Greg Zuerlein (figure skater)

Greg Zuerlein (born October 26, 1988) is an American former ice dancer. With Madison Chock, he is the 2009 World Junior champion, 2008 JGP Final champion, and 2011 U.S. national bronze medalist. They competed together from 2006 to 2011.

Greg Zuerlein
Madison Chock and Greg Zuerlein in 2011.
Born (1988-10-26) October 26, 1988
Cincinnati, Ohio
HometownNorthville, Michigan
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Figure skating career
Country United States
DisciplineIce dance
PartnerMadison Chock (2007–11)
Anastasia Olsen (2002–06)
Began skating1993
RetiredJune 7, 2011
U.S. Championships
2011 Greensboro Ice dance
World Junior Championships
2009 Sofia Ice dance
Junior Grand Prix Final
2008–09 Goyang Ice dance

Personal life

Zuerlein was born in Cincinnati, Ohio.[1] He enrolled in Schoolcraft College. His older sister competed in synchronized skating at Junior Synchro Worlds.[2] In March 2014, Zuerlein married Philippe Maitrot, who is originally from France.[3]

Career

Competitive career

Zuerlein began skating at the age of four. He competed in single skating at the 2002 and 2003 U.S. junior championships on the juvenile level. He then took up ice dancing. Zuerlein skated with Anastasia Olsen from 2002 through 2006. They won the bronze medal in intermediate dance in 2005 and placed 12th at the novice level at the 2006 U.S. Championships.[2]

Zuerlein teamed up with Madison Chock in June 2006.[2] They placed fifth in the novice division at the 2007 U.S. Championships. They began working with Igor Shpilband and Marina Zueva in 2007.[4]

Making their Junior Grand Prix debut, Chock and Zuerlein won gold in September 2007 in Tallinn, Estonia. With a bronze medal at their second event, in Chemnitz, Germany, they qualified to the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final in Gdańsk, Poland, where they placed fifth. They received the junior bronze medal at the 2008 U.S. Championships.

2008–09 season: World Junior title

In December 2008, Chock and Zuerlein won gold at the Junior Grand Prix Final in Goyang, South Korea.

They won the junior title in January at the 2009 U.S. Championships. They capped off their season by becoming the 2009 World Junior champions in Sofia, Bulgaria.[5]

2009–10 season

Chock and Zuerlein moved up to the senior level. Making their Grand Prix debut, they placed sixth at the 2009 Skate America and eighth at the 2009 Cup of China. They finished fifth at their senior national debut in January 2010. Later that month, they were sent to the 2010 Four Continents Championships in Jeonju, South Korea, where they had the same result.

2010–11 season

Chock and Zuerlein won their first senior Grand Prix medal, bronze, at the 2010 Skate Canada International and followed it up with bronze at the 2010 Trophée Éric Bompard. They won their first senior national medal, bronze, at the 2011 U.S. Championships. After placing fifth again at the 2011 Four Continents Championships, they finished ninth in their first and only appearance at the World Championships, setting personal best scores in both segments of the competition.

On June 7, 2011, Chock and Zuerlein announced the end of their five-year partnership; Zuerlein retired from competition, while Chock said she intended to continue competing.[6]

Coaching career

After retiring, Zuerlein worked as an assistant coach to Igor Shpilband for many years. In 2022, Zuerlein opened the Michigan Ice Dance Academy with Charlie White and Tanith Belbin White.[7] Their current teams include:

Their former teams include:

Programs

(with Chock)

Season Short dance Free dance Exhibition
2010–2011
[1][11]
  • Cabaret (soundtrack)
  • Nothing Else Matters
    performed by Santa Esmeralda
  • Satellite
    by J. Moreno feat. Santana
Original dance
2009–2010
[12][11]
  • Yema Ya
  • Agua Nile
    by Afro-Cuban Folk
2008–2009
[13][11]
2007–2008
[14][11]
2006–2007
[11]

    Competitive highlights

    Ice dance with Madison Chock

    Competition placements at junior level[15][11]
    Season 2007–08 2008–09
    World Junior Championships 1st
    Junior Grand Prix Final 5th 1st
    U.S. Championships 3rd 1st
    JGP Estonia 1st
    JGP Germany 3rd
    JGP Great Britain 1st
    JGP Italy 1st
    Competition placements at senior level[15][11]
    Season 2009–10 2010–11
    World Championships 9th
    Four Continents Championships 5th 5th
    U.S. Championships 5th 3rd
    GP Cup of China 8th
    GP Skate America 6th
    GP Skate Canada 3rd
    GP Trophée Éric Bompard 3rd

    References

    1. "Madison CHOCK / Greg ZUERLEIN: 2010/2011". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011.
    2. Mittan, J. Barry (March 8, 2009). "Chock Full of Gold". GoldenSkate.com. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
    3. Brannen, Sarah S.; Meekins, Drew (April 1, 2014). "The Inside Edge: Yankowskas gets back in the game". IceNetwork. Archived from the original on April 4, 2014. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
    4. Rosewater, Amy (July 1, 2011). "Chock, Bates form new on-ice partnership". IceNetwork. Retrieved July 1, 2011.
    5. "World Junior Figure Skating Championships: Ice Dance" (PDF). International Skating Union. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 October 2013.
    6. "Madison Chock and Greg Zuerlein Announce End of Partnership". U.S. Figure Skating. June 7, 2011. Archived from the original on October 26, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
    7. "Michigan Ice Dance Academy to Open in 2022 | U.S. Figure Skating". www.usfigureskating.org. December 2021. Retrieved 2023-02-25.
    8. "Getting to Know: Emily Bratti & Ian Somerville | Ice-dance.com". www.ice-dance.com. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
    9. "Profile – Molly Cesanek & Yehor Yehorov | Ice-dance.com". www.ice-dance.com. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
    10. "Profile – Caroline Green & Michael Parsons | Ice-dance.com". www.ice-dance.com. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
    11. "Madison Chock / Greg Zuerlein". IceNetwork. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011.
    12. "Madison CHOCK / Greg ZUERLEIN: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 15, 2010.
    13. "Madison CHOCK / Greg ZUERLEIN: 2008/2009". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 1, 2009.
    14. "Madison CHOCK / Greg ZUERLEIN: 2007/2008". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on January 7, 2008.
    15. "Competition Results: Madison CHOCK / Greg ZUERLEIN". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on January 26, 2012.

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