Eliot Halverson
Encyclopedia
Eliot Jon Halverson is an American
figure skater
. He is 2007 US Junior National Champion.
, Colombia
and was adopted from Colombia at age five months. He lived and trained in Saint Paul, Minnesota
from his move to the United States until 2008, when he began training in Ann Arbor. Halverson's adoptive parents are divorced and he lives with his mother. He has been homeschooled from a young age.
Because the 2008 United States Figure Skating Championships
were held in his hometown of St. Paul, Halverson became a poster-boy for the 2008 Nationals.
came to Minneapolis in 1998, Halverson skipped school for a week to watch them. This encouraged him to take private lessons and become a more serious skater. He landed his first triple at age eleven. Although he is coached primarily by Ted Engelking, Halverson has also worked with Alexei Mishin
and Kathy Casey.
Unlike most male skaters, Halverson can perform a Biellmann spin.
Halverson is the 2003 U.S. Juvenile bronze medalist, 2004 Intermediate champion, and 2005 Novice pewter medalist. His fourth place finish at the 2005 United States Figure Skating Championships
earned him a trip to the 2005 Triglav Trophy
at the novice level, which he won. Halverson stayed novice for the 2005-2006 Olympic season and won the novice title at the 2006 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. In his novice free skate, he landed six triple jumps, including two triple-double combinations.
In the 2006-2007 season, Halverson made his junior debut. He won two bronze medals on the ISU Junior Grand Prix
circuit and was second alternate to the 2006/2007 Junior Grand Prix Final. He went on to the 2007 Nationals and won the junior title. Halverson is the first men's skater since Evan Lysacek
to win back-to-back novice and junior national titles and is one of only nine men to do it since 1932. His placement at nationals earned him a trip to the 2007 World Junior Figure Skating Championships
, where he placed 10th. Until Junior Worlds, Halverson had never placed off the podium in a major event in his career.
Halverson began the 2007-2008 season at the Junior Grand Prix Harghita Cup. After placing 6th in the short program, he attempted his first triple axel jump in competition in the free skate. Although he fell on the landing, he rotated it successfully and was given credit for the jump officially. He placed 5th in the long program, placing 5th overall. At his second event, the Pokal der Blauen Schwerter in Germany, he placed 7th overall, after placing 4th in the long program and being credited with his first triple axel of his career.
Halverson made his senior debut at the 2008 Midwestern Sectional Championships, where he won the pewter medal. At the 2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, his second senior-level competition, he was the youngest senior man to compete. He placed 13th overall and was named first alternate for the 2008 World Junior Figure Skating Championships
.
Halverson changed coaches from Ted Engelking to Doug Haw following the 2007/2008 season. He also changed his club affiliation from the to St. Paul FSC the Ann Arbor FSC following his move to Ann Arbor, Michigan
. This changed the region he competed out of from Upper Great Lakes to Eastern Great Lakes.
He began the 2008/2009 season at the 2008-2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix
event in Courchevel, France, where he placed 8th. At the Eastern Great Lakes Regional Championships in October, he won the silver medal behind Parker Pennington
and qualified for Sectionals.
Halverson's 2009/2010 season began at the 2009-2010 ISU Junior Grand Prix event in Belarus
, Russia
, where he placed 5th. He went on to place second at the Eastern Great Lakes Regional Championships in October, qualifying for Midwestern Sectionals
, where he placed 5th to finish his season.
Due to ongoing medical issues related to a pinched nerve in his lower back, Halverson did not compete in the 2010/2011 season. However, he currently plans to return to competition for the 2011/2012 season, barring any continued medical issues.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
figure skater
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
. He is 2007 US Junior National Champion.
Personal life
Halverson was born in BogotáBogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and was adopted from Colombia at age five months. He lived and trained in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
from his move to the United States until 2008, when he began training in Ann Arbor. Halverson's adoptive parents are divorced and he lives with his mother. He has been homeschooled from a young age.
Because the 2008 United States Figure Skating Championships
2008 United States Figure Skating Championships
The 2008 United States Figure Skating Championships was the figure skating national championship to determine the national champions of the United States for the 2007/2008 season. It was organized by the United States Figure Skating Association. In addition to determining the national champions,...
were held in his hometown of St. Paul, Halverson became a poster-boy for the 2008 Nationals.
