SPOKANE, Wash. -- Well, well, well. Look who will be bringing some new tricks to the world championships.

Evan Lysacek landed his first quad-triple jump combination on his way to winning the men's title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Saturday night. Johnny Weir two-footed his quad attempt, but he at least stayed upright and showed during practices he can pull off the four-revolution jump.

With quads in tow, the U.S. men are sending a message to the rest of the world: Americans are going to contend with anyone at the world championships in Tokyo in March. Even quad monster Brian Joubert of France.

"We're going to try and kick butt," said Priscilla Hill, Weir's coach.

It takes more than one jump to win a world title. But the quad is such a biggie, in points and prestige, that skaters who can't do one are starting from behind.

Which is part of the reason no American man has won a world title since Todd Eldredge in 1996 -- without the quad.

Kurt Browning was the first to land a quad in competition in 1988, and it has become a common sight in the past decade. Alexei Yagudin, Elvis Stojko, Evgeni Plushenko, Stephane Lambiel, Joubert -- they all had them, and most had more than one. Joubert does as many as three in his free skate, though he only needed one to win the European title this weekend.

But the only American who has been able to land the quad with any consistency was Tim Goebel. Since he faded from the scene, no American has gone to worlds with a quad in his arsenal. Which meant that unless one of the big names faltered, the best the Americans could realistically expect was second or third.

Look at Lysacek. He won bronze medals at the past two worlds, and was fourth at the Turin Olympics. But if he wanted to climb the podium -- not to mention claim the U.S. title -- he had to put the quad in his routine.

Now that he has proven he can do it -- and do it well -- Lysacek goes to worlds with an extra dose of confidence.

"Yes," he said when asked if his showing at nationals will send a message to Joubert. "I think that he has sort of dominated international skating this season, but only because I think it's sort of a transitional period for a lot of countries. He came out like gang-busters and has been doing the quad for four seasons.

"It's a new jump for us. To put three in a program is a little bit unrealistic," he said. "But there are areas in my skating that are stronger than his. There are a lot of other skaters who have areas of their skating that are stronger than his."