Michael Weiss (figure skater)

Michael Weiss (born August 2, 1976) is an American former competitive and currently professional figure skater. He is in the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame and is a three-time national champion (1999, 2000, 2003) a two-time World bronze medalist (1999, 2000), and a two-time Olympic team member.

Michael Weiss
Michael Weiss in 2010
Personal information
Country represented	United States
Born	(1976-08-02) August 2, 1976 Washington, DC
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Coach	Don Laws, Audrey Weisiger
Choreographer	Lisa Thornton-Weiss, Peter Tchernyshev
Skating club	Washington, FSC
Former training locations	Fairfax, Virginia Laurel, Maryland
Began skating	1985
Retired	2006
ISU personal best scores
Combined total	206.94 2003 Skate America
Short program	73.85 2003 Skate America
Free skate	133.09 2003 Skate America
Medal record Figure skating: Men's singles Representing United States World Championships 2000 Nice Men's singles 1999 Helsinki Men's singles Four Continents Championships 2001 Salt Lake City Men's singles Grand Prix Final 2003–04 Colorado Springs Men's singles World Junior Championships 1994 Colorado Springs Men's singles 1993 Seoul Men's singles

Personal life

Michael Weiss was born August 2, 1976 in Washington, DC.[1] His father, Greg, was a gymnast on the 1964 Olympic team, and his mother, Margie, was also a gymnast and national champion.[2] His sister Geremi was a figure skater and junior national silver medalist;[3] his other sister, Genna, was junior world diving champion.[2]

Weiss graduated from Wilbert Tucker Woodson High School in Fairfax, Virginia.[4] He holds an associate degree in business marketing from Prince George's Community College. Weiss was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. In September 1997, he married his jazz dance teacher, Lisa Thornton.[1] Their daughter, Annie-Mae, was born in September 1998 and their son, Christopher Michael, in October 1999.[1][5]

Career

Weiss began skating in 1986.[1] Audrey Weisiger coached him from the age of nine.[6] Weiss took the silver medal at the 1993 World Junior Championships in Seoul, South Korea and won gold at the 1994 World Junior Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

At the 1997 U.S. Championships, Weiss attempted to become the first American to land the quad toe loop. It was initially believed to have been successful but three hours after the competition, U.S. Figure Skating ruled that the jump had been two-footed and decided not to ratify it.[7][8] He pulled up from fifth after the short program to take the silver medal behind Todd Eldredge and was sent to Lausanne, Switzerland to compete at his first World Championships, where he finished seventh.

In February 1999, Weiss won his first senior national title at the U.S. Championships in Salt Lake City, Utah. The following month, he was awarded the bronze medal at the 1999 World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. After recovering from a stress fracture in his left ankle, Weiss defended his national title at the 2000 U.S. Championships in Cleveland, Ohio and won bronze at the 2000 World Championships in Nice, France.[9]

Weiss missed part of the 2000–01 season due to a stress fracture in his foot.[10] At the start of the 2002–03 season, Don Laws filled in for Weisiger at the Campbell's Classic.[11] On October 29, 2002, Weiss decided to leave Weisiger to train full-time with Laws.[9][6]

Weiss competed 19 consecutive years at the U.S. Championships. He was the first American to land a quadruple toe loop in competition. He invented the "Tornado", a backflip with a full twist, and debuted it at the Hallmark Skaters Championship in December 2002.[11] Though not allowed in competition, it is a crowd favorite in exhibitions.

Weiss turned professional in 2006. He toured with Stars On Ice and competed in Ice Wars. Around 2012, he began teaching skating skills to hockey players.[4]

Michael Weiss Foundation

While still an eligible skater, Weiss started the Michael Weiss Foundation, which gives scholarships to up-and-coming figure skaters. Skaters who have received scholarships include Nathan Chen, Adam Rippon, Ashley Wagner, Mirai Nagasu, Madison and Keiffer Hubbell, Daisuke Murakami, and Christine Zukowski.[12]

