The U.S. Figure Skating Championships bring people from all over the country to Kansas City. But figure skating already has a rich history here.
Olympians Ashley Wagner and Gracie Gold not only hold the last five U.S. titles between them, they also both spent time on Kansas City ice early in their careers.
"#KC, I'm coming back," Wagner posted on her Instagram this week. Her pictures show her wearing a ‘Kansas City Figure Skating Club’ jacket as a child.
Gold briefly took weekend classes from Randy Brilliantine.
“I can’t explain it, when they step on the ice you just know,” he said about her obvious talent.
“I taught the girl a double flip in five minutes,” he said. “I mean normally it takes months!”
Brilliantine said he coached many national and international competitors like Kansas City native and two time U.S. pairs champion John Coughlin. He skated with his partner in Thursday’s opening ceremony wearing Kansas City pride on their shirts.
Brilliantine also pointed to two-time bronze medalist Aren Nielsen and his own daughter Robin.
2011 U.S. champion Ryan Bradley calls St. Joseph, Missouri his hometown.
And at this year’s championships, Kristofer Ogren with the Kansas City Figure Skating Club placed second with his partner in novice pairs.
Wendy Melland from Kansas City spent this week giving back and volunteering as a judge. “I still feel every cross over, every arm movement,” she said. “I’m going through it as I’m watching them.”
“We want to make sure we get the right people on the podium to move on to the next level.”
Performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Kansas City will determine who represents the United States at the World Championships and all roads point to the 2018 Olympics.
You can watch who becomes national champions at the Sprint Center and on 41 Action News this weekend.
