Eliot Halverson

Infobox Figure skater
title=Eliot Halverson


caption= Halverson in 2006.
fullname = Eliot Jon Halverson
country= USA
dateofbirth= birth date and age|1990|11|8
birthplace= Bogota, Colombia
hometown= St. Paul, Minnesota
residence= Ann Arbor, Michigan
height= convert|167|cm|ftin|abbr=on
coach= Doug Haw
formercoach= Ted Engelking, Ann Eidson
choreographer= Svetlana Kulikova
skating club= Ann Arbor FSC
retired =
combined total= 164.56
combined date= 2006 JGP The Hague
SP score= 59.91
SP date= 2006 JGP Budapest
FS score= 111.47
FS date= 2006 JGP The Hague

Eliot Jon Halverson (born November 8, 1990) is an American figure skater. He is 2007 US Junior National Champion. Following the 2007/2008 season, he was ranked 47th in the world. [ [http://www.isufs.org/ws/wsmen4.htm World Standings ] ]

Personal life

Halverson was born in Bogotá, Colombia and was adopted from Colombia at age five months. [cite web |url=http://www.latinoskating.org/Eliot-November2005.htm |title=Latino Skating Interview - November, 2005 |accessdate=2007-07-25 |format= |work= ] 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.cite news |first= Pat |last=Borzi |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Skating Home |url=http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Minnesota-Monthly/January-2008/Skating-Home/ |work= |publisher=Minnesota Monthly |date=2008-01 |accessdate=2007-12-22 ] 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.

Career

Eliot Halverson began skating at age six on a frozen pond behind his house. When the World Figure Skating Championships 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. [cite news |first=J. Barry |last=Mittan |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Colombian Native Wins U. S. Junior Men's Title |url=http://www.skatetoday.com/articles07/080607.htm |work= |publisher=SkateToday |date=2007-08-06 |accessdate=2007-12-26 ] 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. [http://stlouis2006.usfigureskating.org/upload/general/news/novicemen-reports.pdf]

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 [ [http://www.isufs.org/events/jgp2006/jgpsmen.htm Crystal Report Viewer ] ] . 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 [cite news |first=Laura |last=Fawcett |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=No Nightmare for Halverson in Junior Men's Free Skate |url=http://spokane2007.usfigureskating.org/News/RecapNews/012607HalversonWins.aspx |work= |publisher= |date=2007-01-26 |accessdate=2007-12-26 ] [cite news |first=Elvin |last=Walker |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Halverson Looks Toward 2007-08 Season |url=http://www.goldenskate.com/articles/2006/061007.shtml |work= |publisher=GoldenSkate |date=2007-06-10 |accessdate=2007-12-26 ] 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. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Strong U.S. Team Ready for World Junior Figure Skating Championships This Week in Oberstdorf, Germany |url= http://www.usfigureskating.org/event_story.asp?id=37789 |work= |publisher=U.S. Figure Skating |date=2007-02-27 |accessdate=2007-12-26 ]

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. [cite web |url=http://www.isufs.org/results/jgpger2007/jgpger07_JuniorMen_FS_Scores.pdf |title=2007 Junior Grand Prix Pokal der Blauen Schwerter Men's Free Skating Protocol |accessdate=2007-12-26 |format=PDF |work= ]

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.

He has been assigned to the 2008-2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix event in Courchevel, France. [cite news |first= |last= |title= U.S. Team Announced for Junior Grand Prix Event in Courchevel, France |url= http://www.usfigureskating.org/Story.asp?id=41670 |publisher= U.S. Figure Skating |date= 2008-07-25 |accessdate=2008-07-26 ]

Awards

Due to his success at the junior level, April 21, 2007 was declared to be "Eliot Halverson Day" in St. Paul, Minnesota. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=City of St. Paul Declares April 21 as Eliot Halverson Day |url=http://www.usfigureskating.org/event_story.asp?id=38458 |work= |publisher=U.S. Figure Skating |date=2007-04-20 |accessdate=2007-12-26 ]

Programs

Competitive highlights

*N = Novice level; J = Junior level

References

External links

* [http://www.figureskatersonline.com/eliothalverson Official Site]
* [http://youtube.com/profile?user=SkateGreat2010 Official video log]
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* [http://www.latinoskating.org/Eliot.htm Halverson at LatinoSkating]