St. Louis shines in attendance, hospitality for US Skating Championships

Note: This clip is from Jan. 8, 2026

ST. LOUIS – With the U.S. Figure Skating Championships officially coming to an end, the city of St. Louis did not disappoint in showing its appreciation for the highly anticipated event.

Throughout the week-long competition, the St. Louis Sports Commission reports that over 93,231 people attended, with at least 5,000 visitors coming into the Gateway City for the championships, as well as the junior and novice competitions.

“The joy, excitement, and impact of this week’s U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis surpassed even our greatest expectations,” said St. Louis Sports Commission President Marc Schreiber. “Our crowds were incredible – and not just in terms of numbers, but also quality.”

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In the news release, the sports commission also noted how the St. Louis area received compliments from top skaters on its hospitality and support.

Sports officials say Ilia Malinin, 4-time Men’s U.S. Champion, called this year’s event “his favorite championship ever,” citing the engagement St. Louis brought to the competition.

Veteran ice duo, Madison Chock and Evan Bates, also shared that exact sentiment.

“The feeling that we got from the audience today was unlike anything I’ve ever felt before,” Chock said. “It felt so special, I felt so much love and joy, and I’m so grateful for this moment to share with everyone here and to share with Evan. Couldn’t have asked for anything more.”

This championship is expected to generate a $ 10 million economic boost for St. Louis, helping small businesses and hotels throughout the city.

Representing Team USA Figure Skating:

Men: Ilia Malinin, Andrew Torgashev, Maxim Naumov
Women: Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito
Ice Dance: Madison Chock and Evan Bates; Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik; Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko
Pairs: Ellie Kam and Daniel O’Shea; Emily Chan and Spencer Akira Howe