FOUR WEEKS TO OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES: NBC PRESENTS LIVE PRIMETIME U.S. FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS THIS WEEKEND

U.S. Championships Coverage Includes Live Pairs', Ice Dance, Ladies' and Men's Free Skate Competitions

Live Coverage Begins Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on NBC

Stamford, Conn. - January 9, 2014 - NBC presents live primetime U.S. Figure Skating Championships coverage this weekend - four weeks to the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. Live coverage begins Saturday at 3 p.m. ET and continues in primetime at 8 p.m. ET. Sunday's live coverage begins at 3 p.m. ET.

The U.S. Championships serve as the final qualifying competition before U.S. Figure Skating nominates the 2014 U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team. NBC's coverage includes pairs', ice dance, ladies' and men's free skate, including the performance of 2010 Vancouver Olympic silver medalists and two-time World ice dance champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White, who are competing for a record sixth national title. In addition, NBC will present the Smucker's Skating Spectacular exhibition gala, featuring the members of the U.S. Olympic team, on Sat., Jan. 18 at 4 p.m. ET.

Team USA will send three ladies, two men, two pairs teams and three ice dance teams to the Sochi Games. The ladies' field is highlighted by two-time reigning U.S. champion Ashley Wagner, 2013 U.S. silver medalist Gracie Gold, 2013 U.S. bronze medalist Agnes Zawadzki and two-time U.S. champion and 2010 Olympian Mirai Nagasu. The men's competition features reigning U.S. champion Max Aaron, three-time U.S. champion and 2010 Olympian Jeremy Abbott, 2012 U.S. silver medalist Adam Rippon, and 2013 U.S. bronze medalist Ross Miner. In pairs, 2013 U.S. champions Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir and 2012 U.S. champions Caydee Denney and John Coughlin compete.

COMMENTATORS: Play-by-play announcers Tom Hammond and Terry Gannon, analysts Sandra Bezic, a 1972 Olympian and five-time Canadian pairs champion, and Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton, and reporter Andrea Joyce will call the action from TD Garden in Boston, Mass.

Gannon will also serve as the play-by-play announcer for the Smucker's Spectacular alongside analysts Johnny Weir, a two-time Olympian and three-time U.S. champion, and Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski.

Sandra Bezic: "This year's U.S. National Championships are particularly exciting because it is so unpredictable. Young skaters hungry to make the U.S. Olympic Team know that two great performances can make it possible. Those who we can expect more from, like Ashley Wagner, know a strong showing in Boston is important for confidence and to be considered a contender in Sochi."

NBC's Coverage of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships (all times ET, subject to change):

Sat., Jan. 11 Live Pairs' Free Skate 3 p.m.

Sat., Jan. 11 Live Ladies' Free Skate 8 p.m.

Sun., Jan. 12 Live Men's Free Skate 3 p.m.

Sat., Jan. 18 Smucker's Skating Spectacular 4 p.m.

NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA

NBC Sports Live Extra, NBC Sports Group's live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, and tablets, will stream NBC's coverage of U.S. Figure Skating Championships competition. For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra. The NBC Sports Live Extra app for mobile devices and tablets is available at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and on select Android handset and tablet devices within Google Play.