It’s not an ice storm but it is, in a way, a storm on ice!
The 2017 U.S. Figure Skating Championships have glided into town.
.@USFigureSkating women's early AM practice session @SilversteinEye Ctr in @CityOfIndepMO @joelkclive @KCLiveTV pic.twitter.com/i4kFrjJudi
— TJH (@THellhake) January 17, 2017
Early Tuesday morning, at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena, they were preparing for novice skaters to practice.
Meanwhile, the Sprint Center is also ready to be the coolest ice in America.
U.S. Figure Skating president Sam Auxier says this is an important step in the road to the Olympics, featuring names we know and names we don’t…yet.
For Olympic coach Tom Zakrajse, this is a homecoming. He skated here at nationals in 1985 and started his coaching career in St. Joseph, Missouri.
This time around, among his athletes, he has two championship-level skaters: Max Aaron (2013 U.S. champion) and Mirai Nagasu (2010 Olympian).
.@joelkclive is checking out @USFigureSkating competition @SilversteinEye Center in @CityOfIndepMO #USCHAMPS17 pic.twitter.com/pB8RiwWUW0
— TJH (@THellhake) January 17, 2017
One thing to watch for: Mirai may attempt a triple Axel in competition, a true rarity in women’s figure skating.
So, get ready for axels, lutzes and a few camels. Kansas City is the capitol of the ice skating world through January 22.
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Joel Nichols can be reached at joel.nichols@kclive.tv.
