Now, can Lysacek, Weir break through at worlds?
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Their latest tussle behind them, Evan Lysacek and Johnny Weir can now turn their attention to beating up on the rest of the world.
Though Lysacek got the title, both leave the U.S. Figure Skating Championships bolstered by solid performances. Lysacek overcame a case of nerves he never expected as a defending champion for the first time. Weir finally put his disaster at last year's nationals behind him with a showing that would have won most years.
And they were as close as could be, finishing with the exact same overall score of 244.77 on Sunday. Minor details -- Lysacek's more difficult entrances into jumps, Weir's two-footed landing on a triple flip -- were all that separated them.
"That's awesome, actually," Lysacek said. "You put any top skater in world in that competition today, and they would have had tough time beating either one of us."
They'll get a chance to prove that in March, at the world championships in Sweden.
Though Lysacek has a pair of bronze medals from worlds, no American man has won the world -- or Olympic -- title since Todd Eldredge in 1996.
But the current heavyweights -- two-time winner Stephane Lambiel and defending champion Brian Joubert -- are looking vulnerable. Neither skated particularly well at the European championships, where Tomas Verner of the Czech Republic was the surprise winner. Joubert hasn't been in winning form since November, when he developed a strength-sapping virus.
There are other contenders, including Daisuke Takahashi of Japan, last year's silver medalist. But this just might be the year for one -- or both -- Americans to break through and establish themselves as contenders for gold at the Vancouver Olympics.
The men, along with ice dance champs Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, are also the United States' best medal hopes. New women's champion Mirai Nagasu is too young to go, as are Rachael Flatt (second) and Caroline Zhang (fourth). Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker, the pairs winners, are too young, also.
"I feel more confident going to the world championships knowing I have this performance under my belt," Weir said. "I feel I'm a real contender, and can fight with the best in the world."
Every skater says that, but Lysacek and Weir are showing they mean business.
Lysacek has put a quadruple toe loop-triple toe combination in both his short and long programs, and does them no matter what.
He two-footed both attempts at nationals, but that's really not what matters. By getting in the habit of doing a quad now, it will be second nature by the time he gets to Vancouver.
"It is a difficult thing to do under pressure. But if you don't start doing it now, what are you going to do in (2010)?" asked Lysacek's coach, Frank Carroll. "If these boys want to play with the big boys, they have to do them."
Lysacek has also been working to up his difficulty in other parts of his program. Unlike other skaters, who simply skate from one jump to another, he has made the entrances and exits of his jumps more difficult by adding in extra steps, footwork and transitions.
"I've worked so hard this year, especially having difficult entrances and exits into jumps that they're rarely perfect," Lysacek said. "But that's the name of the game now, fighting for every single point. It's actually a good thing the sport is about (that) and it's not just recital, where you show up and do it. You have to go out and fight."