Simon Shnapir(born August 20, 1987) is an American former competitivepair skater.WithMarissa Castelli,he is the 2013Four Continentsbronze medalist, the 2009World Juniorbronze medalist, and a two-timeU.S. nationalchampion (2013 & 2014). The pair won a bronze medal in the team event at the2014 Winter Olympics.After their split in May 2014, Shnapir teamed up with DeeDee Leng and competed in the 2014–15 season.

Simon Shnapir
Castelli and Shnapir atop the medal podium at the2013 U.S. Championships
Born(1987-08-20)August 20, 1987(age 37)
Moscow,Russian SFSR,Soviet Union
HometownSudbury, Massachusetts
Height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Figure skating career
CountryUnited States
PartnerDeeDee Leng,Marissa Castelli,Tanya Aziz, Courtney Gill
CoachRobert Martin, Carrie Wall,Mark Mitchell
Skating clubSC of Boston
Began skating1993
RetiredJune 30, 2015
""Olympic Games""
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Sochi Team
Four Continents Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Osaka Pairs
U.S. Championships
Gold medal – first place 2013 Omaha Pairs
Gold medal – first place 2014 Boston Pairs
World Team Trophy
Gold medal – first place 2013 Tokyo Team
World Junior Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Sofia Pairs

Personal life

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Shnapir was born to Jewish parents, both chemical engineering graduates, in Moscow,Russian SFSR,Soviet Union.[1]He arrived in the United States with his family when he was 16 months old.[2]After living inBrighton, Bostonfor a few years, the family moved toSudbury, Massachusetts.[1]

Shnapir graduated fromLincoln-Sudbury Regional High Schoolin 2005, and went on to major in marketing atEmerson College.[3][4]

Career

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Shnapir began learning to skate in 1993.[5]Early in his pairs career, he skated with Tanya Aziz and Courtney Gill. Bobby Martin became his coach in around 2000.[6]

Partnership with Castelli

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Shnapir andMarissa Castelliteamed up in April 2006 and began training together in earnest in June.[2][7]They trained inBoston,coached by Bobby Martin, Carrie Wall (technical),Mark Mitchell(in-betweens, polishing), andPeter Johansson(throws).[3]Castelli broke Shnapir's nose once while they were practicing thetwist.[8]

Castelli/Shnapir qualified for the2008 Junior Grand Prix Finaland placed sixth. The pair won the bronze medal at the2009 World Junior Championships.

In the 2009–10 season, Castelli was off the ice for a month after a collision with an Italian skater resulting in 15 stitches to her inner thigh.[7]The pair placed tenth on the senior level at the2010 U.S. Championshipsand were sent to the2010 Four Continents Championshipswhere they also finished tenth.

In 2012, Castelli/Shnapir split up for a month but decided to recommit to their partnership.[9]They won gold at the 2012Ice Challengeand then won bronze, their firstGrand Prixmedal, at the2012 NHK Trophy.[10]They won their first national title at the2013 U.S. Championships.[9]They were assigned to the2013 Four Continentsand won the bronze medal.

Castelli/Shnapir won their second national title at the2014 U.S. Championshipsand were named in the U.S. team to the2014 Winter Olympics,held in February inSochi,Russia. They won a bronze medal in the team event and placed 9th in the pairs event. In March, Castelli/Shnapir finished 11th at the2014 World ChampionshipsinSaitama,Japan. They announced the end of their partnership on May 7, 2014.[11][12]

Partnership with Leng

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On May 28, 2014, the Associated Press reported that Shnapir had teamed up with DeeDee Leng.[13]They were coached by Bobby Martin and Carrie Wall at the Skating Club of Boston.[6]For the 2014-2015 Grand Prix season, they were assigned toRostelecom CupandNHK Trophy.[14]After having placed 6th and 8th at these competitions, respectively, Leng and Shnapir placed 8th at the2015 U.S. Championships.[15]

In April 2015, Leng suffered a season-ending concussion during a practice session.[16]On June 30, 2015, Shnapir announced his retirement from competitions.[17]In November 2016, he became the director of the high performance program at the Skating Club of Boston.[18]

Programs

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With Leng

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Season Short program Free skating
2014–2015
[5]

With Castelli

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Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2013–2014
[19]

2012–2013
[20][21]
  • Payadora
    by Julian Plaza
    choreo. by Julie Marcotte
2011–2012
[22]
2010–2011
[23]
  • Money
    by Pink Floyd
  • For the Love of Money
    by the O'Jays
2009–2010
[7][24]
  • Prelude
  • Quadukka-l-Mayyas
    by Jesse Cook
2008–2009
[25]
2007–2008
[7]
  • Gladiator
    by Hans Zimmer, Lisa Gerrard
2006–2007
[7]
  • Mon Enfant
    by George Winston
  • Salome
    by Richard Strauss

Competitive highlights

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GP:Grand Prix;JGP:Junior Grand Prix

With Leng

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International[15]
Event 2014–15
GPNHK Trophy 6th
GPRostelecom Cup 8th
National[26]
U.S. Championships 8th

