Fred Richard takes the lead after night one of the 2026 U.S. Championships in Phoenix. According to reports from both Forbes and Yahoo Sports, Richard wins the first night’s competition by a narrow margin over Danila Leykin. The difference between the two skaters is 0.153 points, with Leykin described as a rising competitor. The coverage notes that Richard is one competition away from becoming the U.S. national champion, indicating the event spans multiple segments/nights and that additional competition remains before the national title is decided. Both outlets present the same core details: the event location (Phoenix), the timing (night one), the winner (Fred Richard), the runner-up (Danila Leykin), and the close score gap (0.153).