Three U.S. women dug considerable holes in Thursday’s short program at the Four Continents Championships, a tune-up for next month’s world championships.
Mirai Nagasu was fifth, botching a triple loop landing. Mariah Bell was seventh, stepping out of a triple flip landing and failing to perform a triple-triple combination. Karen Chen, the surprise U.S. champion, was 12th, falling on a double loop.
“It was definitely a rough performance,” Chen said, according to U.S. Figure Skating. “I came here with higher expectations, and I was hoping I would be able to put out my best. Unfortunately that didn’t happen.”
Canada’s Gabrielle Daleman scored 68.25 points to lead countrywoman Kaetlyn Osmond by .04 going into the free skate Saturday at the 2018 Olympic venue in Gangneung, South Korea. Full results are here.
The U.S. standings are concerning not only because worlds are in six weeks, but also because worlds results determine the number of Olympic entries each nation gets.
For the U.S. to earn the maximum three women’s spots at the Olympics, its top two of three skaters at worlds must have placements that add up to no more than 13. Last year, the top U.S. women at worlds were second and fourth, adding up to six, comfortably under 13.
The Americans aren’t looking anywhere near that strong this season.
Nagasu isn’t on the worlds team. Chen and Bell are after finishing first and third at nationals in January. As is U.S. silver medalist Ashley Wagner, who is skipping Four Continents to prepare for worlds.
The field will be much stronger at worlds than at Four Continents, with Europeans joining the mix. Russia will send three medal contenders to worlds. Italian Carolina Kostner, the Olympic bronze medalist, will be there. Japan’s best skater, Satoko Miyahara, is out of Four Continents with a hip injury.
The short dance at Four Continents went to form, with Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir topping the field with 79.75 points. They were followed by Americans Maia and Alex Shibutani with 76.59 and Madison Chock and Evan Bates with 74.67.
Virtue and Moir have been the top couple this season after taking two seasons off following their silver medal in Sochi. The Shibutanis and Chock and Bates rank Nos. 3 and 4 in the world behind France’s Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron, who are not at Four Continents.
The pairs short produced a surprise with Canada’s two-time world champions Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford in third after Radford fell on a triple Lutz. They trail China’s Sui Wenjing and Han Cong by 6.44 points going into Saturday’s free skate.
The top U.S. pair was Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Christopher Knierim in sixth in their first competition of the season. They’ve been out due to her unspecified abdominal issue that lasted from April to November and required three surgeries.
“It wasn’t our biggest score, but it’s the best we’ve ever felt skating,” Scimeca Knierim said, according to U.S. Figure Skating. “Health-wise, I’m back at 100 percent, and I’m getting close to 100 percent strength-wise. I feel like my body is almost back to where it used to be, and I’m sure by the time worlds comes around, I’ll be there.”
MORE: Gracie Gold chooses new coaches
Follow @nzaccardi
