by Anne Calder | Images by Daphne Backman
The 2026 U.S. Determine Skating Championships have been held within the larger St. Louis, MO space from January 4-11. The principle occasion, which included the choice of the 2026 Olympic Group was held on the downtown Enterprise Centre. The qualifying novice and junior groups competed on the Maryland Heights suburb Centene Group Ice Heart from January 4-6.
The 5 highest scoring novice groups on the Ice Dance Ultimate certified to compete on the Nationwide occasion. The Starlight Waltz and Quickstep patterns have been skated on Monday, adopted by the free dance the subsequent day.
Rylen Lukanin & Patrick O’Brien positioned first in each Novice Sample Dances, whereas incomes an ideal complete six of six ‘Y’ (YES) constructive key level marks. The NJ educated staff topped the primary day chief board with a 54.92 rating. They have been adopted by Sophia Kartashov & Nicholas Kartashov (49.10), Natalie Leitan & Nathan Leitan (45.28), Katherine Li & James Zhu (44.20), Anna Waugh & Matthew Jacoby (38.23).
The Novice Free Dance scores: Katherine Li & James Zhu (69.53), Rylen Lukanin (64.72), Sophia Kartashov & Nicholas Kartashov (60.22), Natalie Leitan & Nathan Leitan (59.51), Anna Waugh & Matthew Jacoby (50.44)
The 2026 Novice podium: Rylen Lukanin & Patrick O’Brien (gold), Katherine Li & James Zhu (silver), Sophia Kartashov & Nicholas Kartashov (bronze), Natalie Leitan & Nathan Leitan (pewter).
IDC spoke with the groups after the Free Dance:
Rylen Lukanin and Patrick O’Brien have been very pleased about their skate and are excited for subsequent season.
“I’m very happy with how we skated all through all the yr and pleased the arduous work paid off,” O’Brien stated.
Katherine Li & James Zhu, “We’re pleased. We tried our greatest. We all know we are able to push more durable and do higher.”
Coach McManus added, “I preserve reminding them they’re 11 and 14 years outdated. That is a couple of marathon. It’s not a couple of dash.”
Sophia Kartashov & Nicholas Kartashov thought they dealt with the nerves good and did a finest efficiency.
Sophia: “I used to be half nervous attempting to do my finest and half excited to indicate what I received.”
Nicholas: “I used to be principally excited as a result of that is just the start. It’s only a studying stage. That is all a brand new expertise, so I went on the market giving it my all.”
Natalie Leitan & Nathan Leitan overcame earlier points and have been very happy with their skate.
Natalie: “I’ve been battling my twizzles for a really very long time. Generally it really works. It’s very inconsistent. I’m glad we did this competitors as a result of at present it was very constant.”
Nathan: “Usually on the rotation elevate I’m sort of speeding as a result of my music is sort of over. This time I used to be listening. We did a correct exit. We made a pleasant bow out. I’m happy with it.”
Anna Waugh & Matthew Jacoby shared their ideas.
Anna: “It’s been one among my desires to be at Nationals. We’ve been skating collectively for under seven months, so it’s an superb alternative to be right here.I t was enjoyable. I’m pleased we did actually nice this season after which got here right here.”
Matthew: The free dance was just a little robust, however I believed the patterns have been fairly good. I’m simply so pleased to be right here. It’s such an honor.”
Novice Ice Chips:
The inaugural Bolero Cup was held in Sheffield, GBR, September 5-6, 2025. The U.S. Superior Novice groups included Katherine Li and James Zhu and Rylen Lukanin and Patrick O’Brien.
Katherine Li: “It was a tremendous expertise for us because it was our very first worldwide occasion representing Group USA. We have been so proud to obtain the gold medal from legendary determine skating champions Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean for which the competitions was named to honor their 1984 Olympic efficiency.”
Patrick O’Brien: “It was my first time ever visiting Nice Britain, so every part felt new and thrilling. One of many coolest components was getting to satisfy Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean in particular person. I felt proud and honored to be chosen to signify the U.S. on the first-ever Bolero Cup. It was an expertise I’ll always remember.”
Natalie Leitan and Nathan Leitan earned the gold medal at their first Worldwide occasion, the Santa Claus Cup in Budapest, HUN, November 26-30, 2025.
Natalie Leitan: Competing in Budapest was such an unbelievable expertise and one thing I’ll cherish in my coronary heart endlessly. We have been so grateful for the possibility to signify Group USA and be a part of the competitors. Assembly skaters from all around the world was very inspiring, and with the ability to skate out of the country made the entire expertise superb! It gave us a brand new perspective on our personal skating and the way far we’ve come.
Nathan Leitan: We’re so grateful for the nice alternative. It was a fantastic expertise and my first time in Europe. Assembly and speaking with so many various groups was very invigorating whereas additionally representing the USA for the primary time felt so priceless. It gave me a brand new view on worldwide competitions as a result of now as a substitute of watching them I get to compete in them! It was our first gold internationally and ever!
Sophia Kartashov and Nicholas Kartashov are additionally worldwide ballroom dancers. The twins shared how ballroom dancing helps with ice dancing.
Sophia Kartashov: Ballroom taught us musicality and expression. On ice, we expect to carry out, not simply skate.
Nicholas Kartashov: Main, timing, and partnering —- ballroom gave us all of that earlier than we ever stepped on the rink.
Anna Waugh & Matthew Jacoby skate at America’s first skating membership – The Philadelphia Skating Membership and Humane Society in Ardmore, PA. An authentic function of the membership was to patrol outside skating areas across the Metropolis of Philadelphia so as to rescue skaters who had fallen via the ice.
Matthew Jacoby: “One of many funniest issues concerning the [current] membership is all of the outdated guidelines left over from the 1800s which can be nonetheless a part of the member settlement. We now have to hold rope and an ice choose once we go skate on the Schuylkill River that flows via Philadelphia. I’ve by no means seen ice, not to mention skateable ice on the river.”
