1997 U.S. Figure Skating Championships


The 1997 United States Figure Skating Championships were the United States Figure Skating Championships of the 1996–97 figure skating season. They were a national championship to determine the national champions of the United States.
Aside from determining the national champions, the event also served to help choose the U.S. team to the 1997 World Figure Skating Championships. The 1997 World Junior Figure Skating Championships had been held prior to the national championships and so the World Juniors team had been chosen at a World Juniors selection competition earlier in the year.
Skaters competed in five disciplines across three levels. The disciplines of the competition were men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, ice dancing, and compulsory figures. The levels of competition were Senior, Junior, and Novice. Medals were awarded in four colors: gold, silver, bronze, and pewter. In the figures event, the novice competitors skated one figure, and the juniors and seniors skated three.
The 1997 Championships took place between February 8 and February 16, 1997, in Nashville, Tennessee. The primary venue was the Nashville Arena and the secondary was the Nashville Municipal Auditorium.
Tara Lipinski was the youngest Ladies champion ever. She also performed the first triple loop-triple loop combo ever in her free skating.

Senior-level results

Senior men

Michael Weiss attempted to become the first American to land the quad toe loop and was initially believed to have been successful but three hours after the competition, U.S. Figure Skating ruled the jump had been two-footed and did not ratify it.
RankNameClubTFPSPFS
1Todd EldredgeDetroit SC1.511
2Michael WeissWashington FSC4.552
3Dan HollanderSt. Clair Shores FSC5.043
4Scott DavisBroadmoor SC5.534
5Damon AllenBroadmoor SC6.025
6Timothy GoebelWinterhurst FSC11.0106
7Michael ChackLos Angeles FSC11.597
8Jere MichaelLos Angeles FSC12.088
9Aren NielsenAtlanta FSC12.069
10Shepherd ClarkThe SC of Boston13.5710
11Derrick DelmoreWashington FSC17.01211
12Matthew KessingerInd/World Sk Acad FSC19.51312
13Philip DulebohnUniv of Delaware FSC19.51114
14John Baldwin Jr.Los Angeles FSC20.01413
15Brian BuetschFSC of Rockford23.51715
16Kevin DonovanChicago FSC24.01616
WDTrifun ZivanovicAll Year FSC15

Senior ladies

World Champion Michelle Kwan was the frontrunner but had a free skating where she fell twice and landed three clean triples. Lipinski won the title and became the youngest U.S. ladies' champion, ahead of Sonya Klopfer who won the title in 1951 at the age of 15.
RankNameClubTFPSPFS
1Tara LipinskiDetroit SC2.021
2Michelle KwanLos Angeles FSC3.513
3Nicole BobekLos Angeles FSC5.062
4Angela NikodinovAll Year FSC6.554
5Amber CorwinAll Year FSC7.045
6Tonia KwiatkowskiWinterhurst FSC7.536
7Karen KwanBoston University10.577
8Shelby LyonsBroadmoor SC12.088
9Lisa BellBroadmoor SC13.599
10Alizah AllenThe SC of New York15.01010
11Kyoko InaThe SC of New York17.51112
12Brittney McConnAtlanta FSC18.01411
13Erin SuttonDetroit SC20.01214
14Lindsey PageSt. Clair Shores FSC20.51513
15Serena PhillipsSt. Moritz ISC22.51316
16Kathaleen Kelly CutoneColonial FSC23.51715
17Amy D'EntremontColonial FSC25.01617
18Robyn PetroskeyBroadmoor SC27.01818
19Diane HalberLos Angeles FSC29.02019
20Jacqie TurnerArctic Blades FSC29.51920
WDSydne VogelBroadmoor SC

Senior pairs

Senior ice dancing

Junior-level results

Junior men

Junior ladies

Junior pairs

Junior ice dancing

Novice-level results

Novice men

Novice ladies

Novice pairs

Novice ice dancing

Figures results

Senior men

Senior ladies

Junior men

Junior ladies

Novice men

Novice ladies