Tessa Virtue

Tessa Virtue

Virtue (left) and Moir (right) at the 2008 World Championships.
Personal information
Country represented  Canada
Born May 17, 1989 (1989-05-17) (age 22)
London, Ontario, Canada
Residence Canton, Michigan, United States
Height 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Partner Scott Moir
Coach Igor Shpilband
Marina Zueva
Former coach Carol Moir
Paul MacIntosh
Suzanne Killing
Choreographer Igor Shpilband
Marina Zueva
Skating club Ilderton Skating Club
Current training locations Canton, Michigan
Former training locations Kitchener-Waterloo
Began skating 1994
World standing 3 (As of 17 June 2011 (2011 -06-17))[1]
Season's bests 2 (2010–2011)[2]
1 (2009–2010)[3]
3 (2008–2009)[4]
ISU personal best scores
Combined total 224.43
2010 Worlds
Comp. dance 44.13
2010 Worlds
Original dance 70.27 (WR)
2010 Worlds
Short dance: 74.29
2011 Worlds
Free dance 112.83
2011 Grand Prix FInal

Tessa Virtue (born May 17, 1989) is a Canadian ice dancer who competes with Scott Moir. Virtue and Moir are the 2010 Olympic champions, the 2010 World Champions, the 2008 Four Continents Champions, the 2006 World Junior Champions and the 2008–2010 Canadian national champions.

At the 2009 Skate Canada competition, they became the first ice dance team to ever receive a 10.0 component score mark under the ISU Judging System.[5] They have received more scores of 10.00s than any other figure skating or dance team under the ISU Judging System. They are the current world record score holders for the original dance.[6][7]

Contents

Personal life

Virtue was born in London, Ontario, Canada. She is the youngest of four children.

She attended Holy Names High School in Windsor, in addition to an electronic learning school called "AMDEC" based in Stratford, Ontario. Virtue is currently studying for a degree in psychology at the University of Windsor, commuting across the border from Michigan.[8]

Virtue lives and trains in Canton, Michigan, USA, although her official residence remains London. Virtue and Moir are training mates and friends of the American ice dance team of Meryl Davis and Charlie White.[9]

In October 2010, Virtue, Moir, and co-writer Steve Milton published a book about their career called Tessa And Scott: Our Journey From Childhood Dream To Gold .[10]

Career

Early career

Virtue and Moir began skating together in 1997, paired together by his aunt.[11] Early in their career, they trained in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario with Paul MacIntosh and Suzanne Killing.[12]

In the 2001–2002 season, Virtue and Moir won the bronze medal at the 2002 Canadian Championships at the novice level. The following season, they placed 7th at the 2003 Canadian Championships in the junior division. In 2003, they moved to Canton, Michigan and began working with coaches Igor Shpilband and Marina Zueva at the Arctic Edge Ice Arena.[12][8]

In 2003–2004, they made their ISU Junior Grand Prix debut on the 2003-2004 ISU Junior Grand Prix. They placed 4th at the event in Croatia and 6th in Slovakia. 2004 Canadian Championships, they won the Junior title, qualifying them for the team to the 2004 World Junior Championships, where they placed 11th.

The following season, they moved up to senior nationally but remained juniors internationally. On the 2004-2005 ISU Junior Grand Prix, they won the event in China and won the silver medal at the event in France, which qualified them for the Junior Grand Prix Final, where they won the silver medal. They made their senior national debut at the 2005 Canadian Championships, where they placed fourth. They were named to the team to the 2005 World Junior Championships, where they won the silver medal.

They remained at the junior level internationally in the 2005–2006 season. On the 2005–2006 ISU Junior Grand Prix, they won both their events as well as the Junior Grand Prix Final.

At the 2006 Canadian Championships, they placed 3rd and were named as first alternates to the Olympic team. They were named to the team to the 2006 Four Continents, where they won the bronze medal. At the 2006 World Junior Championships, they became the first Canadian ice dancers to win the title.[12]

Senior career

2006–2007 season

In the 2006–2007 season, Virtue and Moir moved up to the senior level internationally. They made their Grand Prix debut at the 2006 Skate Canada International, where they won the silver medal. They placed 4th at the 2006 Trophée Eric Bompard.

At the 2007 Canadian Championships, they won the silver medal, and repeated their bronze medal finish at Four Continents. In their debut at the World Championships, they placed 6th.

2007–2008 season

Virtue and Moir were assigned to Skate Canada International and the NHK Trophy for the 2007–2008 Grand Prix season. They won the 2007 Skate Canada International and placed second at the 2007 NHK Trophy, qualifying them for the Grand Prix Final, where they came in fourth place.