Career
Eliot Halverson began skating at age six on a frozen pond behind his house. When the World Figure Skating ChampionshipsWorld Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
came to Minneapolis in 1998, Halverson skipped school for a week to watch them. This encouraged him to take private lessons and become a more serious skater. He landed his first triple at age eleven. Although he is coached primarily by Ted Engelking, Halverson has also worked with Alexei Mishin
Alexei Mishin
Alexei Nikolaevich Mishin is a Russian figure skating coach and former pair skater. With partner Tamara Moskvina, he was the 1969 World silver medalist and USSR national champion....
and Kathy Casey.
Unlike most male skaters, Halverson can perform a Biellmann spin.
Halverson is the 2003 U.S. Juvenile bronze medalist, 2004 Intermediate champion, and 2005 Novice pewter medalist. His fourth place finish at the 2005 United States Figure Skating Championships
2005 United States Figure Skating Championships
The U.S. Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition organzied by the United States Figure Skating Association. In addition to determining the national champions, the event was used to determine the U.S. teams for the 2005 World Figure Skating Championships, 2005 World...
earned him a trip to the 2005 Triglav Trophy
Triglav Trophy
The Triglav Trophy is an annual international figure skating competition held in the spring in Jesenice, Slovenia. The competition takes its name from the nearby mountain Triglav, the highest peak in Slovenia....
at the novice level, which he won. Halverson stayed novice for the 2005-2006 Olympic season and won the novice title at the 2006 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. In his novice free skate, he landed six triple jumps, including two triple-double combinations.
In the 2006-2007 season, Halverson made his junior debut. He won two bronze medals on the ISU Junior Grand Prix
ISU Junior Grand Prix
The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating is a series of international invitational junior level competitions organized by the International Skating Union. Junior figure skaters compete in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, and ice dancing...
circuit and was second alternate to the 2006/2007 Junior Grand Prix Final. He went on to the 2007 Nationals and won the junior title. Halverson is the first men's skater since Evan Lysacek
Evan Lysacek
Evan Frank Lysacek is an American figure skater. He is the 2010 Olympic champion, the 2009 World champion, the 2005 & 2007 Four Continents champion, the 2007 & 2008 U.S. national champion, and the 2009/2010 Grand Prix Final champion....
to win back-to-back novice and junior national titles and is one of only nine men to do it since 1932. His placement at nationals earned him a trip to the 2007 World Junior Figure Skating Championships
2007 World Junior Figure Skating Championships
The 2007 World Junior Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition. The event is open to figure skaters from ISU member nations who have reached the age of 13 by July 1 of the previous year, but have not yet turned 19. The upper age limit for men competing in pairs and dance...
, where he placed 10th. Until Junior Worlds, Halverson had never placed off the podium in a major event in his career.
Halverson began the 2007-2008 season at the Junior Grand Prix Harghita Cup. After placing 6th in the short program, he attempted his first triple axel jump in competition in the free skate. Although he fell on the landing, he rotated it successfully and was given credit for the jump officially. He placed 5th in the long program, placing 5th overall. At his second event, the Pokal der Blauen Schwerter in Germany, he placed 7th overall, after placing 4th in the long program and being credited with his first triple axel of his career.
Halverson made his senior debut at the 2008 Midwestern Sectional Championships, where he won the pewter medal. At the 2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, his second senior-level competition, he was the youngest senior man to compete. He placed 13th overall and was named first alternate for the 2008 World Junior Figure Skating Championships
2008 World Junior Figure Skating Championships
The 2008 World Junior Figure Skating Championships were the World Junior Figure Skating Championships for the 2007/2008 season. Commonly called "World Juniors" and "Junior Worlds", they are an annual figure skating competition in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Junior...
.
Halverson changed coaches from Ted Engelking to Doug Haw following the 2007/2008 season. He also changed his club affiliation from the to St. Paul FSC the Ann Arbor FSC following his move to Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
. This changed the region he competed out of from Upper Great Lakes to Eastern Great Lakes.
He began the 2008/2009 season at the 2008-2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix
2008-2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix
The 2008–2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix was the twelfth season of the ISU Junior Grand Prix, a series of international junior level competitions organized by the International Skating Union. It was the Junior-level complement to the 2008–2009 Grand Prix of Figure Skating, which was for Senior-level...
event in Courchevel, France, where he placed 8th. At the Eastern Great Lakes Regional Championships in October, he won the silver medal behind Parker Pennington
Parker Pennington
Parker Blair Pennington is an American figure skater. He was the 2001 U.S. junior national champion, the 1998 novice national champion, the 1996 intermediate national champion, and the 1995 juvenile national champion...
and qualified for Sectionals.
