USA TODAY Sports' Christine Brennan looks ahead to the 2018 U.S. Figure Skating Championships that will help to decide who will represent Team USA at the 2018 Winter Olympics. USA TODAY Sports
SAN JOSE, Calif. – In U.S. ice dance, as of Friday afternoon, there now is a clear first among equals heading to the 2018 Winter Olympics.
The brother-sister team of Alex and Maia Shibutani took a 3.23-point lead on their two major competitors in the short dance at the U.S. national figure skating championships. That might not sound like a lot, but it’s the equivalent of a 4-0 lead in the fifth inning of a baseball game, or a 5-meter advantage in the 100-meter dash.