Programs

Season	Short program	Free skating
2005–2006 [1]	Semiramide Overture by Gioachino Rossini La Donna e Mobile by Giuseppe Verdi	Symphony No 6 by Ludwig van Beethoven Moonlight Sonata by Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No 9, Ode of Joy by Ludwig van Beethoven
2004–2005 [9]	Henry V by Patrick Doyle	Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin Bonzo's Montreaux by Led Zeppelin Unforgiven by Metallica
2003–2004 [9]	Henry V by Patrick Doyle	Patriotic medley
2002–2003 [13]	Selections by van Halen and Metallica	Malagueña by Ernesto Lecuona Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo Malagueña by Ernesto Lecuona
2001–2002 [14]	Malagueña by Ernesto Lecuona	Che Gelida Manina by Giacomo Puccini La Tregenda by Giacomo Puccini performed by the Czechoslovak Orchestra Nessun dorma by Giacomo Puccini performed by the National Opera Orchestra
2000–2001 [10]	Taras Bulba by Franz Waxman	William Tell Overture by Gioachino Rossini

Competitive highlights

GP: Champions Series / Grand Prix

International[15]
Event	92–93	93–94	94–95	95–96	96–97	97–98	98–99	99–00	00–01	01–02	02–03	03–04	04–05	05–06
Olympics						7th				7th
Worlds					7th	6th	3rd	3rd		6th	5th	6th
Four Continents									3rd					9th
GP Final							4th					3rd
GP Cup of Russia					3rd	4th			6th			4th
GP Nations Cup/ Sparkassen/Bofrost						5th				8th	4th
GP Lalique/Bompard					3rd		2nd	5th			1st	3rd		6th
GP NHK Trophy													4th
GP Skate America				2nd			2nd	4th		4th	5th	1st	3rd
GP Skate Canada					6th
Goodwill Games			6th				4th			2nd
Nations Cup			10th
Nebelhorn Trophy		2nd			1st
St. Gervais		2nd
Universiade			1st
International: Junior[15]
Junior Worlds	2nd	1st
National[9]
U.S. Champ.	1st J	8th	6th	5th	2nd	2nd	1st	1st	4th	3rd	1st	2nd	5th	4th
U.S. Olympic Fest.	6th
J = Junior level

National
Event	87–88	88–89	89–90	90–91	91–92
U.S. Championships	6th N	2nd N	5th N	3rd N	5th J
U.S. Championships, figures			1st	2nd
Levels: N = Novice; J = Junior

References

1. "Michael WEISS: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on December 5, 2010.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
2. Mittan, J. Barry (1995). "Strong Family Makes Weiss a Contender". Archived from the original on May 14, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
3. Brannen, Sarah S.; Meekins, Drew (September 20, 2011). "The Inside Edge: The new quad king". Icenetwork. Retrieved September 20, 2011.
4. Meldrum Denholm, Kristine (March 20, 2015). "Pro figure skaters like Olympian Michael Weiss teaching skating for hockey players". USA Today.
5. "Michael Weiss Juggles Skating and Fatherhood". Celebrity Baby Blog. March 29, 2009.
6. "Healthy Weiss happy with recent change". Associated Press. ESPN. January 13, 2003.
7. Penner, Mike (February 16, 1997). "All Quarrel, No Quad in Nashville". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
8. Longman, Jere (February 16, 1997). "Kwan's Slips Open Door For a Younger Champion". The New York Times. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
9. "Michael Weiss". U.S. Figure Skating. Archived from the original on July 21, 2006.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
10. "Michael WEISS: 2000/2001". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on July 15, 2001.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
11. "The 2002-03 Season: Michael Weiss". U.S. Figure Skating. 2003.
12. "Michael Weiss Foundation Show To Raise Money for Rising Stars". U.S. Figure Skating. September 5, 2006.
13. "Michael WEISS: 2002/2003". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on August 4, 2003.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
14. "Michael WEISS: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 11, 2002.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
15. "Michael WEISS". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 23, 2017. Retrieved April 23, 2017.

External links

• MichaelWeiss.org - Official website
• Michael Weiss at the International Skating Union
• USOC Bio Page - US Olympic Committee Biography