Virtue and Moir won their first Canadian national title at the 2008 Canadian Championships and earned spots for the Four Continents and World Championships.

They won the gold medal at the 2008 Four Continents Championships. At the 2008 World Championships in Sweden, Virtue and Moir won the silver medal, winning the free dance segment with their program to The Umbrellas of Cherbourg soundtrack.

2008–2009 season

In the 2008–2009 season, Virtue and Moir withdrew from both their Grand Prix events due to Virtue's medical condition; she had been diagnosed with chronic exertional compartment syndrome and underwent surgery in October 2008 to alleviate the condition.[8][13] She returned to the ice at the start of December, which she later said was probably too early.[8] At the 2009 Canadian Championships, they won the gold medal.

At the 2009 Four Continents Championships, they won the silver medal behind Americans Meryl Davis & Charlie White. At the 2009 World Championships, they won the bronze medal, after placing 3rd in the compulsory dance, 6th in the original dance, and 4th in the free skate.

2009–2010 season

They started off the 2009–2010 Olympic season at the 2009 Trophée Eric Bompard, finishing first by a margin of 16.07 points ahead of the silver medalists, Nathalie Péchalat & Fabian Bourzat. They also won the 2009 Skate Canada International, with a total combined score of 204.38 points, 19.31 points ahead of Nathalie Péchalat & Fabian Bourzat. At that competition, they received the first 10.0 for ice dance under the Code of Points.[5] They were second at the Grand Prix Final behind Meryl Davis & Charlie White.

On January 2010, they won their third National title at the 2010 Canadian Championships, placing first all the three segments of the competition and earning 221.95 points overall, which was 37.25 ahead of silver medalists Vanessa Crone & Paul Poirier. They set Canadian records for free dance and for combined total.[14]

They competed in the ice dancing competition at the 2010 Winter Olympics from February 19 through 22. They placed second in the compulsory dance, earning a new personal best score of 42.74 points, just 1.02 off the lead. They earned 68.41 points in the original dance, placing first in that segment of the competition.[15] They scored 110.42 points in the free dance, easily winning the gold medal overall with an insurmountable total score of 221.57, surpassing silver medalists Davis and White by 5.83 points. In the free dance, they received four 10.00 marks from the judges in the program components, two for the performance execution and two for interpretation,[16] a feat never before accomplished by a figure skater/or team under the International Judging System. They became the first Canadian as well as the first North American ice dance team and the youngest dance team to win the Olympics, and the first ice dance team to win the Olympic gold on home ice[17] and also the first ice dancers to win gold on their Olympic debut since the inaugural Olympic ice dance event in 1976.

They competed at the 2010 World Championships, placing first in the compulsory dance with 44.13 points, improving their previous personal best. They also won the original dance with 70.27 points, a world record under the ISU Judging System.[7] They placed second in the free dance with 110.03 points, 0.46 behind Meryl Davis & Charlie White. Overall they claimed their first World Championship title scoring 224.43 points, 1.40 ahead of Meryl Davis & Charlie White. They received numerous 10.00 for program components marks in the original dance and in the free dance.[18][19]

2010–2011 season

For the 2010–2011 ISU Grand Prix season, they were assigned to the 2010 Skate Canada International and to the 2010 Trophée Eric Bompard. Virtue underwent surgery in October 2010 to reduce the lingering pain in her shins and calves that is a result of Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome, leading to their withdrawal from Skate Canada.[13] They also withdrew from the 2011 Canadian Championships because they had not had enough time to train after the surgery.[20]

Virtue and Moir made their season debut at the 2011 Four Continents. They were in the lead following the short dance but withdrew midway through the free dance after Virtue felt tightness in her left quad muscle.[21] Virtue stated, "The issue with my quad was actually coming from my pelvis and my back. [I]t seemed to be stemming from a particular lift we were doing, which was a split lift. Upon returning home to Michigan we changed that lift immediately, so now we do an upside-down position instead of a split."[22] At the 2011 World Championships, they placed second overall by 3.48 points behind the American team of Meryl Davis and Charlie White.

Following the World Championships, Virtue experienced pain in her shins and calves. She decided against another surgery and used other methods to overcome the problem.[23]

2011–2012 season

Virtue and Moir were assigned to two Grand Prix events, 2011 Skate Canada and 2011 Trophee Eric Bompard, having declined a newly introduced option to compete in a third.[24] They announced their music selections in August.[24] Virtue and Moir won their first event of the season, 2011 Finlandia Trophy.[25]

Other skating

Virtue and Moir have toured with Stars on Ice in Canada and performed in ice shows such as Festa on Ice, Shall We Dance On Ice, All That Skate in Los Angeles and 2011 All That Skate Summer.

