# 1997 U.S. Figure Skating Championships

The 1997 U.S. Figure Skating 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. 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 (first), silver (second), bronze (third), and pewter (fourth). In the figures event, the novice competitors skated one figure, and the juniors and seniors skated three.
The event served to help choose the U.S. team to the 1997 World Championships. The 1997 World Junior Championships had been held prior to the national championships and so the World Junior Championships team had been chosen at a World Juniors selection competition earlier in the year.

## Senior results
### 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.
| Rank | Name | Club | TFP | SP | FS |
| 1 | Todd Eldredge | Detroit SC | 1.5 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Michael Weiss | Washington FSC | 4.5 | 5 | 2 |
| 3 | Dan Hollander | St. Clair Shores FSC | 5.0 | 4 | 3 |
| 4 | Scott Davis | Broadmoor SC | 5.5 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | Damon Allen | Broadmoor SC | 6.0 | 2 | 5 |
| 6 | Timothy Goebel | Winterhurst FSC | 11.0 | 10 | 6 |
| 7 | Michael Chack | Los Angeles FSC | 11.5 | 9 | 7 |
| 8 | Jere Michael | Los Angeles FSC | 12.0 | 8 | 8 |
| 9 | Aren Nielsen | Atlanta FSC | 12.0 | 6 | 9 |
| 10 | Shepherd Clark | The SC of Boston | 13.5 | 7 | 10 |
| 11 | Derrick Delmore | Washington FSC | 17.0 | 12 | 11 |
| 12 | Matthew Kessinger | Ind/World Sk Acad FSC | 19.5 | 13 | 12 |
| 13 | Philip Dulebohn | Univ of Delaware FSC | 19.5 | 11 | 14 |
| 14 | John Baldwin Jr. | Los Angeles FSC | 20.0 | 14 | 13 |
| 15 | Brian Buetsch | FSC of Rockford | 23.5 | 17 | 15 |
| 16 | Kevin Donovan | Chicago FSC | 24.0 | 16 | 16 |
| WD | Trifun Zivanovic | All Year FSC | | 15 | |

### 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. She also performed the first triple loop-triple loop combo ever in her free skating.
| Rank | Name | Club | TFP | SP | FS |
| 1 | Tara Lipinski | Detroit SC | 2.0 | 2 | 1 |
| 2 | Michelle Kwan | Los Angeles FSC | 3.5 | 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Nicole Bobek | Los Angeles FSC | 5.0 | 6 | 2 |
| 4 | Angela Nikodinov | All Year FSC | 6.5 | 5 | 4 |
| 5 | Amber Corwin | All Year FSC | 7.0 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | Tonia Kwiatkowski | Winterhurst FSC | 7.5 | 3 | 6 |
| 7 | Karen Kwan | Boston University | 10.5 | 7 | 7 |
| 8 | Shelby Lyons | Broadmoor SC | 12.0 | 8 | 8 |
| 9 | Lisa Bell | Broadmoor SC | 13.5 | 9 | 9 |
| 10 | Alizah Allen | The SC of New York | 15.0 | 10 | 10 |
| 11 | Kyoko Ina | The SC of New York | 17.5 | 11 | 12 |
| 12 | Brittney McConn | Atlanta FSC | 18.0 | 14 | 11 |
| 13 | Erin Sutton | Detroit SC | 20.0 | 12 | 14 |
| 14 | Lindsey Page | St. Clair Shores FSC | 20.5 | 15 | 13 |
| 15 | Serena Phillips | St. Moritz ISC | 22.5 | 13 | 16 |
| 16 | Kathaleen Kelly Cutone | Colonial FSC | 23.5 | 17 | 15 |
| 17 | Amy D'Entremont | Colonial FSC | 25.0 | 16 | 17 |
| 18 | Robyn Petroskey | Broadmoor SC | 27.0 | 18 | 18 |
| 19 | Diane Halber | Los Angeles FSC | 29.0 | 20 | 19 |
| 20 | Jacqie Turner | Arctic Blades FSC | 29.5 | 19 | 20 |
| WD | Sydne Vogel | Broadmoor SC | | | |

