Abbott wins first U.S. figure skating title

CLEVELAND — The results flashed and Jeremy Abbott jumped to his feet, holding up both index fingers.

No doubt about it, Abbott’s No. 1.

Abbott won his first title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Sunday, ending the five-year stranglehold that Evan Lysacek and Johnny Weir have had on the top spot. It’s the second major title in as many months for Abbott, who won the Grand Prix final in December.

Abbott finished with 241.89 points, more than 13 points ahead of training mate Brandon Mroz. Lysacek, winner of the last two U.S. titles, dropped to third after a surprisingly conservative and faulty program. An even bigger disappointment was Johnny Weir, who was fifth after two dismal performances and could miss worlds for the first time since 2003.

“I completely take primary ownership of my illness and the fact I wasn’t prepared,” said Weir, whose preparation was compromised by a severe case of the flu over the holidays. “But at the same time, I can’t push myself and expect something that I know is impossible.”

For Abbott, anything seems possible these days.

The U.S. junior champion in 2005, Abbott’s talent was never in question. But he was often overlooked because of his inconsistency. That and the fact that everybody took a back seat to Lysacek and Weir, who have not only dominated nationals, they’ve been perennial medal contenders on the international stage.

But Abbott turned these nationals into his personal party. With just about everybody complaining that the new judging system has stripped skating of all of its beauty and artistry, Abbott showed that it can still be done.

And done well.

His program didn’t have the most difficult jumps — skating last, he didn’t need to do the quad and he didn’t take the risk — but just as Alissa Czisny showed in winning the women’s title, there’s more to skating than jumps. There is heart and soul and emotions, and Abbott displayed all three.

His face was wonderfully expressive, displaying every inch of the passion, anxiety and excitement of the music. Even if you didn’t recognize his music — “Eight Seasons” — you were swept up in the program. His footwork was spectacular, moving as lightly across the ice as a pianist’s fingers dance across the keyboard.

Of course, it’s easier to do when you’re trying to climb rather than stay on top. Just ask Lysacek.

Lysacek has said repeatedly that defending the national title is the hardest thing he’s ever had to do, and it showed on the ice. His “Rhapsody in Blue” program has great potential, especially the playful footwork toward the end that makes him look as if he’s dancing in the streets in his dark blue tuxedo with a red rose on the lapel.

But he was way too tentative, trying to hold onto that title instead of win it all over again.

His very first element was a quadruple toe loop jump, but he underrotated it and crashed to the ice. He was crooked in the air on his triple salchow, though he managed to save the landing. He was off-balance on his second triple axel, too, forcing him to take a hop before doing a triple toe that was supposed to be in combination.

When he finished, he looked more relieved than happy.

Mroz was ecstatic with his finish, as he should be. Though this is his first season at the senior level, he already looks like a steely veteran.

He had the cleanest program of the day, and the most difficult. His quadruple toe loop jump was huge, he could have thrown in another turn. He did eight more triple jumps — no small feat on a day when some guys struggled to do doubles. And while he’s still young — he just turned 18 in December — he’s already got a knack for performing.

After finishing seventh in the short program, Weir needed a fantastic performance Sunday to have a shot at the world team. Instead, he popped his very first jump, a triple axel, doubled what should have been a triple loop and fell on a triple flip. His footwork was incredibly difficult, filled with intricate steps, turns and hops, but he appeared to just be going through the motions with it.

His entire performance, in fact, was dull — and that’s really saying something for the colorful and quirky Weir.

Weir blamed his performances on his shortened preparation after his bout with the flu. He lost 8 pounds in a single day while he was sick.

“It may sound like an excuse, but you have to remember that Michael Jordan had a whole team around him,” Weir said when reminded that Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to victory in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA finals when he was sick. “I’m a single, skinny, sparkly boy standing by myself.”