Czisny looks for 3rd U.S. figure skating title

Alissa Czisny shows off her medal after winning the women's free skate program in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Greensboro, N.C., last January. ASSOCIATED PRESS Enlarge

The women's short program at the U.S. Figure Skating Championship was not complete at deadline. Go to toledoblade.com for the result.

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Olympian Mirai Nagasu of Arcadia, Calif., is a three-time U.S. figure skating medalist. Alissa Czisny of Bowling Green is the two-time American champion who placed fifth at the 2011 World Championships.

Ashley Wagner of Mission Viejo is a two-time bronze medalist, and Stanford freshman Rachael Flatt is the 2010 national titlist, a three-time runner-up, and the '08 junior world champion.

Four women with impressive resumes will highlight the 2012 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships, which began Thursday night at HP Pavilion.

In what is expected to be the most dramatic contest of the weeklong event, only the top two will qualify for the World Championships in March in Nice, France. It's anyone's guess who will reach the year's biggest competition after the free skate Saturday.

Czisny, Nagasu, and Wagner are considered the favorites, while Flatt has struggled to adjust to new coaches and a new routine in the Bay Area.

With the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, two years away, the San Jose competition represents a crossroads for emerging and fading careers.

"They are pacing themselves for when it is an Olympic year," said Peggy Fleming, the 1968 gold medalist from Los Gatos. "They want to size their toughness, their competitiveness and their talent."

Front-runners Nagasu, 18, and Czisny, 24, have had uneven careers.

Nagasu, who trains with renowned coach Frank Carroll, is one of the sport's most engaging performers. But the skating community is waiting for her to fulfill her wealth of potential after having won the U.S. title in 2008, silver in 2010, and bronze last year.

"I really want to try and focus on just going out there and having fun and really trying my best," said Nagasu, fourth at the Vancouver Games.

She is not planning to include any triple-triple combinations in San Jose, where Nagasu is scheduled to do a tango-themed short routine and a free skate with music from the ballet Spartacus.

"I'm trying to work more on my components this year to bring out the more delicate side of my skating and to concentrate on my musicality," she said.

The skater, who trains at three rinks in Southern California, has discovered a good strategy by watching Italian champion Carolina Kostner: "Her jump repertoire is not as difficult without the triple Lutz, but even still her programs are amazing. I think if I put in that much effort into every single arm movement and every single pointed toe .."

The easily distracted Nagasu paused.

"I guess I do fall a lot in my programs because I've been trying to concentrate more on my musicality."

Czisny, a Bowling Green State University graduate, is less apt to question herself publicly. She was 10th at the 2010 championships the year after winning her first U.S. title. But she rebounded to regain the crown last year.

Czisny sounded upbeat heading into San Jose after competing at the Grand Prix final last month with an injured calf and foot. She finished fifth at the final after winning Skate America and placing third at Trophee Eric Bompard.

The reason for her optimism is how well she has responded to new coaches Jason Dungjen and Yuka Sato. She has worked with them since 2010 after leaving her former coach of 12 years.

"I felt like when I changed coaches that everything changed, and I became a new skater," Czisny said.

It remains to be seen how much a coaching change will help Wagner, who left Delaware in June for famed Orange County coach John Nicks.

Flatt, meanwhile, admittedly has gone backward while making the transition at Stanford.