On the first night, Zawadzki was spectacular at the HP Pavilion in front of almost 8,000 with her first-place short program. She opened her skate with a triple toe-triple toe that marked a statement. Czisny, the 2011 U.S. champion, finished second with a score of 63.14 with Ashley Wagner, Caroline Zhang and Mirai Nagasu all close behind.
In the long program, Wagner with her “Black Swan” performance that opened with two successful combination jumps cemented her title. Wagner made six triple jumps that put her in first place over Czisny by more than seven points. Zawadzki had the crowd on her side with her “Rhapsody in Blue” program but slipped to the bronze medal, 13 points behind Wagner after her fall.
Czisny and Wagner will go on to the Worlds in Nice, France in March. Wagner and Czisny need to finish a combined 13th for the United States to get three berths at the 2013 Worlds. All the top ladies stated that they will continue skating for a berth in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Zawadzki was chosen for the Four-Continents Cup competition to be held in Colorado Springs, February 7-12.
Zawadzki has been skating in the Chicago area since she was five years old, mostly at the Niles Ice Arena and then at the Oakton Ice Arena. Her improvement one place from last year’s Nationals has now put her on the world stage.
Zawadzki now has two coaches at the Broadmoor Skating Club in Colorado Springs. Christy Krall is her day-to-day coach in Colorado Springs and Davis Santee who commutes from Chicago to help Team Zawadzki. “It is a difficult training model but it is working out great,” said Santee.
In the all-popular ice dancing competition, it was a Michigan sweep as Meryl Davis and Charlie White won their fourth straight U.S. Nationals. They also are the reigning world ice dancing champions. The next five places were notched by teams that train in Michigan. Joining them on the podium were Canton, Michigan training mates Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani, who have now won back-to-back U.S. silver medals. Madison Hubbell and Zach Donohue skating in their first U.S. Championships were third.
Raymond Rolak contributed