Eighteen of the United States’ best junior skaters will compete March 8-14 at the 2010 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships in The Hague, Netherlands. Competition begins Tuesday with the compulsory dance and pairs short program events. All but one of the U.S. entries is making their first appearance at the competition. More than 200 athletes from 53 countries will compete at De Uithof for World Junior titles in ladies, men’s, pairs and ice dancing. Among the competitors in the Netherlands are Kiri Baga, Grant Hochstein and Armin Mahbanoozadeh.

U.S. Figure Skating announced today that 2010 Olympic champion Evan Lysacek and 2006 Olympic silver medalists Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto will not compete at the 2010 World Figure Skating Championships in Torino, Italy. Ashley Wagner has announced she has withdrawn from the 2010 World Junior Figure Skating Championships in The Hague, Netherlands.

Evan Lysacek and Ashley Wagner were nominated by U.S. Figure Skating for the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Female and Male Athlete of the Month based on their performances in November. Fans, who account for 10 percent of the vote, can vote online through Dec. 7.

Fourteen athletes from the United States will compete at Skate Canada in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, against skaters from 14 other countries, all vying for points and prize money in this last of six events in the series. Among the members of Team USA are Jeremy Abbott and Alissa Czisny.

U.S. Figure Skating announced today the selection of San Jose, Calif., as the host city for the 2012 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Jan. 22-29, 2012. National champions will be crowned in 12 events: ladies, men’s, pairs and ice dancing at the senior, junior and novice levels.

The 2009 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series continues this week at the NHK Trophy in Nagano, Japan. Thirteen athletes from the United States, including Jeremy Abbott, Becky Bereswill, Adam Rippon, Ashley Wagner and Johnny Weir will compete against skaters from 11 other countries.

Kiri Baga and Adam Rippon were nominated by U.S. Figure Skating for the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Female and Male Athlete of the Month based on their performances in October. U.S. Ice Dance Champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White were also nominated for the second consecutive month in the Team of the Month category.

The 2009 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series continues at the Cup of China in Beijing, Oct. 29-Nov. 1. The event, which will take place at Capital Indoor Stadium Beijing, begins Friday with the compulsory and original dances, and the ladies, men’s and pairs short programs.

he United States will send 11 skaters to compete at Ice Challenge, Oct. 28-Nov. 1, in Graz, Austria, including 2008 Coupe de Nice silver medalists Chloe Katz and Joseph Lynch. Joining them are Dougas Razzano, who is making his first senior international appearance, and pair team Caitlin Yankowskas and John Coughlin.

The 2009 ISU Grand Prix (GP) of Figure Skating Series continues with its second event, the Rostelecom Cup (formerly Cup of Russia), in Moscow, Oct. 22-25. Among the skaters are Alissa Czisny, Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker, Brandon Mroz, Johnny Weir and Ashley Wagner.