What Ashley Wagner’s third U.S. Figure Skating title means for the sport

Ashley Wagner is elated after skating a flawless freeskate at the 2015 U.S. Figure Skating National Championships. (Photo: Streeter Lecka, Getty Images)

On Saturday night around 10:50pm EST, Ashley Wagner won her third national figure skating title, snatching the top spot away from 2014 national champion Gracie Gold. Wagner, who won with a score of 221.02, bested Gold by more than 15 points overall and 10 points in the free skate. Gold took a costly fall on a triple flip, a jump that she’d been struggling with since returing from a severe stress fracture in her foot which sidelined her from the Grand Prix Final in December.

2015 U.S. Figure Skating Championships Ladies Event Preview

The 2014 top four finishers at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

The U.S. Figure Skating Championships are already underway in Greensboro, North Carolina. Juvenile, Intermediate, Novice and some Junior level skaters have been crowned champions, yet the hype is still mounting as the Olympic-level skaters do not take to the ice until tomorrow afternoon.

The top two contenders for the national title in the ladies event are very clearly Gracie Gold and Ashley Wagner.