Type: National Championship Season: 1964–65 Venue: Olympic Arena | Date: February 10 – 13 Location: Lake Placid, New York | |
The 1965 United States Figure Skating Championships was an event organized by U.S. Figure Skating to determine the U.S. national champions and the U.S. team for the 1965 World Championships. Medals were awarded in three colors: gold (first), silver (second), and bronze (third) in four disciplines – men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, and ice dancing – across three levels: senior, junior, and novice. The event was held at the (1932) Olympic Arena in Lake Placid, New York, from February 10 to 13, 1965.
Gary Visconti defeated defending champion Scott Allen in the men's event, winning both the compulsory figures and free skating. Visconti skated a clean free skate with double jumps while Allen, although landing a triple salchow, fell on a triple loop and made other mistakes. Tim Wood was third in both figures and free skating, where he landed a good triple salchow.
In the ladies' event, Peggy Fleming retained her title. She had placed second to Christine Haigler in the compulsory figures, but Haigler fell three times in her free skate, while Fleming skated a clean program with superior connecting moves as well as clean double axel and double lutz jumps. Tina Noyes also skated a strong program with a double axel and several double jump combinations to take the bronze medal.
In the pairs and dance competitions, the 1964 champions had retired. The new pair champions were Vivian and Ronald Joseph. Both they and the second-place team Cynthia and Ronald Kauffman performed unusual pair spin variations in their free skating programs. Kristin Fortune and Dennis Sveum were the new dance champions.
Ice dancing (Silver Dance)
* Eliminated before final round