2001 U.S. Figure Skating Championships

Boston, Massachusettes

14 - 21 January, 2001

Daily Notes

Saturday, 20 January

The men's title was won this afternoon by Timothy Goebel and the ladies title by Michelle Kwan in the evening. Both skaters are coached by Frank Carroll. The last coach to achieve this record was Richard Callaghan in 1995.

The World Team members in the men's and ladies events were chosen following the events. Two places were available for the men and three for the ladies. Timothy Goebel and Todd Eldredge will represent the U.S. at Worlds this year. Eldredge, Matthew Savoie and Michael Weiss will the U.S.'s entries at the Four Continents Championships, while Johnny Weir, Ryan Bradley and Parker Pennington were named to the World Junior Team.

In the ladies event Michelle Kwan, Sarah Hughes and Angela Nikodinov were chosen to represent the U.S. at Worlds and the Four Continents Championships. Accoeding to a knowledgable source, however, Kwan will skip 4C to concentrate on the Grand Prix final and Hughes is likely to do the same. If that proves the case then Jennifer Kirk and Amber Corwin would appear at 4C in their place.

Friday, 19 January

The World Team members in pairs were chosen following the pairs final. Kyoko Ina & John Zimmerman and Tiffany Scott & Philip Dulebohn will represent the U.S. in Vancouver. They will be joined by Steve and Danielle Hartsell at the Four Continents Championships. Deborah Blinder & Jeremy Allen and Kristen Roth & Michael McPherson will represent the U.S. at the World Junior Championships next month.

Thursday, 18 January

Peter Tchernyshev announced he will be sworn in as a U.S. citizen in Detroit on January 29, 2001. Once he becomes a citizen he will be eligible to represent the U.S. at the Olympic Games.

Sasha Cohen appeared at a press conference to discuss the injury that caused her to withdraw from the championships. Hear her description of the injury and her decision to withdraw from the competition. sasha.mp3

With the completion of the Dance event today, the Four Continents and World Teams were named. Representing the U.S. at Worlds will be Naomi Lang & Peter Tchernyshev and Tanith Belbin & Benjamin Agosto. They will be joined by Jessica Joseph & Brandon Forsyth at the Four Continents Championships. Belbin & Agosto have a busy two months ahead of them as they are now scheduled to compete at the Four Continents Championships in early February, the World Junior Championships at the end of February, and the World Championships at the end of March.

Wednesday, 17 January

When Sasha Cohen arrived here earlier in the week it was unclear whether she would actually compete. Cohen had been determined to compete despite a back injury while her coach Jon Nicks had favored her withdrawing. This evening at approximately 9:15 PM (EST) Mr. Nicks informed Lucy Brennan, Chief Referee of the U.S. Championships that Cohen has withdrawn from the Championships. Cohen was the 2000 U.S. silver medalist.

Tuesday, 16 January

Naomi Nari Nam, runner-up to Michelle Kwan for the 1999 US women's title, has withdrawn from this year's event, the USFSA announced Tuesday. Due to a hip injury last fall, Nam has not skated all season, pulling out of her Grand Prix assignments and pro-am events. Her coach, John Nicks, said in December that she was "only fifty-fifty" but had been more optimistic recently saying she was getting her jumps back. Nam's withdrawal follows the withdrawal of another senior woman, Deanna Stellato, the world junior silver medal winner, who has a hip flexor problem. After the release of the USFSA's announcement, the AP reported that Nam had reinjured her hip yesterday and had withdrawn for that reason.

Injured pair skater Steve Hartsell was taken to a hospital in Boston after hitting his head in a fall while lifting his sister Danielle in practice Tuesday at the Fleet Center. The fall resulted in blood on the ice and Hartsell received 12 stitches in his scalp above and to the rear of his left ear. Danielle Hartsell said she was "a little shook up particularly because it's my brother but I think it's going to be okay. He's got a very big headache but no concussion." According to coach Johnny Johns, the doctor has given him clearance to compete. Steve was back at his hotel this evening sporting a large gauze bandage. Senior pairs short is scheduled for Wednesday. The Hartsells won the 1999 U.S. pair championships but were unable to defend their title in 2000 after she had surgery to correct a bad knee injury which put her on crutches for over a month.

Dancer Oleg Fediukov injured his left knee and pulled a muscle falling in the first compulsory dance of the senior dance event this evening. Fediukov and partner Debbie Koegel did not skate the second dance and withdrew from the competition.

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