Above: Championship masters junior-senior women's podium (Photo Credit: 828 Studios)
Eleven U.S. adult titles were awarded at the 2024 Prevagen U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships this past weekend in Cleveland, Ohio.
Three competitors – Kristina Struthwolf-Leato, Michael Solonoski and Tyler Thames – successfully defended their titles in the masters junior-senior women, masters junior-senior men and adult silver men divisions, respectively, while seven competitors took home gold medals for the first time.
Championship Adult Gold Women
Cassandra McNulty stood on top of the podium in the adult gold women’s division with a score of 40.42. Her program to “To Love You More” by Celine Dion was highlighted by her final element, a Level 2 change of foot combination spin, that scored 2.92 points.
Cindy Crouse earned silver with a score of 38.15. Crouse’s choreographic step sequence was the star of her program, earning her skate’s highest points from the judges.
The bronze and pewter medals were separated by just 0.05 as Briana Lee scored 37.06 for bronze and Gabriela Prylinski claimed pewter with a score of 37.01.
Championship Adult Gold Men
Marco Pizzo took home the adult gold men’s title by a margin of over eight points for his performance to “More Than a Dream” by Harrison Craig, thanks to his choreographic step sequence which contributed 2.78 points to his overall score of 32.84.
Stephen Trazaska secured the silver with a score of 24.59.
Sean Ang finished just 0.16 points behind Trzaska to secure a bronze-medal finish, while Liam Cowper rounded out the podium with the pewter medal and a score of 23.60.
Championship Adult Silver Women
Orca Sauer clinched the top position on the podium, earning a score of 30.35 and positive grades of execution on each of her eight elements. Skating to “A Million Dreams” by P!nk, she started strong out of the gate, landing a strong single Axel-single Axel sequence. Her program later concluded with its strongest element, a Level 2 change of foot combination spin.
Tara Green finished nearly two points behind Sauer with a score of 28.36. She also received positive grades of execution on all elements, landing a single Loop-single Loop combination in the middle of her program and finishing with a Level 2 change food sit spin.
With the bronze was Niko Cohen with a score of 27.09, and close behind with a score of 27.07 was Elizabeth Gibson in the pewter medal position.
Championship Adult Silver Men
Entering this year’s competition as the reigning champion, Tyler Thames successfully defended his title and brought home the gold. Skating to “Charms” by Abel Korzeniowski, his performance was awarded 28.02 points overall. His Level 2 change of foot combination spin was the highest-scoring element of the competition at 3.08 points.
Christopher Shipley stood next to Thames on the podium with the silver medal. His starring element was his choreographic step sequence which was awarded 2.33 points toward his overall score of 26.17.
Ken Nguyen clinched bronze with a score of 25.42 and Eric Cook received pewter with 24.93 points.
Championship Adult Dance
Skating to music from The Beatles, Jennifer Freedman and Oleg Voyko took home the partnered dance championship title with an overall score of 77.17. Their Viennese Waltz was awarded 16.56 points and their Silver Samba performance earned 31.73 points, combining for a day one total of 31.73 going into the free dance in first place. The team’s free dance was highlighted by three Level 3 elements – a rotational lift followed by a straight-line lift and then a synchronized twizzle, cementing them in first place overall.
Karin Freund and Anthony DeLuca earned the silver medal with a score of 71.57. In their free dance, their straight-line lift and curve lift combination was the highest scoring element of the competition with 8.00 points.
Diana Cheng and Kirill Solovyev earned the bronze medal with 62.07 points.
Jodi Beggs and Peter Sasmore rounded out the podium, taking the pewter with a score of 59.67.
Championship Adult Solo Dance
Skating to music from P!nk, Meghan Lapointe placed first in the final standings after finishing in second after the first and free dances.
Grace Stuever took the next spot on the podium, securing the silver medal. She ended the first dance in first but dropped to second after placing third in the free dance.
Kelsey Cease earned bronze after winning the free dance, while Carly Harris-Koleczko secured the pewter medal.
This event was judged on a 6.0 scale.
Championship Masters Pairs
Erin Krentz and Chris Obzansky were victorious in the championship pairs competition. The strength of their program was their lifts, which showed in their skate to “Hold My Hand” by Lady Gaga”. Both of their lifts earned Level 4 marks. Their highest-scoring element came in the middle of their program with a Level 3 step-in lasso lift worth 6.77 points, contributing to their total score of 76.47.
Elaine Jurun and Alec Schmitt took home silver thanks to a well-executed double Axel-single Axel-single Axel jump sequence that was awarded 3.72 points and a Level 2 lift worth 4.59 points. The pair tallied 69.96 points overall.
Carol Lynn Cooper and Keiffer Hubbell secured bronze with a score of 60.55, and Kimberly Sailer and David Garber secured pewter with 40.59 points.
Championship Masters Junior-Senior Women
Reigning champion Kristina Struthwolf-Leato made history with her performance en route to her second consecutive gold medal, setting the record for the highest-ever score achieved by a woman at a U.S. Adult Championships with 80.85 points. In her skate to “The Music of the Night” from Phantom of the Opera, she successfully executed all seven of her double jump elements, earned Level 4 marks for her flying change of foot spin combination and final combination spin and recorded positive GOEs on all elements.
Ashlee Pantano secured the silver medal with a score of 73.71. Pantano opened with a double Axel-Euler-double Salchow combination worth 5.54 points. She also earned a Level 4 distinction for her flying change of foot combination spin.
Alice Gee and Regan Alsup rounded out the podium in third and fourth with 73.49 and 71.77 points, respectively.
Championship Masters Junior-Senior Men
Michael Solonoski successfully defended his title, earning gold with a score of 86.97. Solonoski tallied more than six points for a triple Salchow in the second half of the program and earned positive GOEs on all elements while skating to “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life” by Alan Bergman.
Max Wang finished in silver medal position with a score of 79.80. Wang opened with a triple toe loop-double toe loop combination followed by a triple Salchow-double toe loop, which earned nearly 12 points combined toward his overall score of 79.80.
Stephen Kucera took bronze with a score of 45.45.
Championship Masters Intermediate-Novice Women
Patricia Satkiewicz was awarded the gold medal following her performance to “Like a Prayer” by Madonna, which received a score of 48.90. Her program opened with its strongest element, a Level 4 change of foot combination spin. Satkiewicz went on to score positive GOEs on every element.
It was a tight race for the remaining three spots on the podium, which were all separated by less than half of a point each in the final standings. Regina Yan stood in second with a score of 45.76, earning a Level 4 distinction for her opening sit spin.
Danielle Bakaric tallied 45.56 points to finish in third place, and Felicia Rogers recorded 45.41 points overall to earn pewter.
Championship Masters Intermediate-Novice Men
Rhea Nelson clinched the gold medal with his skate set to “Caravan” by Duke Ellington, thanks to a Level 4 change of foot combination spin and a double toe loop-single Euler-double Salchow combination, which contributed to his total score of 46.98.
Demis Maryannakis finished with the silver medal and a score of 43.63. His highest-scoring element was a single Axel-single Axel sequence.
Michael Rubke secured bronze with 42.42 points, and Jonathan Ko earned a score of 41.96 to clinch pewter.
Full results from the 2024 Prevagen U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships can be found here.
