by Anne Calder | Photographs 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 collection of the 2026 Olympic Workforce was held on the downtown Enterprise Centre. The qualifying novice and junior groups competed on the Maryland Heights suburb Centene Neighborhood Ice Middle from January 4-6.
The 5 highest scoring novice groups on the Ice Dance Last 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 whole six of six ‘Y’ (YES) constructive key level marks. The NJ skilled group 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 completely happy about their skate and are excited for subsequent season.
“I’m very pleased with how we skated all through your entire 12 months and completely happy the onerous work paid off,” O’Brien mentioned.
Katherine Li & James Zhu, “We’re completely happy. We tried our greatest. We all know we will push tougher and do higher.”
Coach McManus added, “I preserve reminding them they’re 11 and 14 years previous. That is a few marathon. It’s not a few dash.”
Sophia Kartashov & Nicholas Kartashov thought they dealt with the nerves good and did a greatest efficiency.
Sophia: “I used to be half nervous making an attempt to do my greatest and half excited to indicate what I bought.”
Nicholas: “I used to be largely excited as a result of that is only 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 pleased with their skate.
Natalie: “I’ve been combating my twizzles for a really very long time. Typically it really works. It’s very inconsistent. I’m glad we did this competitors as a result of in the present day it was very constant.”
Nathan: “Usually on the rotation elevate I’m sort of dashing 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 pleased with it.”
Anna Waugh & Matthew Jacoby shared their ideas.
Anna: “It’s been one in all my desires to be at Nationals. We’ve been skating collectively for less than seven months, so it’s an superb alternative to be right here.I t was enjoyable. I’m completely happy we did actually nice this season after which got here right here.”
Matthew: The free dance was somewhat powerful, however I assumed the patterns have been fairly good. I’m simply so completely happy 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 an incredible expertise for us because it was our very first worldwide occasion representing Workforce 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 thing felt new and thrilling. One of many coolest elements was getting to satisfy Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean in individual. I felt proud and honored to be chosen to symbolize 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 without end. We have been so grateful for the possibility to symbolize Workforce USA and be a part of the competitors. Assembly skaters from everywhere in the world was very inspiring, and with the ability to skate overseas 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 terrific 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 helpful. It gave me a brand new view on worldwide competitions as a result of now as an alternative 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 unique goal of the membership was to patrol outside skating areas across the Metropolis of Philadelphia with the intention to rescue skaters who had fallen by way of the ice.
Matthew Jacoby: “One of many funniest issues in regards to the [current] membership is all of the previous guidelines left over from the 1800s which might be nonetheless a part of the member settlement. Now we have to hold rope and an ice decide after we go skate on the Schuylkill River that flows by way of Philadelphia. I’ve by no means seen ice, not to mention skateable ice on the river.”
