Neil Wilson (figure skater)

Neil Wilson
Personal information
Country represented United Kingdom
Born 26 June 1978
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Former coach Joanne McLeod, Kevin Bursey, Philip and Sue Walsh
Former choreographer Joanne McLeod, Kevin Cottam
Former skating club Centrum Elite, Arestwick
Former training locations Vancouver
Ayr
Began skating 1986
Retired 2004

Neil Wilson (born 26 June 1978) is a British former competitive figure skater. He is a three-time British national champion in men's singles (1997, 2000, and 2003).

Career

Wilson began skating at age eight after a rink opened near his home.[1] He competed at three World Junior Championships, achieving his best result, sixth, in 1997 in Seoul, South Korea. He also competed at four World Championships — best result: 20th at the 1996 Worlds in Edmonton, Alberta — and four European Championships, obtaining his best result, 13th, at the 1999 Europeans in Prague, Czech Republic. Wilson defeated Steven Cousins to win the 1997 British Championships, held in November 1996.[2] He would go on to win two more senior national titles.

In 1997, Wilson entered the Guinness Book of World Records for the most rotations in an upright spin — he performed a forward scratch spin with 60 uninterrupted rotations.[1] His coaches included Philip and Sue Walsh and then Kevin Bursey in Ayr, Scotland.[3] In June 2001, he moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, where his coach became Joanne McLeod.[1]

Wilson retired from competition after the 2004 World Championships in Dortmund. He became a figure skating coach and choreographer at the BC Center of Excellence in Burnaby, British Columbia. He has worked with Kevin Reynolds, Jeremy Ten,[4] and Kelsey Wong.[5]

Programs

Season Short program Free skating
2002–2003
[6][1]
  • Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in E Minor
    by Julius Conus
    performed by the Russian National Orchestra
2000–2001
[3]
  • Sikuriadas
    by Incantation

Competitive highlights

Results[6][3]
International
Event 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04
Worlds 20th 33rd 26th 23rd
Europeans 16th 15th 13th 14th
GP Skate Canada 9th 11th
Finlandia 13th 8th
Golden Spin 5th
Nebelhorn 9th
Skate Israel 13th
International: Junior
Junior Worlds 12th 10th 6th
Blue Swords 8th J. 5th J.
EYOF 8th J.
National
British Champ. 1st J. 5th 2nd 1st 2nd 1st 2nd 2nd 1st
J. = Junior level; GP = Grand Prix (earlier: Champions Series)

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Mittan, Barry (27 June 2003). "Move to Vancouver Rejuvenates Britain’s Wilson". Golden Skate.
  2. Burton, Mark (16 November 1996). "Ice Skating: Hard acts for Cousins to follow". Independent.co.uk.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Neil WILSON: 2000/2001". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 April 2001.
  4. "Jeremy TEN: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014.
  5. "Kelsey WONG: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 9 February 2014.
  6. 6.0 6.1 "Neil WILSON: 2002/2003". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012.

External links