Programs

Season Short dance Free dance Exhibition
2011–2012[26][27] Hip Hip Chin Chin
by Club des Belugas
Temptation
by Diana Krall
 Mujer Latina
by Thalia		 Funny Face
by George Gershwin
Basal Metabolism
by Adolph Deutsch
'S Wonderful
by George Gershwin		 I Want to Hold Your Hand
by The Beatles
cover by T. V. Carpio
2010–2011 Schenkst Du Beim Tango Mir Dein Herz
by Dajos Bela & Sein Tanzorchester
Nights and Days
soundtrack by Waldemar Kazanecki		 Hip Hip Chin Chin
by Club des Belugas
Temptation
by Diana Krall
 Mujer Latina
by Thalia		 I Want to Hold Your Hand
by The Beatles
cover by T. V. Carpio
Original dance Free dance Exhibition
2009–2010 Farrucas
by Pepe Romero		 Symphony No. 5
by Gustav Mahler
arranged by Ryner Stoetzer		 Everybody Dance Now
by C & C Music Factory
Jack & Diane
by John Mellencamp
2008–2009 Won't You Charleston with Me?
from The Boyfriend		 The Great Gig in the Sky
Money
by Pink Floyd		 Jack & Diane
by John Mellencamp
2007–2008 Dark Eyes
Russian Folk Song		 Umbrellas of Cherbourg
by Michel Legrand		 I Could Have Danced All Night
by Jamie Cullum
Dare You to Move
by Switchfoot
2006–2007 Assassination Tango
Building the Bullet
by Luis Bacalov		 Valse Triste
by Jean Sibelius		 Black Magic Woman
by Santana
Tennessee Waltz
by Holly Cole Trio
2005–2006 Beautiful Maria
by The Mambo Kings
Do You Only Wanna Dance
by Julio Daviel Big Band		 Malaguena
by Raúl di Blasio		 No Me Ames
by Jennifer Lopez & Marc Anthony
Everybody Dance Now
by C & C Music Factory
2004–2005 Call Me Irresponsible
by Bobby Darrin
Puttin On The Ritz		 Adiós Nonino
by Ástor Piazzolla		 Everybody Dance Now
by C & C Music Factory
2003–2004 Tears on My Pillow
by Little Anthony
Tutti Frutti
by Little Richard		 Russian Medley
by Johann Christian Bach		 Tears on My Pillow
by Little Anthony
Tutti Frutti
by Little Richard
2002–2003 Les Poissons
Concerto Sopra Motivi dell'Opera
by Johann Christian Bach		 Magaienha
by Sérgio Mendes
Eres Todo En Mi
by Ana Gabriel
Tres Deseos
by Gloria Estefan

Competitive highlights

(with Moir)

Post-2006

Event 2006–2007 2007–2008 2008–2009 2009–2010 2010–2011 2011–2012
Winter Olympic Games 1st
World Championships 6th 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd
Four Continents Championships 3rd 1st 2nd WD
Canadian Championships 2nd 1st 1st 1st
Grand Prix Final 4th 2nd 2nd
Skate Canada International 2nd 1st 1st 1st
Trophée Eric Bompard 4th 1st 1st
NHK Trophy 2nd
Finlandia Trophy 1st

Pre-2006

Event 2001–2002 2002–2003 2003–2004 2004–2005 2005–2006
Four Continents Championships 3rd
World Junior Championships 11th 2nd 1st
Canadian Championships 3rd N. 7th J. 1st J. 4th 3rd
Junior Grand Prix Final 2nd 1st
Junior Grand Prix, Canada 1st
Junior Grand Prix, Andorra 1st
Junior Grand Prix, China 1st
Junior Grand Prix, France 2nd
Junior Grand Prix, Croatia 4th
Junior Grand Prix, Slovakia 6th
NACS Thornhill 1st J.
Western Ontario Sectionals 1st J. 1st J. 1st
N. = Novice level; J. = Junior level; WD = Withdrew

Detailed results

(with Moir)

