GREENSBORO, N.C. — Madison Chock and Evan Bates had dinner this week with Charlie White, one of the people who changed the perception of U.S. ice dancing.
White and Meryl Davis became the first Americans to win Olympic gold in the sport last year. With the six-time U.S. champs taking a break, Chock and Bates captured their first national title Saturday after twice finishing as the runners-up.
These days, the top American teams can compete with the best in the world. But Bates also recalled what White told them: "You don’t have to fulfil anything. You don’t have to take over for us or anything like that."
Chock and Bates held a slim lead over Maia and Alex Shibutani coming into the free dance, but they won easily with a personal-best 111.11 points to finish with 185.06.
The Shibutani siblings had 181.31 points to win their fifth U.S. medal, though they’re still seeking their first title. Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue were third, disappointed by a shaky free dance but in position to return to the world championships.
Skating to "An American in Paris," Chock and Bates brought the crowd to its feet with their exuberant final move, when he swung her up off the ice again and again.
"We could really feel the energy in the rink," Chock said, "and I think we used that really well."
Chock and Bates were eighth at last year’s Olympics, one spot ahead of the Shibutanis. With the three medallists from Sochi not currently competing, both teams are looking to extend the country’s newfound success in the sport on the international stage.
Earlier, Alexa Scimeca and Christopher Knierim won their first U.S. title, becoming the first American pairs team to complete a quad twist in competition.
They led by 5.63 points after the short program but were thinking about bigger things than nationals. So they went through with the new element, and Scimeca successfully rotated four times in the air before Knierim caught her.
"The U.S. pairs need to be more competitive with the international teams," Scimeca said.
They had a few shaky moments later in the long program, but the huge score from the quad helped them set two records for the U.S. Championships: 136.48 points for the free skate and 210.49 total.
They beat Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier by 10.57.
"We’re just happy we got the quad out," Knierim said. "We got it a little bit under our belt now for the next competition."
Scimeca and Knierim, who are engaged to be married, were the runners-up at nationals in 2013 and fourth a year ago. But the three teams that finished ahead of them are no longer competing.
The Americans send two pairs teams to the world championships, which will be in Shanghai in March.
"We’ve really done more than what we expected," Frazier said.
Tarah Kayne and Danny O’Shea were third after taking off the Grand Prix season as Kayne recovered from July hip surgery.
The American teams finished ninth and 12th at last year’s Sochi Olympics, then both split up.
Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir, who won the past two U.S. titles, each competed in Greensboro with new partners. Castelli was sixth with Mervin Tran, two spots ahead of Shnapir and DeeDee Leng. Nathan Bartholomay, the runner-up in 2014 with Felicia Zhang, finished seventh Saturday with Gretchen Donlan.
"We’re just happy we got the quad out," Knierim said. "We got it a little bit under our belt now for the next competition."
Scimeca and Knierim, who are engaged to be married, were the runners-up at nationals in 2013 and fourth a year ago. But the three teams that finished ahead of them are no longer competing.
The Americans send two pairs teams to the world championships.
"We’ve really done more than what we expected," Frazier said.
Tarah Kayne and Danny O’Shea were third after taking off the Grand Prix season as Kayne recovered from July hip surgery.
The American teams finished ninth and 12th at last year’s Sochi Olympics, then both split up.
Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir, who won the past two U.S. titles, each competed in Greensboro with new partners. Castelli was sixth with Mervin Tran, two spots ahead of Shnapir and DeeDee Leng. Nathan Bartholomay, the runner-up in 2014 with Felicia Zhang, finished seventh Saturday with Gretchen Donlan.