Rachel Lutz

Haven Denney, Brandon Frazier mark another U.S. pair split

By Rachel LutzMar 25, 2020, 9:40 PM EDT

Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier, the 2017 U.S. pair champions, have announced the end of their partnership. The team was the 2013 world junior champions and grew up skating together: first on roller skates before making the transition to ice.

“Even though our competitive chapter as a pair is over, these memories we created together will last a lifetime,” Frazier posted in part on Facebook. “It was a privilege to be able to have the opportunity to skate with you [Denney] and learn life’s most important lessons through sport.”

Frazier plans to continue skating, while Denney said through U.S. Figure Skating that she wants to keep all of her options open:

“I support Brandon and his decision to continue competitive skating with another partner,” Denney said. “I want Brandon to be able to reach his goals and full potential and I will support him no matter what. I’m still trying to figure out what’s next for me. I want to keep all my options opened, whether it be competitive or professional skating. I want to thank all the coaches that have supported us throughout the years.”

Denney and Frazier had mixed results at nationals after winning in 2017. They finished fifth in 2018 but rebounded to capture the silver medal in 2019. And in January, ultimately the final U.S. Championships of their partnership, they finished fifth.

Three-time U.S. pair champions Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Chris Knierim, who are also married, ended their on-ice partnership after withdrawing after the short program at the Four Continents Championships in February. While Alexa said at the time she plans to find another on-ice partner and continue skating, Chris will stay off competitive ice, the pair said.

MORE: Nathan Chen, skating coaches react to cancellation of world figure skating championships

As a reminder, you can watch the events from the 2019-20 figure skating season live and on-demand with the ‘Figure Skating Pass’ on NBC Sports Gold. Go to NBCsports.com/gold/figure-skating to sign up for access to every ISU Grand Prix and championship event, as well as domestic U.S. Figure Skating events throughout the season. NBC Sports Gold gives subscribers an unprecedented level of access on more platforms and devices than ever before.

OlympicTalk is on Apple News. Favorite us!

Follow @rchlltz

Alysa Liu, after pulling an all-nighter at nationals, readies for world junior figure skating championships

By Rachel LutzMar 6, 2020, 7:07 AM EST

Getty Images

Alysa Liu stayed up until 7 a.m. the night after winning her second consecutive U.S. title in January. Not because she was celebrating – the 14-year-old had homework.

She stayed up until 4 a.m. the following night thinking her additional homework would be a breeze, but it was much more challenging than she expected. Unlike winning her second national title, she told media.

“It’s different because it’s my second time around at senior nationals,” Liu told NBCSports.com. “But still just as exciting.”

She finished algebra and biology before the championships, but there was one subject that she put off. For help staying awake through the nights, she chatted on the phone with a friend back home in California.

While in Greensboro, the Junior Grand Prix Final silver medalist spoke with members of the media about looking ahead to the junior world championships.

The event takes place this weekend in Tallinn, Estonia and will stream live on the ISU YouTube page. The women’s short program begins Friday at 3:45 a.m. ET, and the free skate is Saturday.

This conversation has been edited for clarity.

Why did you stay up so late?

Liu: My Chinese homework’s pretty hard. Each lesson consists of two to four essays that I have to write. Took a while. But the last one had two essays and two tests. I had a total of seven essays to write – in Chinese – and then I had to do four quizzes and four tests.

Is that normal for you?

Liu: I don’t think I’ve ever stayed up that … early, I guess. It’s not staying up late. It’s staying up early! I think I only stayed up until 2 a.m. before, on New Year’s.

What’s your favorite class?

Liu: I would say Chinese, but it’s so hard. I’m good at it. I’m OK at it. I used to be fluent in Chinese when I was younger – like really fluent. I keep opening my notebooks from first and second grade. I’m like, how did I get almost all of this? I can understand everything, basically, and speak it. My accent’s not good at all. I can read and write some, still working on that.

Then I stopped for five years. I did seven years of Chinese school, about, and then stopped for five years and I’m doing it again. I’m very slow at writing in Chinese. I’m like, wait, is that stroke supposed to be there? Nope.

So, it’s rusty but it’s coming back.

Liu: Some of my lessons and sessions I have to do, I have to do voice recordings. My teacher’s saying my pronunciation is good, and my dad [who is from China] is like, no, that’s not good at all![laughter]

Looking at junior worlds, you saw a lot of those skaters at the Junior Grand Prix Final. Are you taking any notes from that into this competition and, if so, what?

Liu: Yea, I guess. I really want to just focus on my programs. Try to do better than nationals at junior worlds … I don’t really think about the score, I just want to do a really good program.

Have you started thinking about music for next season? Since you now have kept the same short program for two seasons.

Liu: No, not yet, but I think soon though. … I really enjoy doing this short program. I’m not sick of it. It was actually my idea to keep it.

MORE: Rudy Galindo on second life in skating and working with Alysa Liu

OlympicTalk is on Apple News. Favorite us!

Follow @nbcolympictalk

Olympic figure skaters from 1980 plan reunion in Lake Placid

By Rachel LutzFeb 13, 2020, 8:54 AM EST

Getty Images

Members of figure skating’s “Dream Team” plan to return to the site of the 1980 Olympics for a reunion and celebration in Lake Placid, New York next Tuesday.

Scott Hamilton, the flag bearer at the 1980 Opening Ceremony, will be joined by silver medalist Linda Fratianne, bronze medalist Charles Tickner, Tai Babilonia, David Santee, Sandy Lenz Jackson, Caitlin Carruthers Conrad, Sheryl Franks and Michael Botticelli, Lisa-Marie Allen and Stacey Smith and John Summers.

Paul Wylie, a 1992 Olympic silver medalist, will moderate a press conference featuring the skaters.

“Usually everything is about the hockey team, but now this is about figure skating,” Wylie told NBC Sports. “It will be a really cool moment.”

The community is invited to take to the ice on Tuesday for a “Frozen 5K” skate-a-thon and signature fundraiser of the Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation. Hamilton, the 1984 Olympic gold medalist and cancer survivor, will also lace up his skates.

Reigning U.S. ice dance champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates, 2019 U.S. pairs’ champions Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc and 2011 U.S. champion Ryan Bradley will perform in a gala honoring the 1980 Olympic team.

On Thursday, the Olympic Museum will host the kickoff event with two new exhibits: “Totally 80 – Exploring the Look of the Games” and “Foretelling the Future – The National Weather Service at the Lake Placid Olympic Winter Games.”

Other events include a 1980s trivia night, athlete forums, meet-and-greet opportunities with 1994 Olympic speed skating champion Dan Jansen and a screening of Disney’s “Miracle.”

Lake Placid also hosted the Olympic Winter Games in 1932, but it is the 1980 iteration that lives prominently in the minds of Americans.

The U.S. men’s hockey team’s defeat of the Russians in the “Miracle on Ice” and Eric Heiden’s five speed skating gold medals are among the memorable highlights.

MORE: 10 takeaways from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships

OlympicTalk is on Apple News. Favorite us!

Follow @rchlltz