Why did the United States send three men for singles figure skating but only two women?
As with most things figure skating, the process gets complicated for the layperson. The short answer is that the number of skaters the United States was allowed to send to the Olympics was based on the finishes of its skaters at last year’s world championships. Three American men competed at the 2009 worlds. Because the total of their two best finishes, first (Evan Lysacek) and ninth (Brandon Mroz), was less than 13, the United States could send the maximum three to Vancouver. Two American women competed at worlds. Because their finishes totaled more than 13 but less than 28 (fifth, Rachael Flatt, and 11th, Alissa Czisny), the United States could send only two women to the Olympics instead of three. Lysacek and Flatt made the Olympic team. Lysacek is second going into tonight’s free skate. Blog of the day Follow the Lightning’s and Sweden’s Mattias Ohlund, right, in Vancouver at lightning.nhl.com. From his Wednesday entry, written before Sweden’s opener against Germany: “It is really i