Post-2006

2011–2012 season
Date Event SD FD Total
December 8-11, 2011 2011–2012 Grand Prix Final 2
71.01		 2
112.33		 2
183.34
November 17–20, 2011 2011 ISU Grand Prix Trophée Eric Bompard 1
71.18		 1
105.75		 1
176.93
October 27–30, 2011 2011 ISU Grand Prix Skate Canada International 1
71.61		 1
106.73		 1
178.34
October 6–9, 2011 2011 Finlandia Trophy 1
68.74		 1
101.59		 1
170.33
2010–2011 season
Date Event SD FD Total
April 24 – May 1, 2011 2011 ISU World Championships 1
74.29		 2
107.50		 2
181.79
February 15–20, 2011 2011 ISU Four Continents Championships 1
69.40		 –
WD		 –
–
2009–2010 season
Date Event CD OD FD Total
March 22–28, 2010 2010 ISU World Championships 1
44.13		 1
70.27		 2
110.03		 1
224.43
February 14 – 27, 2010 2010 Winter Olympic Games 2
42.74		 1
68.41		 1
110.42		 1
221.57
January 11 – 17, 2010 2010 Canadian Figure Skating Championships 1
43.98		 1
70.15		 1
107.82		 1
221.95
December 3 – 6, 2009 2009–2010 ISU Grand Prix Final NONE 2
64.01		 1
104.21		 2
168.22
November 19 – 22, 2009 2009 ISU Grand Prix Skate Canada International 1
40.69		 1
60.57		 1
103.12		 1
204.38
October 15–18, 2009 2009 ISU Grand Prix Trophée Eric Bompard 1
38.41		 1
61.91		 1
97.39		 1
197.71
2008–2009 season
Date Event CD OD FD Total
April 16–19, 2009 2009 ISU World Team Trophy NONE 2
60.98		 2
95.73		 2
156.71
March 24–28, 2009 2009 ISU World Championships 3
39.37		 6
61.05		 4
99.98		 3
200.40
February 2–8, 2009 2009 ISU Four Continents Championships 1
36.40		 1
60.90		 2
94.51		 2
191.81
January 14–18, 2009 2009 Canadian Figure Skating Championships 1
39.33		 1
63.76		 1
94.68		 1
197.77
2007–2008 season
Date Event CD OD FD Total
March 16–23, 2008 2008 ISU World Championships 2
38.71		 3
64.81		 1
105.28		 2
208.80
February 11–17, 2008 2008 ISU Four Continents Championships 1
38.22		 1
65.02		 1
104.08		 1
207.32
January 16–20, 2008 2008 Canadian Figure Skating Championships 1
40.04		 1
65.29		 1
103.76		 1
209.09
December 13–16, 2007 2007–2008 ISU Grand Prix Final NONE 4
61.14		 4
98.26		 4
163.40
November 28 – 12, 2007 2007 ISU Grand Prix NHK Trophy 2
34.67		 1
62.04		 1
100.18		 2
196.89
November 1–4, 2007 2007 ISU Grand Prix Skate Canada 1
36.25		 1
61.20		 1
99.62		 1
197.07
2006–2007 season
Date Event CD OD FD Total
March 20–25, 2007 2007 ISU World Championships 9
31.45		 6
57.11		 6
95.38		 6
183.94
February 7–10, 2007 2007 ISU Four Continents Championships 4
33.41		 3
57.49		 3
93.99		 3
184.89
January 15–21, 2007 2007 Canadian Figure Skating Championships 2
34.98		 2
59.71		 2
94.80		 2
189.49
October 15 – 18, 2006 2009 Grand Prix Trophée Eric Bompard 5
31.29		 8
45.08		 4
83.75		 4
160.12