### Pairs

| Rank | Name | Club | TFP | SP | FS |
| 1 | Kyoko Ina / Jason Dungjen | The SC of New York | 1.5 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Jenni Meno / Todd Sand | Winterhurst FSC / Los Angeles FSC | 3.0 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Stephanie Stiegler / John Zimmerman | Los Angeles FSC / Birmingham FSC | 5.0 | 4 | 3 |
| 4 | Shelby Lyons / Brian Wells | Broadmoor SC | 5.5 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | Danielle Hartsell / Steve Hartsell | Detroit SC | 7.5 | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | Natalie Vlandis / Jered Guzman | Los Angeles FSC | 9.0 | 6 | 6 |
| 7 | Cheryl Marker / Todd Price | St. Paul FSC / Braemar-City of Lakes FSC | 10.5 | 7 | 7 |
| 8 | Naomi Grabow / Benjamin Oberman | Los Angeles FSC | 12.0 | 8 | 8 |
| 9 | Ingrid Goldberg / Jeffrey Tilley | Skaneateles FSC / Univ of Delaware FSC | 13.5 | 9 | 9 |
| 10 | Dawn Lynn Piepenbrink / Nicolas Castaneda | Arizona FSC / Peninsula FSC | 15.5 | 11 | 10 |
| 11 | Melanie Lambert / Frederick Palascak | Colonial FSC / SC of Boston | 17.0 | 12 | 11 |
| 12 | Erin Moorad / Richard Gillam | Los Angeles FSC | 17.0 | 10 | 12 |
| 13 | Amanda Magarian / John Frederiksen | Broadmoor SC | 19.5 | 13 | 13 |
| 14 | Ilana Goldfogel / Erik Schulz | Broadmoor SC | 21.5 | 15 | 14 |
| 15 | Jennifer Darst / Arthur Reid | Nashville FSC | 22.0 | 14 | 15 |

### Ice dancing

| Rank | Name | Club | TFP | CD1 | CD2 | OD | FD |
| 1 | Elizabeth Punsalan / Jerod Swallow | Detroit SC | 2.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Eve Chalom / Mathew Gates | Detroit SC | 4.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Kate Robinson / Peter Breen | Detroit SC / Broadmoor SC | 6.2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Amy Webster / Ron Kravette | SC of Boston | 8.6 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| 5 | Naomi Lang / Peter Tchernyshev | Detroit SC / SC of Lake Placid | 9.2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | Deborah Koegel / Oleg Fediukov | Charter Oak FSC / Colonial FSC | 12.0 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 7 | Tami Tyler / Jonathan Nichols | Palomares FSC / Univ of Delaware FSC | 14.6 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| 8 | Cheryl Demkowski / Greg Maddalone | Peninsula FSC / Univ of Delaware FSC | 15.6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 |
| 9 | Margot Contois / Robert Peal | Univ of Delaware FSC / Skokie Valley SC | 17.8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| 10 | Beata Handra / Charles Sinek | St. Moritz ISC | 20.4 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 |
| 11 | Julia Bikbova / James Swanson | Skokie Valley SC / Univ of Delaware FSC | 22.0 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
| 12 | Felita Yost Carr / Alexei Komarov | Los Angeles FSC / Babson FSC | 24.8 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 |
| 13 | Jayna Cronin / Kurt Dreger | Winter Club - Indianapolis / Univ of Delaware FSC | 25.8 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 14 |
| 14 | Dawn Ponte / Paul Frey | Los Angeles FSC / SC of Boston | 27.0 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 |

