Meet 2 Minnesotans Competing In The U.S. Figure Skating Championships

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A national figure skating competition is coming to St. Paul, and several skaters from Minnesota will be competing.

Wren Warne-Jacobsen, 12, and Jonathan Yang, 14, are solo intermediate competitors representing Minnesota.

Warne-Jacobsen was 5-years-old when she started skating.

"I love the feeling just gliding across the ice," Warne-Jacobsen said.

Yang said the Minnesota competition will be his first time going to nationals.

"My coaches told me that you're lucky because you get to sleep in your own bed," he said.

The training to get to this point has been anything but easy.

They already made it past regionals and sectionals. Now as they prepare for a national title, practicing at Pleasant Arena in St. Paul, Warne-Jacobsen and Yang juggle school and hours of training, while still finding time for friends and family.

"It's a lot of homework," Yang said.

All of the jumping, twirling, and gliding keeps them focused on the bigger dream of Olympic gold someday.

"I would definitely like to go to the Olympics," Warne-Jacobsen said. "It's one of my main goals for sure."

The U.S. Figure Skating Championships have been held every year since 1914. It runs Jan 15-24 at the Xcel Energy Center.