Baldwin, Inoue ice U.S. title

They are going to the Olympics after making a first throw triple axel.
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- So what if pairs has the weakest field at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Rena Inoue and John Baldwin don't care -- they're going to the Olympics, armed with a throw triple axel no other couple has done.
They landed the ultra-difficult move midway through their free skate Friday, helping them jump from fourth place after a weak short program to their second U.S. crown. With only the gold medalists at nationals guaranteed a place on the Olympic team, their surge had them celebrating.
"We want to put our mark on the sport and push pairs figure skating to next level," Baldwin said.
Two U.S. Figure Skating officials confirmed no other couple has done the move in competition.
Finishing second were Marcy Hinzmann and Aaron Parchem, who also were second in the short program. That was good enough for their ticket to Turin when an international committee selected them.
No American is threat
But no American couple is considered a medals threat next month, even with that throw triple axel in the U.S. champions' repertoire.
Inoue, a two-time Olympian in singles and pairs for Japan, and Baldwin started slowly. He barely saved his triple toe loop -- it wasn't artistic, but he stayed upright -- and their pace was slow. But then came the historic axel, which energized the couple and the crowd.
Driven on by the growing clamor from the audience, and sensing an Olympic berth was at hand, the two veterans were spectacular the rest of the way.
Their lifts were solid, their footwork impressive. By the conclusion, the fans were on their feet and Baldwin was pumping his arms as if he'd just scored a hat trick.
A kiss
Even his parents came down from the upper seats to hug both of them at rinkside, moments after Baldwin, 32, gave Inoue, 29, a passionate kiss.
"I've kissed her before," Baldwin joked.
"I wasn't worried directly about the throw triple axel," she said. "I just wanted to make sure each position beforehand was right. Once I took off in the air, I try to pull back, keep myself straight. I just have to trust myself that it's going to be there."
It was. So was a trip to Turin.
Hinzmann and Parchem had two nice throws and some excellent footwork, but they earned second place more on their steadiness and lack of critical errors.
"We made a lot of big steps from last year to this year," he said. "It just felt good to go out there and skate another program we could be proud of."
Slipping below them were defending champions Katie Orscher and Garrett Lucash, who faltered in the free skate as the final couple on the ice. They had won the short.
"It was like a deer in front of headlights," Lucash said. "I don't think we skated and performed anywhere near of what we were expecting to do."