## Junior results
### Men

| Rank | Name | Club | TFP | SP | FS |
| 1 | Matt Savoie | Illinois Valley FSC | 1.5 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Justin Dillon | St. Moritz ISC | 4.0 | 4 | 2 |
| 3 | Michael Edgren | Tampa Bay SC | 6.0 | 2 | 5 |
| 4 | Kurt Fromknecht | Winterhurst FSC | 6.5 | 5 | 4 |
| 5 | Ryan Jahnke | St. Clair Shores FSC | 7.0 | 8 | 3 |
| 6 | Braden Overett | Denver FSC | 7.5 | 3 | 6 |
| 7 | Joshua Figurido | SC of Boston | 11.5 | 7 | 8 |
| 8 | Peter St. Germaine | Ind/World Sk Acad FS | 12.0 | 10 | 7 |
| 9 | Dwayne Parker | Gardens FSC of MD | 15.0 | 12 | 9 |
| 10 | Robert Brathwaite | All Year FSC | 15.0 | 6 | 12 |
| 11 | Jonathan Keen | Los Angeles FSC | 15.5 | 9 | 11 |
| 12 | James Yoo | Colorado SC | 17.0 | 14 | 10 |
| 13 | Everett Weiss | Los Angeles FSC | 19.5 | 13 | 13 |
| 14 | Robert Schupp | FSC of Erie | 19.5 | 11 | 14 |

### Ladies

| Rank | Name | Club | TFP | SP | FS |
| 1 | Andrea Gardiner | Houston FSC | 2.0 | 2 | 1 |
| 2 | Erin Pearl | SC of Maine | 2.5 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 | Morgan Rowe | Yarmouth Ice Club | 5.0 | 4 | 3 |
| 4 | J. J. Matthews | Anchorage FSC | 7.5 | 7 | 4 |
| 5 | Jenni Tew | Winterhurst FSC | 7.5 | 3 | 6 |
| 6 | Lindsey Weber | Detroit SC | 9.5 | 9 | 5 |
| 7 | Laura Handy | Univ of Delaware FSC | 11.0 | 8 | 7 |
| 8 | Cohen Duncan | Los Angeles FSC | 11.0 | 6 | 8 |
| 9 | Kristen Treni | Jamestown SC | 12.5 | 5 | 10 |
| 10 | Elizabeth O'Donnell | Los Angeles FSC | 15.5 | 13 | 9 |
| 11 | Sarah Call | FSC of Bloomington | 16.0 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | Mika Kadona | Los Angeles FSC | 18.0 | 12 | 12 |
| 13 | Alexandrea Shybut | Ind/World Sk Acad FSC | 19.5 | 11 | 13 |

### Pairs

| Rank | Name | Club | TFP | SP | FS |
| 1 | Tiffany Stiegler / Johnnie Stiegler | Los Angeles FSC | 2.0 | 2 | 1 |
| 2 | Katie Barnhart / Charles Bernard | Huntsville FSC | 2.5 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 | Tiffany Scott / Philip Dulebohn | Colonial FSC / Univ of Delaware FSC | 4.5 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Laura Handy / James Peterson | Univ of Delaware FSC / Lakewood Winter Club | 6.0 | 4 | 4 |
| 5 | Christina Connally / Arnold Myint | Nashville FSC | 9.0 | 8 | 5 |
| 6 | Rebecca Erb / Joel Vinson | St. Moritz ISC / Peninsula FSC | 9.5 | 7 | 6 |
| 7 | Lisa Weitzman / Marc Weitzman | Broadmoor SC / Cantiague FSC | 11.0 | 6 | 8 |
| 8 | Carissa Guild / Andrew Muldoon | Philadelphia SC & HS / Univ of Delaware FSC | 11.5 | 9 | 7 |
| 9 | Heather Allebach / Matthew Evers | Univ of Delaware FSC / Red River Valley FSC | 11.5 | 5 | 9 |
| 10 | Anne MacWilliams / Josiah Modes | Tampa Bay SC | 15.0 | 10 | 10 |
| 11 | Jessica Miller / Kevin Garrett | Queen City FSC / Utah FSC | 16.5 | 11 | 11 |
| 12 | Kelly Peterman / Matthew Stuart | St. Moritz ISC / Peninsula FSC | 19.0 | 14 | 12 |
| 13 | Alexis Nolte / John Gerth | Lakewood Winter Club / Nashville FSC | 19.0 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | Whitney Gaynor / David Delago | Peninsula FSC / St. Moritz ISC | 20.5 | 13 | 14 |

