A similar opportunity will present itself next month, when the U.S. Figure Skating Championships come to Savvis Center on Jan. 8-15.
While the national championship technically doesn't serve as the Olympic trials, it is the most important factor in determining the team. The winners of each senior-level event -- ladies, men, pairs, dance -- automatically qualify for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.
Still, nationals is the most important criteria for selection. Almost always, additional spots are filled based on the order of finish at nationals, so odds are that the second- and third-place finishers also will earn Olympic berths.
But performances from other competitions also are considered, in this order: 2005 Grand Prix final, 2005 world championships, 2005 Four Continents championships, 2005 world junior championships and the 2005 junior Grand Prix final.
Skaters who do not compete at nationals because they are sick or injured can be considered for selection based on the other criteria. So, say, nine-time U.S. champion and two-time Olympic medalist Michelle Kwan, who hasn't competed this season because of a hip injury, theoretically could be too injured to compete at nationals, yet she still could be named to the Olympic team.
So far this season, most of the top contenders have competed in one or two events in the Grand Prix, a series of six competitions in six countries that enables skaters to present their programs in front of international judges. That's particularly important in any Olympic season, but it's especially important now as skaters adjust to the demands of the complicated new judging system. The sixth Grand Prix event, NHK Trophy, is being held this weekend in Japan. Skaters earn points based on their finishes in each event, and the top six in the standings will compete later this month in the Grand Prix final.
All of which, for Americans, is essentially a warm-up for the competition at Savvis.
"I can definitely do much better than I did today," two-time U.S. champion Johnny Weir said after finishing third in the Grand Prix event in Paris. "But as I have been told, it's kind of good to start a little bit slowly in the Olympic season so you can have more power in the end."
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Ticket information
Seats are still available for all price levels at all sessions: the novice events at Family Arena in St. Charles, the junior events at Family Arena and Savvis Center, the senior events at Savvis and the exhibition at Savvis. For information, visit www.stlouis2006.com or visit any Ticketmaster location.
