Aaron takes US figure skating crown, Abbott to miss worlds

OMAHA, Nebraska (AFP) –

Max Aaron competes in the Men’s Free Skate during the 2013 Prudential US Figure Skating Championships at CenturyLink Center on January 27, 2013 in Omaha, Nebraska. Aaron, fourth after the short programme, landed an impressive quadruple salchow in Sunday’s free skate final on his way to winning the men’s title at the US Figure Skating Championships.

Max Aaron, fourth after the short programme, landed an impressive quadruple salchow in Sunday’s free skate final on his way to winning the men’s title at the US Figure Skating Championships.

Defending champion Jeremy Abbott won the short programme winner on Friday and veteran Ross Miner and teen Joshua Farris were also ahead of Aaron entering the free skate.

But Aaron took the top spot by winning Sunday with 175.87 points to 170.30 for Miner.

Aaron paced the overall standings with 255.00 points to 251.29 for Miner and 249.33 for Abbott, who fell on his quad attempt and doubled what was meant to be a triple salchow on his way to a shocking third in the free skate at 165.23.

As a result, unheralded Aaron and Miner will be headed to the world championships in March in Canada while Abbott, who was bidding for his fourth US national crown, will be staying home.

“It hasn’t hit me,” Aaron said. “I kind of feel like just another event. I’ve been concentrating on giving my all at every event.

“I’ve been training the same way for so long and for it to finally click is priceless.”

The US men’s field was without 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic champion Evan Lysacek, who is still recovering from surgery for a hernia.