### Ice dancing

| Rank | Name | Club | TFP | CD1 | CD2 | OD | FD |
| 1 | Jessica Joseph / Charles Butler | Detroit SC | 2.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Kerrie O'Donnell / Brandon Forsyth | Colonial FSC | 4.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Jamie Silverstein / Justin Pekarek | Detroit SC | 6.0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Melissa Gregory / James Shuford | Broadmoor SC / Skokie Valley SC | 8.0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 5 | Crystal Beckerdite / Raphael Kelling | Palomares FSC / Broadmoor SC | 10.2 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | Susanna Stapleford / Vincent VanVliet | Univ of Delaware FSC | 12.8 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 7 | Elizabeth Philpot / Nicholas Hart | Dallas FSC | 15.0 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
| 8 | Cerise Henzes / Walter Lang, IV | SC of Boston / Los Angeles FSC | 16.8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 |
| 9 | Shannon Simon / Jason Simon | SC of Mt. Lebanon / Peninsula FSC | 16.8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | Tiffany Hyden / Jonathan Magalnick | Broadmoor SC / Arizona FSC | 20.2 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 |
| 11 | Jennifer Sejnowski / Richard Brown | Detroit SC | 23.2 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 |
| 12 | Alyssa Hicks / Edmund Hollis | Seattle SC | 24.8 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 |
| 13 | Tara Modlin / Dmitri Boundoiukin | Metropolitan FSC / SC of Lake Placid | 27.0 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
| WD | Mollie Klurfeld / Martin Sivorinovsky | Univ of Delaware FSC / Peninsula FSC | | 11 | 10 | 11 | |

## Novice results
### Men

| Rank | Name | TFP | SP | FS |
| 1 | Daniel Lee | 1.5 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Simeon Hanks | 4.0 | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | William Rasmussen | 6.0 | 6 | 3 |
| 4 | Amir Ganaba | 6.0 | 4 | 4 |
| 5 | Rohene Ward | 7.5 | 3 | 6 |
| 6 | Scott Smith | 7.5 | 7 | 5 |
| 7 | Ryan Bradley | 9.5 | 5 | 7 |
| 8 | Matthew Bohannan | 13.5 | 8 | 9 |
| 9 | Kirk Forbes | 14.0 | 12 | 8 |
| 10 | Jonathon Hunt | 14.5 | 9 | 10 |
| 11 | Joseph Walsh | 16.5 | 11 | 11 |
| 12 | C. Fitzhugh Middleton | 17.0 | 10 | 12 |

### Ladies

| Rank | Name | TFP | SP | FS |
| 1 | Naomi Nari Nam | 1.5 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Lisa Nesuda | 4.0 | 4 | 2 |
| 3 | Ann Patrice McDonough | 4.5 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Kimberly Kilby | 5.0 | 2 | 4 |
| 5 | Jennifer Markham | 9.0 | 6 | 6 |
| 6 | Stacey Pensgen | 9.5 | 9 | 5 |
| 7 | Jacqueline Hernandez | 10.5 | 7 | 7 |
| 8 | Lindsay Sherp | 10.5 | 5 | 8 |
| 9 | Abigail Gleeson | 14.0 | 10 | 9 |
| 10 | Adrienne Luoma | 16.0 | 12 | 10 |
| 11 | Jessica Stewart | 16.0 | 8 | 12 |
| 12 | April Hillel | 16.5 | 11 | 11 |

### Pairs

| Rank | Name | TFP | SP | FS |
| 1 | Stephanie Kalesavich / Amaan Archer | 1.5 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Jaisa-Summer MacAdam / Garrett Lucash | 4.0 | 4 | 2 |
| 3 | Megan Sierk / Dustin Sierk | 4.5 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Carey Floyd / David Tankersley | 5.0 | 2 | 4 |
| 5 | Lisa Bright / Jason Robertson | 7.5 | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | Emily Morgan / Justin Cogley | 9.0 | 6 | 6 |
| 7 | Bonnie Moen / James Bonnie | 10.5 | 7 | 7 |
| 8 | Jessica Waldstein / Everett Weiss | 12.0 | 8 | 8 |
| 9 | Amy Wiseley / L. Jason Heffron | 14.0 | 10 | 9 |
| 10 | Jessica Hunt / Jonathon Hunt | 15.5 | 9 | 11 |
| 11 | Julia Glovack / Patrick McCarthey | 16.0 | 12 | 10 |
| 12 | Sima Ganaba / Amir Ganaba | 17.5 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | Laura Munana / Luke Munana | 19.5 | 13 | 13 |

