2026 U.S. Nationals Senior Pairs Short Program

[Joan1940]

Ellie landed every single jump and throw in practice….

Unfortunately she never lays it when it counts. I so love Danny he is such a great partner & so hoping he can get to the Olympics as I think that will be the wind down of his career.

 

[Lamente Ariane]

To be honest I think it's fair. Their basics are a lot better than the others here. They also nationally and internationally get level 4s on stepseq, death spirals, spins.. That matters a lot in TES score. My favorite team is Mcbeath and Parkman but their leveled elements cost them second place.

I agree. I'll also say, while we're sharing unpopular opinions, I have frequently found Efimova/Mitrofanov a bit overscored. Their SP plays to their strengths, but the more "emotional" free skates they've been doing the last couple years I don't connect to at all.

In general I think the placements are fine here, I'd just have the actual numbers a bit different. Lots of room for shakeups in the free skate still.

 

[Moxiejan]

Has anyone been able to find the protocols?

 

[skylark]

Has anyone been able to find the protocols?

if you're still looking, here you go. It's labeled differently on p. 1

2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships

Event results for 2026 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships

ijs.usfigureskating.org

 

[Janice4th]

I am just happy that Ellie landed her throw jump. It wasn’t pretty, but it was landed.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I wish NBC would stop being allowed to cover figure skating. How awful. We get technical problems on Peacock to start off the senior events. The junior events were fairly decent with Ben and Gracie commentating. No score box but at least we got to see uninterrupted coverage. However, that's cuz they don't really care about juniors. I wish they would leave pairs alone, too. Why are they planning to break pairs into two groups for the free skate?! There are only 10 teams!!! And for goodness sake, when on earth will the camera people learn to stop cutting skaters off at the waist and zooming in on tight close-ups of their faces and the backs of heads as the programs start? We need to see skaters' entire bodies on the ice!

Now for the pairs sp judging. Sigh. I had hoped everyone would skate well and they nearly did. Kudos to Chelsea for going out there ill and skating so well. I thought she and Ryan deserved a bit higher score, more like 63+. Especially the judges robbed Flores/Wang of a deserved higher score. They skated brilliantly and should at least have received 65+ with how well they skated. Clearly, the judges were over-managing scores for these two teams.

Shin/ Nagy skated well. Nagy was forward on his jump landing, but overall a very nice job with a new sp choreographed by Tessa Virtue. USfigsk has been putting everything behind Shin/ Nagy, so when you have that much backing, support, and resources, you should show something. S/N look a lot better, and Audrey looks more comfortable but IMO they are still not connecting as well as other teams who have been together longer. But everyone knows by now that Shin/Nagy will continue to be favored to the max by USfigsk, especially when they skate clean.

McBeath/Parkman skated beautifully and were kept behind Shin/Nagy, which I expected, and also behind Val& Max, which I did not expect. All 3 teams skated well, so there's not a ton of difference, aside from V&M and McB/Park being together longer and showing more connection. This is great from Val, as she has tended to have trouble landing sbs jumps and throws. This is truly the first time I have seen V&M skate a clean program and get scored this high. Whenever the scores are bunched close together, by percentage points it's political. The sport is subjective and very political. McB/Park are seen as expendable because Daniil is not a U.S. citizen. One of Val/Max's coaches holds a top position with U.S. figure skating. And everyone knows Shin/Nagy are highly favored with U.S. fed having put them together, chosen their coaching team, and funneled a lot of resources into backing them.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I feel sad for Chan/ Howe. But I guess the lack of full training time leading into the season is showing. There's got to be added pressure when teams ahead of you skate clean and score high, too. Kudos to Alisa & Misha. Alisa grits it out on the jump rotations when she's determined in big moments. Obviously, the two best and most accomplished teams are Alisa/ Misha and Ellie/ Danny. Ellie looked good in the practices, but I guess pressure and nerves got the best of her in competition. Putting Ellie & Danny behind Shin/Nagy, but not behind other top clean performances was definitely a choice.

Honestly, Ellie/ Danny have superior elements, polish, and proven accomplishments, despite the fall on sbs jump and the touchdown and turnout on the throw. There's no way that Shin/ Nagy are a better team, not at this stage, even skating clean. But if K/O lost points to S/N, how come not to V&M and McB/Park? Plus, what about Flores/Wang, who skated so brilliantly, and should be at least in the 64 to 65 pt range? Politics and favoritism.

And NBC's wacky coverage, as we knew it would, stinks!

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Unfortunately she never lays it when it counts. I so love Danny he is such a great partner & so hoping he can get to the Olympics as I think that will be the wind down of his career.

