PR CONTACTS

Jora Bart

651-312-3498

Ellen McNair

651-265-4819

U.S. FIGURE SKATING

Renee Felton

303-717-7749

SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Don't miss the country's premier figure skating event! Single session tickets for the 2016 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships go on sale Friday, Nov. 6 at noon. Champions will be crowned in ladies, mens, pairs and ice dance across five competitive levels. Click here to view the schedule.

Current and future Olympians will participate in championship-level competition beginning Thursday, January 21 with the Opening Ceremony preceding the Ladies Short Program. The Opening Ceremony will feature 80 local skaters showcasing the history of figure skating in Minnesota. On Friday night, January 22 the championship-level men's short program will take place.

Championship Weekend continues Saturday with competition determining champion-level U.S. Champions in pairs, ice dance and ladies. The men's champion will be crowned on Sunday afternoon. The week of competition concludes with the Smucker's Skating Spectacular Sunday evening, January 24 where the medalists from throughout the week will perform for their fans in a show environment, free from the pressures of competition.

The 2016 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships will be held Jan. 15-24 with championship, junior and novice level skaters competing at Xcel Energy Center and juvenile and intermediate level skaters competing at Bloomington Ice Garden.

Single-session ticket prices begin at $15 and are available at the Xcel Energy Center Box Office or online at 2016uschampionships.com.

For competitors, the road to the U.S. Championships begins with the U.S. Figure Skating qualifying structure of nine regional events and three sectional events. Skaters who place in the top four at a regional qualify for a sectional; skaters who place in the top four at a sectional qualify for the U.S. Championships.

Twenty-four skaters from Minnesota are competing in the Midwestern Sectionals, taking place Nov. 17-21 in Strongsville, Ohio. Coverage will be provided by icenetwork.com.

The U.S. Championships, serve as the final qualifying events to make the U.S. World Figure Skating Team and the U.S. Olympic Team. The U.S. Figure Skating Championships attract more than 1,600 athletes, coaches, officials and over 110,000 fans annually to the host community and have generated up to $30 million in economic impact for recent host cities. The annual event, held since 1914, is the nation's most prestigious figure skating event, with past winners include Michelle Kwan, Kristi Yamaguchi and Scott Hamilton. The city of Saint Paul also hosted the 2008 U.S. Championships. Champions included 2010 Olympians Mirai Nagasu, Evan Lysacek, and Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto.

Additionally, Championship Weekend Packages and All-Event Ticket Packages can be purchased at 2016uschampionships.com or the Xcel Energy Center Box Office. Groups (12+) call 651-312-3486.