Nathan Chen dazzles with big jumps to win men's US figure skating title

SAN JOSE - Nathan Chen dazzled once again with his remarkable athleticism to pull off breathtaking quadruple jumps, skating the final routine to a commanding U.S. national championship Saturday night.

Chen, 18, all but secured his spot for next month’s Pyeongchang Olympics.

With improved poise and style, not to mention his new Vera Wang costumes, Chen completed five quads to beat second-place Ross Miner with a total score of 315.23 - a startling 40.72-point lead that set him completely apart.

And Chen is considered the Americans’ best medal hopeful if he is chosen for the team. Now, the U.S. Figure Skating selection committee will consider body of work to decide on the three skaters to represent next month in South Korea.

Vincent Zhou, another prodigious jumper, was third.

Crowd-pleasing Miner skated a near-flawless routine to a Queen medley and had SAP Center rocking and clapping along. He pumped his right fist after a double axel that made for a clean, lighthearted program in which he had fully got into his music for all to appreciate. The 26-year-old Miner earned a standing ovation, and beamed while putting his hand to his heart in appreciation. He scored 185.60 for a 274.51 total.

Zhou, a 17-year-old rising star skating in his hometown to “Moulin Rouge,” attempted five quads and completed four in his technically difficult program - one quad was in combination with a triple - for a score of 273.83.

Chen is the only undefeated male skater in the world this season. The 18-year-old phenom from Salt Lake City showed why with another brilliant program. Sporting all black, Chen singled his planned triple axel as his only flaw. It barely matted with all those quads.

Sixth at last year’s world championship, his jumps were perfect this time.

The 2017 silver medalist at nationals, Zhou calmed himself moments before he began by shutting his eyes, then opening them with a deep breath. He skated with an ease and confidence to nail his first four quadruple jumps before falling on his quad toe loop in the second half of his performance. Some of his jumps looked slightly under-rotated, and he lacked the flair, finesse and pizazz of someone like Jason Brown or Adam Rippon.

Rippon, second out of the short program and chasing his first Olympics at age 28, fell on his quad lutz but recovered. He then popped his planned triple salchow and triple lutz into singles for fourth place with a score of 268.34.

He has worked tirelessly on his fitness in the past year following a foot injury, seeking to pull off the big jumps like the youngsters. Skating a year to the day since breaking his left foot while gearing up to defend his 2016 national title - he didn’t get to compete - Rippon must hope the committee sees things his way.

Husband-wife pair of Chris Knierim and Alexa Scimeca-Knierim captured a national title at the U.S. figure skating championships Saturday, likely securing their Olympic berth for the Pyeongchang Games in South Korea.

The Knierims led the short program two days earlier and followed with another strong showing in their free skate, scoring 135.50 points Saturday and 206.60 total. That put them in prime position with the U.S. Figure Skating committee that will pick the top pair to represent the U.S. next month, looking to prove the Americans can make waves in the event despite constant scrutiny on the world stage.

They opened by pulling off a beautiful quadruple twist high above the ice with a minor flaw - the only pair to try it let alone nail it - but missed on their side-by-side triple salchows. It didn’t matter.

Tarah Kayne and Danny O’Shea came into the free skate in second place, but Kayne fell on a throw triple lutz. That error came after a strong start to their program that featured nice double axels side by side in a beautifully choreographed performance to “Swan Lake.” They scored 131.87 for a total of 200.80.

Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Nathan Bartholomay, a 2014 Sochi Olympian with a different partner, were third.