If you want to see more skaters, try prioritizing the short programs. These programs are just over two minutes each, so you’ll get to see a swath of skaters in rapid succession. Women’s, Ice Dance, and Pairs short programs are on Thursday and Friday, January 23-24.
If you’ve only got time for one day, pick Saturday, January 25. The competition goes from 9:58 am to 8:52 pm according to the US Figure Skating’s Schedule. It’ll be a long day, but you’ll see three of the four disciplines; this will absolutely be the most immersive opportunity to get your figure skating fix.
This piece originally appeared in The Shout, a Kansas-based arts and culture publication. Click here to read more from The Shout.
shelly. walston. writes. 