Halverson's 2009/2010 season began at the 2009-2010 ISU Junior Grand Prix event in Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, where he placed 5th. He went on to place second at the Eastern Great Lakes Regional Championships in October, qualifying for Midwestern Sectionals
Midwestern Sectional Figure Skating Championships
The Midwestern Sectional Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating.Skaters compete in three levels: Senior, Junior, and Novice. Medals are awarded in four disciplines: Ladies singles, Men's singles, Pairs, and Ice dance. Medals are...
, where he placed 5th to finish his season.
Due to ongoing medical issues related to a pinched nerve in his lower back, Halverson did not compete in the 2010/2011 season. However, he currently plans to return to competition for the 2011/2012 season, barring any continued medical issues.
Awards
Due to his success at the junior level, April 21, 2007 was declared to be "Eliot Halverson Day" in St. Paul, Minnesota.Programs
| Season | Short Program | Free Skating | Exhibition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-2010 | Layali Al Shara Final of First Routine |
Libertango Libertango Libertango is a composition by tango composer Ástor Piazzolla, recorded and published in 1974.The title is a portmanteau merging "Libertad" and "Tango", symbolizing Piazzolla's break from Classical Tango to Tango Nuevo.... by Ástor Piazzolla Ástor Piazzolla Ástor Pantaleón Piazzolla was an Argentine tango composer and bandoneón player. His oeuvre revolutionized the traditional tango into a new style termed nuevo tango, incorporating elements from jazz and classical music... Il Postino |
|
| 2008-2009 | The Chairman's Waltz by John Williams John Williams John Towner Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist. In a career spanning almost six decades, he has composed some of the most recognizable film scores in the history of motion pictures, including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Superman, the Indiana Jones films, E.T... |
Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor Piano Concerto No. 2 (Rachmaninoff) The Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18, is a concerto for piano and orchestra composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff between the autumn of 1900 and April 1901. The second and third movements were first performed with the composer as soloist on 2 December 1900... by Sergei Rachmaninov |
|
| 2007-2008 | Libertango Libertango Libertango is a composition by tango composer Ástor Piazzolla, recorded and published in 1974.The title is a portmanteau merging "Libertad" and "Tango", symbolizing Piazzolla's break from Classical Tango to Tango Nuevo.... by Ástor Piazzolla Ástor Piazzolla Ástor Pantaleón Piazzolla was an Argentine tango composer and bandoneón player. His oeuvre revolutionized the traditional tango into a new style termed nuevo tango, incorporating elements from jazz and classical music... performed by Bond Bond (band) Bond is an Australian/British string quartet that specialises in classical crossover music... |
2046 Main Theme by Shigeru Umebayashi Shigeru Umebayashi is a Japanese composer.Once the leader of Japan's new-wave rock band EX, composer Shigeru Umebayashi began scoring films in 1985 when the band broke up. He has more than 40 Japanese and Chinese films to his credit and is perhaps best known in the West for his score for director Wong Kar-wai's In... Nostradamus by Tonči Huljić Tonci Huljic Tonči Huljić is a Croatian musician, songwriter and music producer from Split.Huljić made his name in the late 1970s as the founder and key member of pop band Dalmatinski magazin... performed by Maksim Mrvica Maksim Mrvica Maksim Mrvica is a Croatian pianist. He plays classical crossover music.- History :Mrvica was born in Šibenik, Croatia. He took up piano lessons from the age of nine from Marija Sekso and gave his first public performance in the same year. Just three years later he gave his first concert... |
|
| 2006-2007 | Hana's Eyes by Maksim Mrvica Maksim Mrvica Maksim Mrvica is a Croatian pianist. He plays classical crossover music.- History :Mrvica was born in Šibenik, Croatia. He took up piano lessons from the age of nine from Marija Sekso and gave his first public performance in the same year. Just three years later he gave his first concert... , performed by Tonči Huljić Tonci Huljic Tonči Huljić is a Croatian musician, songwriter and music producer from Split.Huljić made his name in the late 1970s as the founder and key member of pop band Dalmatinski magazin... |
Tales from the Crypt Tales from the Crypt (TV series) Tales from the Crypt, sometimes titled HBO's Tales from the Crypt, is an American horror anthology television series that ran from 1989 to 1996 on the premium cable channel HBO... ; The Nightmare Before Christmas The Nightmare Before Christmas The Nightmare Before Christmas, often promoted as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, is a 1993 stop motion musical fantasy film directed by Henry Selick and produced/co-written by Tim Burton. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, a being from "Halloween Town" who opens a portal to... ; Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton, produced by The Geffen Film Company and distributed by Warner Bros... by Danny Elfman Danny Elfman Daniel Robert "Danny" Elfman is an American composer, best known for scoring music for television and film. Up until 1995, he was the lead singer and songwriter in the rock band Oingo Boingo, a group he formed in 1976... The Grifters by Bernstein |