References

  1. ^ "ISU World Standings for Single & Pair Skating and Ice Dance : Ice Dance". International Skating Union. June 17, 2011. http://www.isuresults.com/ws/ws/wsdance.htm. Retrieved June 17, 2011. 
  2. ^ "ISU Judging System - Season Bests Total Scores 2010/2011 : Ice Dance". International Skating Union. April 30, 2011. http://www.isuresults.com/isujsstat/sb2010-11/sbtsdto.htm. Retrieved June 17, 2011. 
  3. ^ "ISU Judging System - Season Bests Total Scores 2009/2010 : Ice Dance". International Skating Union. March 26, 2010. http://www.isuresults.com/isujsstat/sb2009-10/sbtsdto.htm. Retrieved June 17, 2011. 
  4. ^ "ISU Judging System - Season Bests Total Scores 2008/2009 : Ice Dance". International Skating Union. April 18, 2009. http://www.isuresults.com/isujsstat/sb2008-09/sbtsdto.htm. Retrieved June 20, 2011. 
  5. ^ a b "News Virtue, Moir win dance at Skate Canada". 2009-11-21. http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091122&content_id=7701516&vkey=ice_news. Retrieved 2009-11-21. 
  6. ^ "ISU Judging System Statistics, Progression of Highest Score, Ice Dance OD". 2010-03-25. http://www.isuresults.com/isujsstat/phsdod.htm. Retrieved 2010-03-25. 
  7. ^ a b "Virtue and Moir maintain lead in Turin". 2010-03-25. http://www.goldenskate.com/articles/2009/w_od.shtml. Retrieved 2010-03-25. 
  8. ^ a b c d Mittan, Barry (August 30, 2009). "Virtue and Moir in Prime Form for Olympics". GoldenSkate. http://www.goldenskate.com/2009/08/virtue-and-moir-in-prime-form-for-olympics/. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
  9. ^ The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/02/23/sports/AP-OLY-FIG-Dance-Final.html?pagewanted=print. 
  10. ^ Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir: Our Journey from Childhood Dream to Gold
  11. ^ "Interview with Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir". GoldenSkate. September 17, 2007. http://www.goldenskate.com/2007/09/interview-with-tessa-virtue-and-scott-moir/. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
  12. ^ a b c Mittan, Barry (May 1, 2006). "Virtue and Moir Win Canada’s First Junior Worlds Dance Crown". SkateToday. http://www.skatetoday.com/2006/05/01/virtue-and-moir-win-canadas-first-junior-worlds-dance-crown/. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
  13. ^ a b "Canada's Virtue sidelined by surgery". CBC Sports. October 12, 2010. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/figureskating/story/2010/10/12/sp-virtue-moir-injury.html. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
  14. ^ "Virtue, Moir make figure skating history". 2010-01-16. http://www.ctvolympics.ca/figure-skating/news/newsid=26429.html. Retrieved 2010-01-16. 
  15. ^ "Vancouver 2010, Original Dance Scores". http://www.vancouver2010.com.+2010-02-21. http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-figure-skating/schedule-and-results/ice-dance---original-dance_fsx030201Hb.html. Retrieved 2010-02-21. 
  16. ^ "XXI Winter Olympics, Ice Dance FD Scores". International Skating Union. 2010-02-22. http://www.isuresults.com/results/owg2010/owg10_IceDance_FD_Scores.pdf. Retrieved 2010-02-22. 
  17. ^ Smith, Beverley (2010-02-22). "Virtue and Moir make history with ice dance gold". CTV Olympics. http://www.ctvolympics.ca/figure-skating/news/newsid=49724.html. Retrieved 2010-02-23. 
  18. ^ "2010 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, Ice Dance FD Scores". International Skating Union. 2010-03-25. http://www.isuresults.com/results/wc2010/wc10_IceDance_OD_Scores.pdf. Retrieved 2010-03-25. 
  19. ^ "2010 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, Ice Dance FD Scores". International Skating Union. 2010-03-26. http://www.isuresults.com/results/wc2010/wc10_IceDance_FD_Scores.pdf. Retrieved 2010-03-26. 
  20. ^ Rutherford, Lynn (January 17, 2011). "Virtue, Moir withdraw from Canadian Champs". Icenetwork. http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110117&content_id=16449504&vkey=ice_news. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
  21. ^ Harrison, Doug (February 18, 2011). "Injury knocks Virtue, Moir out of Four Continents". cbc.ca. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/figureskating/story/2011/02/18/sp-virtue-moir-fourcontinents.html. Retrieved February 18, 2011. 
  22. ^ Ainsworth, Alexa (April 19, 2011). "Virtue, Moir feel like a 'new team'". Universal Sports. http://www.universalsports.com/news-blogs/article/newsid=530338.html. Retrieved April 20, 2011. 
  23. ^ Milton, Steve (October 31, 2011). "Virtue doesn’t have time for the pain". The Hamilton Spectator. Archived from the original on December 11, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/63qj6VqPH. 
  24. ^ a b Kany, Klaus-Reinhold; Rutherford, Lynn (August 8, 2011). "There's no time to waste in Canton". Icenetwork. http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110808&content_id=22925906&vkey=ice_news. Retrieved August 8, 2011. 
  25. ^ DiManno, Rosie (October 26, 2011). "Virtue, Moir bring Funny Face program to Skate Canada". Toronto Star. http://www.thestar.com/sports/figureskating/article/1076498--virtue-moir-bring-funny-face-program-to-skate-canada. Retrieved October 26, 2011. 
  26. ^ "Tessa VIRTUE / Scott MOIR: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on November 28, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/63WpC8IoO. 
  27. ^ Sciarrillo, Laura (December 8, 2011). "Jazz Dance, Rhumba, CD and OD. Talking with Virtue/Moir during the Trophée Bompard". ArtOnIce.it. http://www.artonice.it/?q=en/node/11053. Retrieved January 3, 2012. 

External links