Duo of Castile, Okolski Score Upset in Pairs

SPOKANE, Wash., Jan. 26 -- John Baldwin and Rena Inoue had everything in their favor entering the free skate at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Friday afternoon. The two-time and defending national pairs champions sat atop the standings after the short program. They boasted the name recognition and years of experience that tend to make judges smile on a performance. And they had the discipline's most difficult maneuver -- a throw triple Axel -- in their repertoire.

But things went awry quickly. Baldwin fell on the opening triple toe loop. Then came their showcase move, and Inoue stumbled. The two spills cost them a two-point deduction and, ultimately, a third national title in what may be their last season of competition.

The unlikely beneficiaries were Brooke Castile and Ben Okolski, a pair of young, driven, innovative skaters based in Canton, Mich., whose best previous finish at a U.S. championships was seventh, in 2005.

Castile, 20, and Okolski, 22, won the national title -- and the honor of representing the United States at the world championships in March -- with a total score of 178.40. They had been a distant third following Wednesday's short program but vaulted ahead of Baldwin and Inoue (178.15), as well as Naomi Nari Nam and Themi Leftheris (168.49), with a fast-paced, varied program that included a throw triple loop, a throw triple Salchow and a triple twist.

"This was our goal," Castile said afterward. "It's a shock, but at the same time I feel like it's something we've always wanted to attain."

As silver medalists, Baldwin and Inoue will also join the U.S. team at worlds. Despite Friday's ragged performance, Baldwin, 33, insisted their goal remains winning a world title.

"We went for everything, and we missed a couple things," Baldwin said of Friday's performance. "The reason we stayed in this season was to get that medal at worlds. That's why we're going to the world championships."

Pairs hasn't been a strength of U.S. figure skating. The country's efforts have long been overshadowed by those of Russia and, more recently, China. But the competition here showed impressive depth, suggesting that a turnaround might be in store for the 2010 Olympics.

In only their second year together, Nam and Leftheris had a golden opportunity to make their mark Friday. They were the last couple to skate and were in second place when they took the ice, aware that Inoue and Baldwin had fallen twice. They started beautifully, radiating grace and affection. But both their throw triple loop and throw triple Salchow ended with Nam on her rump.

"I'm a little disappointed; I'm not going to lie," Nam said. "We were in a very good place after the short and I think we got a little overwhelmed."