Skate America Figure Skating Competition
Skate America is the United States' event in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, hosted by U.S. Figure Skating. It began in 1979 in Lake Placid, New York, as a test event for the 1980 Winter Olympics, and has been part of the Grand Prix since the series started in 1995. Top skaters from around the world compete in four disciplines: men's singles, women's singles, pairs and ice dance.
2026 Skate America
- When: November 13-15, 2026 (moved from the originally announced October dates)
- Where: Angel of the Winds Arena, Everett, Washington
- Place in the series: fourth of the six 2026-27 Grand Prix events, after France, Canada and China
- Name: the 2026 event is sponsored as Saatva Skate America
Skate America often opened the Grand Prix season, but not always: in 2025 (Lake Placid) it was the fifth event and in 2026 it is the fourth.
Recent hosts
| Year | City |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Norwood, Massachusetts |
| 2023 | Allen, Texas |
| 2024 | Allen, Texas |
| 2025 | Lake Placid, New York |
| 2026 | Everett, Washington |
Format
- Disciplines: men's singles, women's singles, pairs and ice dance.
- Segments: a short program (rhythm dance in ice dance) and a free skate (free dance). The two scores are added together.
- Field: 12 men, 12 women, 8 pairs and 10 dance teams. Skaters are invited based on the previous season's World Championships results and world rankings, and the host country gets some entries of its own.
- Scoring: the ISU Judging System.
Why it matters
- Grand Prix points: skaters earn points for their placement, and the top six in each discipline after all six events qualify for the Grand Prix Final in December.
- An early look at the season: as one of the first big international events of the season, it is often where fans first see skaters' new programs.
- A home event for U.S. skaters: it is the one Grand Prix where American skaters compete in front of a home crowd.