A small, elite group of local skaters will be competing at the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, which run Monday through Jan. 26 in Wichita, Kan.
For these competitors, the road to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships started in the Philadelphia area
Sydney Cooke, 22, and Matthew Kennedy, 23, are starting to get that innate feeling for how each will react in their second year of skating pairs together. Cooke, who is from Andover, Mass., but lives in Wilmington, got her first pairs partner at age 7. Kennedy, from Woodstown,Cooke and Kennedy moved up to the senior level this year after winning the bronze at last year’s nationals in junior pairs. This year’s expectations are reined in, though, since it’s a big leap to the top division.
Emmanuel Savary has also been to nationals several times. Savary, 27, describes himself “pretty much a senior citizen in skating terms,” but the Wilmington resident is making a comeback — and still doing triple and quadruple jumps. “I think my artistry has improved a lot,” Savary said. “I’ve been doing a lot of shows over the last two years. I would say I skate very similar to how I am. I’m a very naturally introverted person. So I think when I skate, you see some of that vulnerability, and I do a lot of inward movement. I feel like there’s a lot of power behind my skating, but also like softness and some gentleness to it as well.
With time lost to an injury and the move to senior, Cooke and Kennedy, who train at the Patriot Ice Center in Newark, Del., are hoping just to skate well at nationals. “I can get her about four feet over my head,” Kennedy said, “which feels pretty good when it goes right. I like to call it the Sydney Space Program.”Both teach skating when they’re not training, and Cooke also sharpens skates. Her family owns a skate shop in Massachusetts, and she learned when she was 14.“As long as my body holds up, I’m willing to keep going,” he said.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Isabeau Levito Withdraws from US Figure Skating Championships Due to Foot InjuryIsabeau Levito, a rising star in the world of figure skating, will miss the upcoming US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas, after sustaining a foot injury. Levito, who achieved a silver medal at the World Championships last year, expressed her disappointment on Instagram, stating she is heartbroken about missing Nationals. Despite this setback, she remains optimistic about her recovery and hopes to return to competition soon.
Read more »
U.S. Figure Skating Championships glide forward on diversityThere will be more Black skaters competing than any time in recent memory at the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
Read more »
A New Figure Skating Anime Could Fill the Void Left by Yuri on IceWhile Yuri on Ice remains a beloved classic, a new anime titled Medalist is set to air in 2025, offering a fresh perspective on the sport and potentially captivating a new generation of fans.
Read more »
Watch Girls of Color Aim to Break 'Ice Ceiling' of Competitive Figure Skating in Harlem Ice (Exclusive)Watch the trailer for the new Disney+ docuseries 'Harlem Ice,' shared exclusively with PEOPLE, which follows the skaters and coaches of Figure Skating in Harlem, a figure skating team made up of young women of color from the famed New York borough.
Read more »
Xanadu Roller Arts: A Brooklyn Hotspot Where Skating is Pure JoyXanadu Roller Arts in Bushwick, Brooklyn, is a vibrant intergenerational hotspot offering a unique escape from the daily grind. This haven for skaters of all levels fosters a sense of community and celebrates the simple joy of gliding on wheels.
Read more »
Bay Area News Roundup: Christmas Spirit, Skating Fun, and A Community MournsThis roundup features heartwarming images from the Downtown Ice rink in San Jose, celebrations at San Jose State University's Fall 2024 Commencement, and a tribute to Oakland Athletics legend Rickey Henderson. We also see action from a Milpitas High School basketball game, a fiery van incident in Oakland, and a protest against Governor Newsom's homeless encampment sweeps.
Read more »