US Figure Skating Championships 2020: Thursday TV Schedule, Top Contenders

The 2020 U.S. Figure Skating Championship begins in earnest on Thursday, with the focus on the ladies and the pairs short program at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, North Carolina. 

National titles are up for grabs at the prestigious event, but skaters will also be aiming to seal their places in the U.S. team for the world championships in March.

Alysa Liu will defend her title in the ladies event, after becoming the youngest U.S. champion in history when she claimed victory in 2019 at the age of 13.

The pairs title has been won by different teams in each of the last four years, and they are all going for gold again in 2020.

Thursday Schedule

Junior ladies free skate, 10:55 a.m.

Pairs short program, 5 p.m.

Ladies short program, 9 p.m.

The full schedule is available here. NBC will be showing live coverage of the tournament. 

Top Contenders

All eyes will be on Liu on Thursday, but she will face stiff competition again from Bradie Tennell and Mariah Bell, who finished second and third, respectively, in 2019.

Liu told Helene Elliott at the Los Angeles Times that she is not feeling the pressure as she bids to become the youngest skater to win back-to-back titles at the tournament.

"I don't really worry or think about pressure," she said. "I don't feel pressure that much, right now at least. I don't think I will as it comes closer, either. I'm just excited and I think I've trained enough. I think I'm ready for nationals, and we'll see how I do."

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Liu only celebrated her 14th birthday in August and is still not old enough to compete in senior events internationally, but her technical ability and reputation for landing difficult jumps will ensure she is one of the favourites.

Bell heads into the tournament in great shape and with momentum. She won gold in the Challenger Series at the 2019 Nebelhorn Trophy in September and has two Grand Prix bronze medals this season.

Tennell is another strong contender, and she will be hoping to win the national title for the second time after clinching gold in 2018.

The 21-year-old has spoken about what viewers can expect from her in Greensboro:

Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc will return to defend their title in the pairs but face plenty of competition in what looks like an open event.

They made it clear just how determined they are to succeed in the buildup:

Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier are also strong contenders with plenty of experience. The duo finished as runners-up last year but won the title in 2017. They have enjoyed a good season so far, winning bronze medals at two Grand Prix events.

The 2016 champions, Tarah Kayne and Danny O'Shea, and two-time winners Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Chris Knierim also have the quality and experience to compete for gold in 2020.