With Castelli

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International[27]
Event 06–07 07–08 08–09 09–10 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14
Olympics 9th
Worlds 13th 11th
Four Continents 10th 3rd
GPBompard 7th
GPNHK Trophy 7th 3rd 4th
GPSkate America 6th 5th 6th
GPSkate Canada 4th
Ice Challenge 1st
Nepela Memorial 4th
U.S. Classic 4th
International: Junior[27]
Junior Worlds 3rd
JGPFinal 6th
JGPCzech Rep. 4th
JGPEstonia 10th
JGPUnited Kingdom 4th
National[7]
U.S. Champ. 9th N 3rd N 3rd J 10th 5th 5th 1st 1st
East. Sectionals 4th N 1st N 1st
Team events
Olympics 3rd T
World Team
Trophy
1st T
5th P
Levels: N = Novice; J = Junior
T = Team result; P = Personal result; Medals awarded for team result only.

See also

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References

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  1. ^abCohen, Rachel (January 30, 2014)."US Olympic pairs skater Shnapir returns to Russia".Associated Press.Archived fromthe originalon September 20, 2015.
  2. ^abMittan, Barry (January 8, 2009)."Castelli and Shnapir Top U.S. Pairs in Junior Grand Prix series".SkateToday.RetrievedJuly 30,2011.
  3. ^abWalker, Elvin (January 3, 2013)."Door wide open for Castelli and Shnapir".Golden Skate.
  4. ^"Simon | Marissa Castelli & Simon Shnapir | Official Website".Archived fromthe originalon 2014-03-06.Retrieved2014-03-26.
  5. ^ab"Dee Dee LENG / Simon SHNAPIR: 2014/2015".International Skating Union.Archivedfrom the original on May 20, 2015.
  6. ^abBrannen, Sarah S. (June 4, 2014)."Leng, Shnapir set sights on 2018 Olympic Games".IceNetwork.com.
  7. ^abcdef"Marissa Castelli / Simon Shnapir".IceNetwork.com.Archivedfrom the original on September 8, 2014.
  8. ^Schwartz, Jason (January 2014)."Q&A: Simon Shnapir & Marissa Castelli".Boston Magazine.Archived fromthe originalon 2016-04-03.Retrieved2014-06-01.
  9. ^abClarke, Liz (January 26, 2013)."U.S. Figure Skating Championships: Simon Shnapir and Marissa Castelli win pairs; Maryl Davis and Charlie White dominate ice dancing".Washington Post.
  10. ^Pave, Martin (December 6, 2012)."Figure skaters Shnapir and Castelli having a breakout season".Boston Globe.
  11. ^"Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir End Partnership".U.S. Figure Skating.May 7, 2014. Archived fromthe originalon June 26, 2014.RetrievedMay 8,2014.
  12. ^Rosewater, Amy (May 8, 2014)."Castelli, Shnapir get off 'emotional roller coaster'".IceNetwork.com.Archived fromthe originalon May 13, 2014.RetrievedMay 9,2014.
  13. ^"Leng joins Olympian Shnapir as pair".Associated Press.May 28, 2014. Archived fromthe originalon May 30, 2014.RetrievedMay 29,2014.
  14. ^"2014-15 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating - Pairs"(PDF).July 22, 2014. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on July 22, 2014.
  15. ^ab"Competition Results: Dee Dee LENG / Simon SHNAPIR".International Skating Union.Archivedfrom the original on April 2, 2015.
  16. ^Rosewater, Amy (February 8, 2016)."Concussions in figure skating: How to treat them".IceNetwork.com.
  17. ^"Two-time U.S. pairs champion Shnapir retires"(Press release).U.S. Figure Skating.June 30, 2015.
  18. ^Elfman, Lois (February 23, 2017)."Shnapir brings high performance program to SCOB".IceNetwork.com.
  19. ^"Marissa CASTELLI / Simon SHNAPIR: 2013/2014".International Skating Union.Archivedfrom the original on May 8, 2014.
  20. ^"Marissa CASTELLI / Simon SHNAPIR: 2012/2013".International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 20, 2013.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  21. ^Rutherford, Lynn (January 15, 2013)."Road to Omaha: Door open for Castelli, Shnapir".IceNetwork.com.
  22. ^"Marissa CASTELLI / Simon SHNAPIR: 2011/2012".International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 19, 2012.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  23. ^"Marissa CASTELLI / Simon SHNAPIR: 2010/2011".International Skating Union. Archived from the original on August 16, 2011.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  24. ^"Marissa CASTELLI / Simon SHNAPIR: 2009/2010".International Skating Union. Archived from the original on October 20, 2009.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  25. ^"Marissa CASTELLI / Simon SHNAPIR: 2008/2009".International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 1, 2009.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  26. ^"Dee Dee Leng & Simon Shnapir".IceNetwork.com.Archivedfrom the original on August 12, 2016.
  27. ^ab"Competition Results: Marissa CASTELLI / Simon SHNAPIR".International Skating Union.Archivedfrom the original on May 8, 2014.
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