Ellie often does not lay those landings when it counts. But to say she 'never lays it when it counts' is an exaggeration. K/O would not have medaled twice on the GP and been in contention for GPF if Ellie 'never lays landings when it counts.' K/O skated clean in the 2025 U.S. Nats sp, and they have skated clean to fairly clean performances internationally, with Ellie usually consistent on the sbs triple salchows in the sp. It has been the throws in competition that have given her the most trouble. She had seemed to begin figuring out the throw landings this season. And she did look good here in practices. Hopefully, Ellie will find a way to relax and stick her landings in the fp. The quality of K/O's other elements is far superior than most teams, honestly, both domestically and internationally.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I really like Katie Mcbeath. They would likely be in second were it not for the obvious mistake on a lift. You don't want to get a level 2 lift

If it wasn't a lift, they would have scrutinized something else to keep them down. Whatever.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Dang, does that kill Chan/Howe's chances at the Olympics? I love these two and it's sad to see this happen to them...

Depends on how well they might be able to pull something together for the fp, and also how well those ahead of them skate. Body of work is also considered for Olympic team selection.

That said, if Alisa/ Misha win but still don't have U.S. citizenship, and if K/O, S/N, and Val & Max skate better than C/H in the fp, C/H are less likely to have a chance for Olympics or Worlds, but 4CCs could be possible.

I am wondering if Alisa/Misha have been told they can get U.S. citizenship for Alisa if they win Nationals.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Also much improved from the start of the season, even more than Audrey and Balazs. Still think they should have taken the same path as their teammates, Naomi and Lachlan, but I can't complain about this skate.

Something was going on with Flores/Wang at the start of the season. I think Luke was dealing with some kind of hand injury. What do you mean by 'take the same path as their teammates'?

 

[ramurphy2005]

What do you mean by 'take the same path as their teammates'?

Competing JGP, but also doing some challengers and senior Bs.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

I remember when Spencer & Emily held the US pairs together after the previous big guns retired. Then everyone started over with new partners. They were the standard, and then injury took out Spencer and his Olympic hopes are dimming now unless others skate badly. Just hope they can do well enough to get one last shot to go out with dignity on their own terms.

It was Alexa and Brandon who were asked to hold the fort for U.S. pairs for 2022-23 season after Ash/ Timothy and Calalang/ Johnson had retired, (and Misha & Audrey Lu had split) post '22 Olympics and Worlds (the Worlds where Alexa/Brandon won gold). Emily & Spencer later said in an interview that he struggled with shoulder problems and she struggled with ankle problems. They both felt they might not make it through the 2022 - 2023 season, but took a chance and things went well for them despite their health concerns. They ended up placing 5th at Worlds in '23, Alexa & Brandon's last season; A&B settled for silver at Worlds that year.

After '23 Worlds, Spencer made the decision to get shoulder surgery, thus he & Em had to end up pulling out of fall '23 events as a result of him still rehabbing. Spencer & Emily won U.S. Nats sp in 2024, but then had to WD from the free skate. Alisa Efimova was waiting the required one year after having repped Germany. Daniil Parkman did not yet have his release. Chelsea/ Balazs were the hot, new team with a jaw-dropping triple twist and a sexy vibe. But alas, Chelsea struggled on jump and throw landings. The pressure to quickly excel seemed to make things worse for her over the course of that one season together.

K/O won '24 Nationals and U.S. fed had a brain freeze about who to send as the third team for Worlds, as Alisa/Misha, who placed second at Nats, could not go due to Alisa needing to wait out the mandatory one year. Val/Max were third at Nats, but had placed fourth in the fp. Chels & Balazs had placed around 5th in sp but third in the fp, and 4th overall. Stupidly, U.S. fed made Chels & Balazs do a public head-to-head skate against Emily & Spencer. A private monitoring session for Em & Spence to determine readiness, was all that was needed! What sense did a public skate-off make except to embarrass both teams?! Chels fell on everything. Spence & Em were sent to Worlds with K/O and Val/ Max as they rightly could have been without the need for a public skate-off.

Oh well, U.S. fed wanted Balazs to partner with new pairs skater, Audrey Shin, anyway. And they got their wish. I'm glad Chelsea came back this season with new partner, Ryan Bedard. They have paired well together.

