2009 United States Figure Skating Championships - Qualifying

Qualifying

Qualification for the U.S. Championships began at one of nine regional competitions. The regions are New England, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Upper Great Lakes, Eastern Great Lakes, Southwestern, Northwest Pacific, Central Pacific, and Southwest Pacific. The top four finishers in each regional advance to one of three sectional competitions (Eastern, Midwestern, and Pacific Coast). Skaters who placed in the top four at sectionals advanced to the U.S. Championships.

The top five finishers in each discipline from the previous year were given byes to the U.S. Championships, as were any skaters who qualify for the Junior or the Senior Grand Prix Final. Skaters were also given byes through a qualifying competition if they are assigned to an international event during the time that qualifying event was to take place. For example, if a skater competed at an event at the same time as his or her regional competition, that skater would receive a bye to sectionals. If a skater competed at an event at the same time as his or her sectional competition, that skater would qualify for the national event without having had to compete at a sectional championship.