Alexandra Zaretski

Infobox Figure skater
title= Alexandra Zaretski


caption=The Zaretskis in 2006.
country= ISR
dateofbirth= birth date and age|1987|12|23
residence=
height= convert|160|cm|ftin|abbr=on
partner= Roman Zaretski
coach= Galit Chait, Nikolai Morozov
formercoach=Evgeni Platov, Elena Zaretski,
Igor Zaretski, Irina Romanova, Igor Yaroshenko
choreographer= Nikolai Morozov
formerchoreographer=Evgeni Platov
skating club= Canada Centre Metulla
retired=
dance score= 171.70
dance date= 2008 Europeans
CD score= 37.59
CD date= 2004 JGP Romania
OD score= 53.31
OD date= 2008 Europeans
FD score= 85.27
FD date= 2008 Europeans

Alexandra "Sasha" Zaretski ( _he. אלכסנדרה זרצקי) ( _ru. Александра Зарецкая, _ru. "Alexandra Zaretskaya") (born December 23, 1987, in Minsk, Soviet Union) is an Israeli ice dancer. She competes with her brother Roman Zaretski.

Career

Originally from Minsk, the Zaretski family made aliyah as soon as the borders opened. Alexandra Zaretski was three at the time. She was raised in Metula, Israel where her parents work as coaches. She originally skated as a single skater, winning age group medals. When Roman wanted to switch to ice dancing, his sister was the only available girl at the rink, so their parents teamed them up together. [ [http://www.goldenskate.com/articles/2002/102302.shtml Zaretskys Add to Israel's Ice Dance Future - Figure Skating News ] ] They have been skating together ever since.

She and her brother Roman were originally coached by their parents. They were later coached by Romanova and Yaroshenko in Wilmington, Delaware. [ [http://www.goldenskate.com/articles/2002/102302.shtml Zaretskys Add to Israel's Ice Dance Future - Figure Skating News ] ] They switched to Platov in January 2005. [ [http://www.jewishledger.com/articles/2006/10/25/news/news11.txt :: Welcome To The Jewish Ledger :: ] ] They temporarily went back to being coached by their parents when Roman's army service kept them in Israel. In the summer of 2006, the Zaretskis briefly trained in Moscow because Platov was taking part in a skating reality show. They then returned to Montclair, New Jersey where they still train.

The Zaretskis are the first Israelis to medal at the Junior Winter Olympics [ [http://info.jpost.com/C003/Supplements/MOTY/art.10.html The Jerusalem Post | MAN OF THE YEAR ] ] as well as the first Israeli figure skaters to medal internationally on the junior level. In 2005/2006 Olympic season, the second-ranked Israeli dance team retired. Israel had two spots to the Olympics because of the placement of Galit Chait and Sergei Sakhnovski at the 2005 World Championships. The Israeli Olympic Committee said the Zaretskis would be sent to the Olympics if they placed at least 15th at the 2006 European Championships. [ [http://www.jewishledger.com/articles/2006/10/25/news/news11.txt :: Welcome To The Jewish Ledger :: ] ] The Zaretskis accomplished this and were sent to Torino, where they placed 22nd.

Following the Olympic season, Chait and Sacknovski took some time off and eventually retired, leaving the Zaretskis to carry the torch of Israeli ice dancing. They won the bronze medal at the 2006 Nebelhorn Trophy, a senior "B" international, and placed just off the podium at the Cup of China. The Zaretskis nearly won Israel a second spot to the 2008 European Championships, finishing in 11th place at the 2007 Europeans. However, this point would have been moot because they are the only Israeli senior-level ice dance team. They were 14th at the 2007 World Championships.

The Zaretskis competed at both the 2007 Skate America and 2007 Cup of China Grand Prix competitions, repeating their 4th place finish in China. They finished 8th at the 2008 Europeans and 9th at the 2008 World Championships.

Alexandra Zaretski speaks fluent Hebrew, Russian, and English. She currently lives and trains in New Jersey.

Programs

Competitive highlights

(with Zaretski)

* N = Novice level; J = Junior level

References

External links

* [http://www.ice-dance.com/zaretsky Official Site]
*
* [http://www.caretoicedance.com/zarzar.html Care to Ice Dance: Zaretski & Zaretski]