Misplaced Pages

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 70.16.74.58 (talk) at 18:02, 1 January 2007 (→External links). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This article does not cite any sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Johnny Weir" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2006) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Johnny Weir
Johnny Weir at the 2004 World Championships in Dortmund.
Height	5 ft 9 in (172 cm)
Figure skating career
Country	United States
Coach	Priscilla Hill Tatiana Tarasova Marina Anissina
Skating club	SC of New York

John G. "Johnny" Weir (born July 2, 1984) is the three-time and reigning U.S. national champion in men's figure skating. He is currently ranked 8th in the world.

Biography

Weir was born in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Weir became interested in figure skating while watching Oksana Baiul win the in Olympic gold medal. He taught himself how to jump on roller skates in his basement. After his parents bought him figure skates, he practiced on a frozen corn field. His parents then bought him lessons and, after showing promise, Weir focused completely on becoming a skater. Although he began skating at the relatively late age of 12, he progressed quickly through the ranks. He performed an Axel jump in his first week on skates, showing immense talent. He competed in pair skating with Jodi Rudden on the juvenile and intermediate levels, but gave it up to focus on single skating.

Weir's first major victory came in 2001 when, at the age of 16, he won the World Junior Championships. There he skated three clean programs and came in first ahead of fellow American Evan Lysacek. This was the first time since 1987 that the U.S. had placed first and second on the World Junior podium. Weir also placed sixth that year at the senior U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

At the 2003 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, he literally hit the wall during his long program. He restarted the program, but injured himself later on a failed triple axel landing. This time he was too injured to restart, so he withdrew from the competition.

The 2003-2004 season was the turning point for Weir. He qualified for the U.S. Figure Skating Championships by winning his regional and sectional championships. He received his first 6.0 during his long program at 2004 U.S. Championships, winning the gold over Michael Weiss and Matthew Savoie. He then competed at the 2004 Worlds and placed fifth.

In the 2004-2005 season, Weir won his first two Grand Prix titles. He won the first at the NHK Trophy in Japan and the second at Trophée Eric Bompard in France. He came in second at Cup of Russia behind reigning world champion Evgeni Plushenko. At the 2005 U.S. Championships, he successfully defended his title. At Worlds the following month, he placed fourth.

The 2005-2006 Olympic season would prove difficult for Weir. He came in seventh at Skate Canada International after injuring his foot on a jump landing at the start of the free skate and struggling through the rest of the program, and third at Cup of Russia. He rallied at the 2006 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, winning his third consecutive title and was automatically named to the U.S. Olympic team.

At the Olympics, Weir skated a brilliant short program and was in second place behind Evgeni Plushenko in that segment. However, Weir omitted some of his planned jumps in the free skating, and fell to fifth in the final standings. At the 2006 World Championships, Weir finished seventh, fighting a nagging back injury. Weir also landed his first clean quadruple jump at the competition.

He began the 2006-2007 competitive season at Skate Canada International, where he placed third. He went on to Cup of Russia and won the silver medal, his third consecutive medal at that event. He withdrew from the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final after the short program due to injury.

Weir trains at the Pond Ice Arena in Newark, Delaware, under long-time coach Priscilla Hill. He is known for his outstanding style and smooth jump landings. Figure skating commentators have noted that his style is intriguing to watch on the ice regardless of the technical quality of his skating performance because of his fluid movements and soft landings. Unlike most figure skaters, he is a clockwise spinner.

Off the Ice

In academics, he studied linguistics at the University of Delaware before dropping out in his second year to concentrate on his skating. He is interested in fashion design and is a self-proclaimed "Russiaphile" who admires the style of skating and language of Russia. He also speaks French.

Off the ice, he has appeared in a fashion spread in BlackBook Magazine and taught Kathy Griffin how to skate in the season two finale of Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List. During Olympus Fashion Week, Weir modeled for the Heatherette show. He is an avid collector of Russian Cheburashka memorabilia.

Weir has become known for his colorful and outspoken personality off the ice as much as for his artistry and skating skills. There was controversy over statements he made to the media comparing two of his skating costumes to "a Care Bear on acid" and "an icicle on coke", causing officials of the United States Figure Skating Association to speak with him. He caused a stir by wearing an old "USSR" team jacket at the 2006 Olympics. In anticipation of the 2007 National Championships in Spokane, Washington, the USFSA set up a website and released print brochures in the Summer of 2006 advertising the event in which they prominently featured every major American figure skater except Weir, whose glaring omission caught the attention of both the media and figure skating fans. USFSA eventually responded by adding Weir's picture to the website without comment.

Programs

2006 - 2007 Season

Short Program

King of Chess - Silent Nick

Free Skate

Child of Nazareth - Maxime Rodriguez

Exhibition

My Way - Frank Sinatra

Desert Rose - Sting

Yunona and Avos - Alexei Rybnikov

2005 - 2006 Season

Short Program

The Swan - Camille Saint-Saëns

Free Skate

Amazonic + Hana's Eyes + Wonderland - Maksim Mrvica

Otonal - Raul DiBlasio

Exhibition

My Way - Frank Sinatra

Weir returned to Otonal following the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. He performed the program at the 2006 Winter Olympics and at the 2006 World Figure Skating Championships.

2004 - 2005 Season

Short Program

Rondo Capriccioso - Camille Saint-Saëns

Free Skate

Otonal - Raul DiBlasio

Exhibition

Unchained Melody - The Righteous Brothers

Yunona and Avos - Alexei Rybnikov

2003 - 2004 Season

Short Program

Valse Triste - Jean Sibelius

Free Skate

Dr. Zhivago - Maurice Jarre

Exhibition

Imagine - John Lennon

2002 - 2003 Season

Short Program

"Innocence" and "Zydeko" - Benoit Jutras

Free Skate

Soundtrack from Dr. Zhivago - Maurice Jarre

2001 - 2002 Season

Short Program

Les Parapluies de Cherbourg - Itzhak Perlman

Free Skate

Themes from "The Puppet Master," "Spirit of the Peacock," and "City of Sadness" - Zhao Jiping and Nic Rain

2000 - 2001 Season

Short Program

Les Parapluies de Cherbourg - Itzhak Perlman

Free Skate

The Heart of Budapest - Montovani

Exhibition

What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong

This I Promise You - NSync

1999 - 2000 Season

Short Program

Espana Cani - Erich Kunzel

Free Skate

"An American Tail" Soundtrack

Exhibition

What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong

She's All I Ever Had - Ricky Martin

1998 - 1999 Season

Short Program

"Sabre Dance"

Free Skate

Malaguena

1997 - 1998 Season

Short Program

"Russian Folk Music" - Svetit Masjaz

Free Skate

Malaguena

1997 - 1998 Season

Juvenile Program

"Rudy" Soundtrack

Competitive highlights

• N = Novice level; J = Junior level; WD = Withdrew

See also

• Figure Skating
• U.S. Figure Skating Championships
• World Figure Skating Championships
• 2006 Winter Olympics

External links

• Johnny Weir Online - Official website
• Johnny Weir Fans - Johnny Fan Club
• Johnny Weir at the International Skating Union
• Johnny Weir at U.S. Figure Skating (archived)
• Michael Collins Enterprises

Navigation

• Articles lacking sources from December 2006
• 1984 births
• American figure skaters
• Delaware athletes
• Figure skaters at the 2006 Winter Olympics
• Living people
• Olympic competitors for the United States
• People from Pennsylvania
• Clockwise spinners