Bottom line: Emily & Spencer have always been a nice-looking team, but they were never strong on jumps, and just a bit better on throws. Their physical issues have hampered their ability to fully reach their potential. The one successful season they had on the '22 GP and at '23 Worlds was a transitional season for pairs internationally with a lot of developing teams, no Russian teams, few Chinese teams, and opportunities opening up for Deanna/Max; the exciting new pair Hase/Volodin, continued over-hyping of Miura/Kihara, and Italian teams beginning to take advantage of their opportunities. While having a bit of luck and some promising success during 2022 - 23 season, Emily & Spence were trying to hold their own bodies together. It was Alexa & Brandon who tided things over for U.S. pairs when they came back as World champions for a final season.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Competing JGP, but also doing some challengers and senior Bs.

As already mentioned, Liv & Luke had a slow start to this season, due to some kind of injury setback. They were at John Nicks injured and they subsequently pulled out of an assigned senior B. But they did compete at '25 Skate America.

I think Liv/ Luke had contemplated turning senior after they had won silver at '24 junior Worlds. But they ended up remaining in juniors and competing at '24 JGP and '25 junior Worlds, after IMO being robbed of another U.S. Nats junior title at '25 U.S. Nats. Not every team's or individual athletes' paths will be the same.

I will be surprised if L&L are named to junior Worlds and end up going. I believe they have moved on from juniors. Perhaps they might return to junior Worlds, if assigned, just for another competitive opportunity. They appear to be healed and in better shape and spirits.

 

[moonvine]

Unfortunately she never lays it when it counts. I so love Danny he is such a great partner & so hoping he can get to the Olympics as I think that will be the wind down of his career.

I don’t think there is a chance they won’t go. They’re in 3rd, Katie and Danill aren’t eligible and neither are A&M. C/H gave zero reason for USFS to consider them being in 8th. We might see Val and Max or Shin/Nagy go. What a mess.

 

[moonvine]

Depends on how well they might be able to pull something together for the fp, and also how well those ahead of them skate. Body of work is also considered for Olympic team selection.

That said, if Alisa/ Misha win but still don't have U.S. citizenship, and if K/O, S/N, and Val & Max skate better than C/H in the fp, C/H are less likely to have a chance for Olympics or Worlds, but 4CCs could be possible.

I am wondering if Alisa/Misha have been told they can get U.S. citizenship for Alisa if they win Nationals.

She would have had to have it in December. Now is too late.
K/O are in 3rd and are fine. Even if they implode they have BOW.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

A few posters have mentioned that Katie lost levels on their lift. I looked at the performances again, and I see nothing wrong with Katie/ Daniil's lift. On the dismount, Katie's free leg did not go back right away in one smooth motion, but it was fine and not a disruption. As well, Katie/ Daniil had the most difficult throw jump of all the teams, landed beautifully.

Now, did the judges take off levels for Max having a slight touch down with his free foot on their sbs jumps? Did the judges take off levels for Val's heavy twist lift dismount where she got stuck in the ice and her free leg went back hesitantly in the same way that Katie's did on the lift that 'lost levels'? As well, as Ashley pointed out, Val & Max get a lot of height on their throw but lack distance. But I suppose everyone is so pleased and happy for Val finally being able to land jumps and throws with a bit of confidence, that the less than great execution doesn't matter.

To my eyes, Katie/ Daniil have better flow, glide and a more refined look, plus a more dynamic connection than Audrey & Balazs who are still working on their connection. The Moulin Rouge bells & whistles has helped them a bit, at least on the surface. But Val & Max, and Katie & Daniil both have greater connection; both the latter teams have been together longer. I'd love to see what Katie/ Daniil might be able to do if they received all the backing, resources, and help that USfigsk are giving to Audrey & Balazs.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

She would have had to have it in December. Now is too late.
K/O are in 3rd and are fine. Even if they implode they have BOW.

I don't know if the broadcast team knows what they are talking about. But they said during the sp warmup that Alisa needs it by the date of the team announcement, which is not matching what was said earlier about the December requirement. I don't think we know for sure whether or not something has been arranged or not until the planned dramatic 'team reveal.' U.S. fed has never done public reveals before in this manner.

 

[ramurphy2005]

A few posters have mentioned that Katie lost levels on their lift. I looked at the performances again, and I see nothing wrong with Katie/ Daniil's lift. On the dismount, Katie's free leg did not go back right away in one smooth motion, but it was fine and not a disruption.

As it happened, Jackie thought the lift went up too fast, and it had to come down too soon, so they missed some rotations which is what cost them the levels.

 

[Skater Boy]

Great job. Ok scores are a little generous. Danny and Ellie despite a mistake still look good to make the team. Remember the champ gets to go to the Olympics and there is a second spot. Unfortunately the US's best are not olympic eligible due to citizenship issues. They are hoping for a miracle but they are running out of time as the team is selected and announced on Sunday. The teams from second down are so close.