Stéphane Walker

Stéphane Walker
Born (1990-12-25) 25 December 1990 (age 33)
Sion, Switzerland
Height1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Figure skating career
CountrySwitzerland
PartnerJasmine Tessari
Skating clubCP Sion
Began skating1994

Stéphane Walker (born 25 December 1990) is a Swiss figure skater. Competing in men's singles, he won ten international medals, including two on the ISU Challenger Series, and became a five-time Swiss national champion (2013–14, 2016–18). He appeared in the final segment at seven ISU Championships (six European Championships and the 2014 World Championships). Competing in Ice Dance with former partner Arianna Wroblewska, he is a two-time Swiss national silver medalist. As of July 2021, he is competing with Jasmine Tessari. They are the 2022 Swiss national champions.

Career

Early years

Walker began learning to skate in 1994.[1] His ISU Junior Grand Prix debut came in September 2007; he placed 20th at the Tallinn Cup in Estonia. In the 2007–08 season, he was coached by Heinz Wirz in Sion and Bern, Switzerland.[2]

By the 2009–10 season, Walker was training under Myriam Loriol-Oberwiler in Neuchâtel.[3] He was sent to the 2010 World Junior Championships in The Hague but was eliminated after placing 30th in the short program.

2010–2011 through 2012–2013

In January 2011, Walker appeared at his first senior ISU Championship, the 2011 European Championships in Bern, and qualified for the final segment. He placed 10th in the preliminary round, 24th in the short program, 24th in the free skate, and 24th overall.

At the 2013 European Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, he ranked 24th in the short, 17th in the free, and 20th overall.

2013–2014 season

In September 2013, Walker competed at the Nebelhorn Trophy, the last qualifying opportunity for the 2014 Winter Olympics, but his placement, 15th, was insufficient to earn a spot in Sochi, Russia.

Walker reached the free skate at two ISU Championships – he finished 17th at the 2014 European Championships in January in Budapest, Hungary, and 23rd at the 2014 World Championships in March in Saitama, Japan.

2014–2015 season

Walker had surgery on his right foot in June 2014[4] and spent ten weeks in a cast.[5] He resumed training in mid-November 2014.[5] He competed at the 2015 European Championships in Stockholm and 2015 World Championships in Shanghai but was eliminated after the short program at both events.

2015–2016 and 2016–2017 seasons

By December 2015, Walker was training under Franca Bianconi and Rosanna Murante in Sesto San Giovanni, Italy.[6][7] At the 2016 European Championships in Bratislava, he placed 22nd in the short, 18th in the free, and 19th overall. He also qualified to the free skate at the 2017 European Championships in Ostrava, placing 19th in the short, 15th in the free, and 17th overall.

2017–2018 season

Walker finished 9th at the 2017 CS Nebelhorn Trophy. Due to his result, Switzerland was the second alternate country for the men's event at the 2018 Winter Olympics. He placed 18th (16th in the short, 20th in the free) at the 2018 European Championships in Moscow. He did not advance to the free skate at the 2018 World Championships in Milan.

2018–2019 season

In October 2018, Walker teamed up with Arianna Wróblewska to compete in ice dancing.[8] Two months later they placed second at the Swiss National Championships.

Programs

Walker at the 2017 World Championships

Ice dancing

Season Rhythm dance Free dance
2019-2020
2018–2019

Single skating

Season Short program Free skating
2017–2018
[1]
2016–2017
[9]
2015–2016
[6]
2014–2015
[4]
  • Piano Concerto No. 21, Andante
    by Wolfgang A. Mozart
2013–2014
[10]
  • Strobe's Nanafushi
    by Kodo
2012–2013
[11]
  • Melodia del Rio
    by Ruben Gonzalez
  • La Lluvia
    by Ruben Gonzalez
  • Atonement
    by Dario Marianelli
  • Primavera
    by Ludocivo Einaudi
2009–2011
[3][12]
2007–2008
[2]

Results

CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

Ice dancing with Tessari

International
Event 21–22
Worlds 23rd
Europeans 19th
CS Warsaw Cup 14th
Challenge Cup 4th
Cup of Nice 7th
NRW Trophy 3rd
National
Swiss Champ. 1st

Ice dancing with Wróblewska

International
Event 18–19 19–20 20–21
CS Ice Star 8th
CS Nebelhorn Trophy 5th
Bavarian Open 10th
Bosphorus Istanbul Cup 10th
Egna Trophy 7th
Mentor Toruń Cup 11th
Open d'Andorra 7th
Open Ice Mall Cup 9th
National
Swiss Championships 2nd 2nd
Ticino Cup 2nd

Men's singles

International[13]
Event 06–07 07–08 08–09 09–10 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14 14–15 15–16 16–17 17–18
Worlds 23rd 30th 28th 27th
Europeans 24th 20th 17th 26th 19th 17th 18th
CS Ice Challenge 8th
CS Lombardia 4th 9th
CS Nebelhorn 9th
CS Nepela 7th
CS Warsaw Cup 9th 3rd 2nd
Bavarian Open 10th
Challenge Cup 9th 11th 9th 5th
Crystal Skate 5th 4th
Cup of Nice 8th 14th 12th
Cup of Tyrol 4th 6th
Dragon Trophy 4th
Gardena 3rd 3rd
Golden Bear 3rd
Hamar Trophy 1st
Ice Challenge 9th 8th
Merano Cup 1st
Nebelhorn Trophy 15th
Nepela Trophy 8th
NRW Trophy 11th
Slovenia Open 5th 3rd
Sportland Trophy 3rd
Triglav Trophy 7th 5th
Warsaw Cup 1st
Universiade 15th 14th 13th
International: Junior[13]
Junior Worlds 30th
JGP Czech Rep. 7th
JGP Estonia 20th
JGP USA 12th
Challenge Cup 4th
Gardena 4th
National[13]
Swiss Champ. 5th 4th 5th 5th 3rd 2nd 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st

References

  1. ^ a b "Stephane WALKER: 2017/2018". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Stephane WALKER: 2007/2008". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 11 December 2007.
  3. ^ a b "Stephane WALKER: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 8 May 2010.
  4. ^ a b "Stephane WALKER: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 23 May 2015.
  5. ^ a b "PATINAGE ARTISTIQUE Le tenant du titre Stéphane Walker, du CP Neuchâtel, doit renoncer sur blessure" [Title-holder Stéphane Walker forced to withdraw due to injury] (PDF) (in French). L'Express (Neuchâtel) - L'Impartial. 11 December 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 March 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Stephane WALKER: 2015/2016". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 28 May 2016.
  7. ^ "Les champions suisses élites 2016 de patinage artistique sont connus" [2016 Swiss figure skating champions have been crowned] (in French). Swiss Ice Skating. 13 December 2015. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016.
  8. ^ "Victoria e Carlo a caccia di una conferma". Corriere del Ticino (in Italian). 14 December 2018.
  9. ^ "Stephane WALKER: 2016/2017". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 May 2017.
  10. ^ "Stephane WALKER: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 22 June 2014.
  11. ^ "Stephane WALKER: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 30 August 2013.
  12. ^ "Stephane WALKER: 2010/2011". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 30 January 2011.
  13. ^ a b c "Competition Results: Stephane WALKER". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 15 December 2018.

External links

Media related to Stéphane Walker at Wikimedia Commons