Nov. 21--Figure skater Jason Brown has withdrawn from next week's NHK Trophy in Japan with a back strain, knocking him out of contention for the Grand Prix Final.
Brown, the reigning U.S. champion from Highland Park, hurt the back in training, according to a statement from U.S. Figure Skating.
The statement said Brown expects to be fully recovered before the 2016 U.S. Championships Jan. 15-24 in Saint Paul.
Brown's third place at Skate America gave him an outside chance at making the final, especially since the field may be expanded from the planned six because the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris forced cancellation of the free skate phase of the Bompard Trophy Grand Prix event in Bordeaux.
The International Skating Union has yet to announce how it will determine qualifiers for the final under the new circumstances.
Each skater normally can get points from two Grand Prix events. The NHK Trophy is the final stop in the six-event Grand Prix "regular season."
