Robin Szolkowy
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| Robin Szolkowy and his partner Aljona Savchenko during their free program at the 2007 German National Championships in Oberstdorf | ||
| Personal Info | ||
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| Country: |  Germany |
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| Residence: | Chemnitz, Germany | |
| Height: | 175 cm (5'9") | |
| Partner: | Aljona Savchenko | |
| Coach: | Ingo Steuer | |
| Skating Club: | Chemnitzer EC | |
| ISU Personal Best Scores | ||
| Short + Free Total: | 199.39 | 2007 Europeans |
| Short Program: | 67.65 | 2007 Worlds |
| Free Skate: | 134.01 | 2007 Europeans |
Robin Szolkowy (born 17 July 1979 in Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany) is an internationally ranked pair figure skater. He and his partner, Aljona Savchenko, are the current World pair bronze medalists and current European pair champions. The team lives and trains in eastern German city of Chemnitz, and is coached by former world pair champion Ingo Steuer.
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[edit] Biography
Szolkowy's mother, a nurse, met his father, a Tanzanian medical doctor, when the latter studied in Greifswald. Although Robin has seen photos of his father, the two have never met.[1] Szolkowy began skating when he was 4 years old. Originally a singles skater, he switched to pairs when he was 16.
Savchenko is Szolkowy's third pair skating partner. His first partner, Johanna Otto, was followed in 1997 by Claudia Rauschenbach, daughter of two-time World gold medalist and 1980 Olympic champion Anett Pötzsch. Rauschenbach and Szolkowy won the German Junior National pair title three times and the German National senior pair gold medal in 2001, but never placed higher than ninth at Junior Worlds. Their coach was Monika Scheibe.
After Rauschbach retired, Szolkowy did not find a new skating partner for a year and a half. During the forced hiatus, he participated in synchronized skating in an effort to maintain some of his skills. In May 2003, Ingo Steuer brought Aljona Savchenko, the 2000 World Junior Pairs Champion (with Stanislav Morozov), from her native Ukraine to Chemnitz for what would be a successful try-out with Szolkowy. Three months later, Savchenko relocated to Germany and the pair began training in earnest.
Savchenko and Szolkowy won their first major competition, the German Nationals, in early 2004. The two made their international debut as a team at the start of the 2004/2005 season, again winning the German National title and placing fourth at the Europeans and sixth at the World Championships.
During the 2005/2006 season, Savchenko and Szolkowy won their third German National title, as well as Grand Prix Skate Canada, where they won both the short program and free skate. They placed second at Europeans, third at the Grand Prix Final, and sixth at Worlds. Savchenko was granted German citizenship on 29 December 2005, allowing the pair to compete in the 2006 Winter Olympic Games, where they finished sixth.
In 2007, Savchenko and Szolkowy earned their first World Championship medal, a bronze, scoring a new personal best for their short program, 67.65 points. While winning their first European pair title earlier this year, the team set new personal bests for total points (199.39) and for their free skate program (134.01).[2] Savchenko and Szolkowy also won their fourth German National pair title. At the end of the 2006/2007 season, the pair ranked third on the International Skating Union's World Standings.[3]
[edit] Programs
2006/2007 Short Program Music: Once Upon a Time in Mexico by Brian Setzer
2006/2007 Free Skate Music: The Mission (soundtrack) by Ennio Morricone
[edit] Results
(with Rauschenbach)
| Event/Season | 1998-1999 | 1999-2000 | 2000-2001 |
| German Championships | 1st J | 1st J | 1st |
| European Championships | - | 7th | - |
| Blue Swords | 8th | - | 6th |
| Hungarian Trophy | 6th | - | - |
| Salchow Trophy | - | 5th | - |
| Junior World Championships | - | 10th | 9th |
| JGP The Hague | 4th | - | - |
| JGP Gdansk | - | - | 7th |
| Event/Season | 1998-1999 | 1999-2000 | 2000-2001 |
(with Savchenko)
| Event/Season | 2003-2004 | 2004-2005 | 2005-2006 | 2006-2007 |
| German Championships | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| European Championships | - | 4th | 2nd | 1st |
| World Championships | - | 6th | 6th | 3rd |
| Winter Olympics | - | - | 6th | - |
| Grand Prix Final | - | - | 3rd | 2nd |
| Skate Canada Int. | - | - | 1st | - |
| Cup of China | - | - | - | 3rd |
| Cup of Russia | - | 3rd | - | 1st |
| NHK Trophy | - | - | 2nd | - |
| Nebelhorn Trophy | - | 3rd | - | - |
| Ondrej Nepela Memorial | - | 1st | 1st | - |
| Event/Season | 2003-2004 | 2004-2005 | 2005-2006 | 2006-2007 |
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/5092356/detail.html
- ^ http://www.isufs.org/bios/isufs00007498.htm
- ^ http://www.isufs.org/ws/wspairs.htm
[edit] External link
- Robin Szolkowy at the International Skating Union biography page
[edit] Navigation
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Szolkowy, Robin |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | German figure skater |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 17 July 1979 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