### Ice dancing

| Rank | Name | CD1 | CD2 | CD3 | FD |
| 1 | Jessica Valentine / Matthew Kossack | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Alison Mewman / Joshua Abrahams | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| 3 | Katy Hill / Benjamin Agosto | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Katherine Jorck / Matthew Healy | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 |
| 5 | Anna Berry / Christopher Hayes | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| 6 | Sarah Thebaud / Russell Thebaud | 6 | 5 | 7 | 6 |
| 7 | Megan Papier / Dirk Peterson | 7 | 9 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | Sarah Bickford / Owen Swift | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 |
| 9 | Kristyn Starr / Nick Traxler | 9 | 7 | 11 | 9 |
| 10 | Carrie O'Connor / Paul Kimzey | 10 | 12 | 12 | 10 |
| 11 | Sarah Alesafar / John Wagner | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | Michelle Orban / Brice Porter | 12 | 10 | 8 | 12 |

## Figures results
### Senior men

| Rank | Name | CF1 | CF2 | CF3 |
| 1 | Everett Weiss | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Robert Shmalo | 2 | 2 | 2 |

### Senior ladies

| Rank | Name | CF1 | CF2 | CF3 |
| 1 | Melanie Dupon | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | McKenzie Savidge | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 3 | Sarah Devereaux | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 4 | Brandy Biddle | 2 | 5 | 6 |
| 5 | Elizabeth Handley | 5 | 2 | 9 |
| 5 | Cassy Papajohn | 6 | 8 | 2 |
| 7 | Jaime Clark | 7 | 6 | 8 |
| 8 | Katy Jarvela | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| 9 | Heather Higgins | 11 | 9 | 5 |
| 10 | Lynne Petta | 12 | 11 | 10 |
| 10 | Jessica Rubin | 9 | 12 | 12 |
| 12 | Christine Maze | 13 | 10 | 11 |
| 13 | Susan Blaisdell | 10 | 13 | 13 |

### Junior men

| Rank | Name | CF1 | CF2 | CF3 |
| 1 | Scott Sarbacker | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 2 | Christopher Mattern | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 3 | Colin Bennett | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 4 | Scott Sheets | 3 | 4 | 3 |

### Junior ladies

| Rank | Name | CF1 | CF2 | CF3 |
| 1 | Cammi Bruns | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Emily Best | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| 3 | Jessica Vieth | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 4 | Heather Lee | 1 | 3 | 12 |
| 5 | Whitney Luke | 9 | 2 | 9 |
| 6 | Kelley Young | 7 | 8 | 6 |
| 7 | Josselyn Baumgartner | 14 | 6 | 3 |
| 7 | Jessica Koslow | 6 | 10 | 7 |
| 9 | Stephanie Schrag | 10 | 9 | 5 |
| 10 | Wendy Mangum | 8 | 7 | 10 |
| 11 | Erika Grigg | 11 | 11 | 8 |
| 12 | April Jackson | 5 | 12 | 14 |
| 13 | Nicole Buckles | 12 | 14 | 11 |
| 14 | Amy Thompson | 13 | 13 | 13 |

### Novice men

| Rank | Name |
| 1 | David Fisch |
| 2 | Dan Kuhn |
| 3 | Christopher Young |

### Novice ladies

| Rank | Name |
| 1 | Kharen Kloeffler |
| 2 | Lauren Hill |
| 3 | Kristin Griffitts |
| 4 | Alicia Towns |
| 5 | Danielle Piro |
| 6 | Lauren Rider |
| 7 | Megan O'Brien |
| 8 | Vinita Huddleston |
| 9 | Emily Brown |
| 10 | Jodi Hebenton |
| 11 | Kristen Scheu |
| 12 | Emily Bobel |