U.S. Figure Skating has announced the American entries for the second annual U.S. International Figure Skating Classic, to be held again in Salt Lake City from September 11-15, with a few big names scheduled to compete.
Marissa Castelli & Simon Shnapir – The last Senior B for the reigning national champions was 2011’s Ondrej Nepela Memorial, where they placed fourth. The team will aim to regain the international success they found in the first half of the 2012-13 season.
Caydee Denney & John Coughlin – Denney & Coughlin will be looking to make a strong return to the ice in their first international since the hip injury and surgery for Coughlin that caused the team to miss the latter half of the 2012-13 season.
Tarah Kayne & Daniel O’Shea – Kayne & O’Shea will be capping a busy summer with their first assignment to a Senior B-level event.
Felicia Zhang & Nate Bartholomay – Zhang & Bartholomay finished fourth at last year’s event, at the start of a year that saw the team taking national bronze and fourth at Four Continents.
Anastasia Cannuscio & Colin McManus – Cannuscio & McManus competed at the inaugural event as well, where they placed sixth. The team is in the running for the Skate America host pick and will also be competing at next week’s Lake Placid Ice Dance Championships.
Meryl Davis & Charlie White – This will mark Davis & White’s first appearance in a Senior B event since winning Nebelhorn Trophy in 2009, as the kickoff to their last Olympic season.
Lynn Kriengkrairut & Logan Giulietti-Schmitt – Kriengkrairut & Giulietti-Schmitt enter as the event’s reigning bronze medalists, making the podium with a last year.
Maia & Alex Shibutani – The Shibutanis last competed at a Senior B with 2011’s Finlandia Trophy, where they took silver.
Last year’s event also included a substantial Canadian presence with teams taking gold and silver in both pairs and dance. Skate Canada’s assignments to this year’s event will be posted when announced.