Tales from the Crypt Tales from the Crypt (TV series) Tales from the Crypt, sometimes titled HBO's Tales from the Crypt, is an American horror anthology television series that ran from 1989 to 1996 on the premium cable channel HBO... ; The Nightmare Before Christmas The Nightmare Before Christmas The Nightmare Before Christmas, often promoted as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, is a 1993 stop motion musical fantasy film directed by Henry Selick and produced/co-written by Tim Burton. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, a being from "Halloween Town" who opens a portal to... ; Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton, produced by The Geffen Film Company and distributed by Warner Bros... by Danny Elfman Danny Elfman Daniel Robert "Danny" Elfman is an American composer, best known for scoring music for television and film. Up until 1995, he was the lead singer and songwriter in the rock band Oingo Boingo, a group he formed in 1976... The Grifters by Bernstein |
| 2005-2006 | Bullfighter medley | Hungarian/Russian folk medley | |
Competitive highlights
| Event | 2004-2005 | 2005-2006 | 2006-2007 | 2007-2008 | 2008-2009 | 2009-2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Junior Championships World Junior Figure Skating Championships The World Junior Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which younger figure skaters compete for the title of World Junior Champion... |
10th | |||||
| U.S. Championships United States Figure Skating Championships The United States Figure Skating Championships is figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of the United States. The competition is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. In the U.S. skating community, the event is often referred to informally as "Nationals".Skaters... |
4th N. | 1st N. | 1st J. | 13th | 13th | |
| Junior Grand Prix, Belarus | 5th | |||||
| Junior Grand Prix, France 2008-2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix The 2008–2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix was the twelfth season of the ISU Junior Grand Prix, a series of international junior level competitions organized by the International Skating Union. It was the Junior-level complement to the 2008–2009 Grand Prix of Figure Skating, which was for Senior-level... |
8th | |||||
| Junior Grand Prix, Germany 2007-2008 ISU Junior Grand Prix The 2007–2008 ISU Junior Grand Prix was the 11th season of the ISU Junior Grand Prix, a series of international junior level competitions organized by the International Skating Union. It was the Junior-level complement to the 2007–2008 Grand Prix of Figure Skating, which is for Senior-level skaters... |
7th | |||||
| Junior Grand Prix, Romania 2007-2008 ISU Junior Grand Prix The 2007–2008 ISU Junior Grand Prix was the 11th season of the ISU Junior Grand Prix, a series of international junior level competitions organized by the International Skating Union. It was the Junior-level complement to the 2007–2008 Grand Prix of Figure Skating, which is for Senior-level skaters... |
5th | |||||
| Junior Grand Prix, Netherlands 2006-2007 ISU Junior Grand Prix The 2006–2007 ISU Junior Grand Prix was the tenth season of the ISU Junior Grand Prix, a series of international junior level competitions organized by the International Skating Union. It was the Junior-level complement to the 2006–2007 Grand Prix of Figure Skating, which was for Senior-level skaters... |
3rd | |||||
| Junior Grand Prix, Hungary 2006-2007 ISU Junior Grand Prix The 2006–2007 ISU Junior Grand Prix was the tenth season of the ISU Junior Grand Prix, a series of international junior level competitions organized by the International Skating Union. It was the Junior-level complement to the 2006–2007 Grand Prix of Figure Skating, which was for Senior-level skaters... |
3rd | |||||
| Triglav Trophy Triglav Trophy The Triglav Trophy is an annual international figure skating competition held in the spring in Jesenice, Slovenia. The competition takes its name from the nearby mountain Triglav, the highest peak in Slovenia.... |
1st N. | |||||
| NACS Waterloo North American Challenge Skate The North American Challenge Skate was a series of annual summer figure skating competitions for American and Canadian figure skaters on the novice and junior levels. It was a developmental program rather than an elite competition series; the purpose of the program was to give young skaters a... |
2nd N. | |||||
| Midwestern Sectionals Midwestern Sectional Figure Skating Championships The Midwestern Sectional Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating.Skaters compete in three levels: Senior, Junior, and Novice. Medals are awarded in four disciplines: Ladies singles, Men's singles, Pairs, and Ice dance. Medals are... |
3rd N. | 2nd N. | 1st J. | 4th | 2nd | 5th |
| Eastern Great Lakes Regionals | 2nd | 2nd | ||||
| Upper Great Lakes Regionals | 1st N. | 1st N. | 1st J. | |||
- N = Novice level; J = Junior level