ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Tarah Kayne and Danny O'Shea have won their first pairs national title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
Kayne and O'Shea, who were third last year to miss out on a trip to the world championships, led after the short program and went last Saturday. They calmly handled the pressure, skating the only clean program among the contenders.
They earned 142.04 points for the long program for 211.65 total, a U.S. Championships record, for a lopsided win over defending champs Alexa Scimeca and Christopher Knierim.
Knierim fell on their side-by-side triple toe loops, and Scimeca had two feet down on one throw jump and both hands down on the other. They scored 129.45 points in the free skate for a 196.80 total.
Marissa Castelli, who won two U.S. titles with former partner Simon Shnapir, was third with Mervin Tran. The Americans have two spots at the worlds.
