Maurizio Margaglio

Maurizio Margaglio (Italian pronunciation: [mauˈrittsjo marˈɡaʎʎo]; born 16 November 1974) is an Italian ice dancing coach and former competitor. With partner Barbara Fusar-Poli, he is the 2001 World champion, 2001 European champion, and 2002 Olympic bronze medalist. They won nine Italian titles and competed at three Olympics.

Maurizio Margaglio
Maurizio Margaglio and partner Barbara Fusar-Poli compete at the 2001 Grand Prix Final.
Born (1974-11-16) 16 November 1974 (age 49)
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Figure skating career
CountryItaly
PartnerBarbara Fusar-Poli
Skating clubAgora Skating Team, Milano
Retired2002, 2006
Medal record
Figure skating: Ice dancing
Representing  Italy
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Salt Lake CityIce dancing
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2001 VancouverIce dancing
Silver medal – second place 2000 NiceIce dancing
European Championships
Silver medal – second place2002 LausanneIce dancing
Gold medal – first place2001 BratislavaIce dancing
Silver medal – second place2000 ViennaIce dancing
Grand Prix Final
Gold medal – first place2001-2002 KitchenerIce dancing
Silver medal – second place1999-2000 LyonIce dancing

Competitive career edit

Margaglio began skating at age ten, directly in ice dancing.[1] Early in his career, Margaglio was a three-time Italian junior champion with Claudia Frigoli.[2]

Barbara Fusar-Poli asked Margaglio to skate with her after her partner retired.[2] He and Fusar-Poli began skating on the senior level in 1994-95, and enjoyed some success in the first years of their career, including winning several Grand Prix medals. In 1999-2000, they won their first medals at the European and World Championships, finishing in second place at both events.[citation needed] It was the first time Italy won a medal at Worlds. In their free dance that season, they used a mix of Celtic music, including selections from Lord of the Dance, the 1995 movie Bravehart, and a slow vocal section by Lorena McKennit. According to figure skating writer and historian Ellyn Kestnbaum, even though the program was theatrical, many of the steps they performed "was an attempt to translate Irish dance to the ice".[3] Kestnbaum also described their free dance as "a narrative of conflict and resolution that showcased aggressive athleticism from both partners".[3]

The following season was very successful for the duo, who won every event they entered and became the first Italians to win a World title in any discipline.[4] They were not as successful in 2001-02, dropping to second at the Europeans and finishing third at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Their medal at the Olympics was not without some controversy, after Margaglio fell during the free dance portion.[5] The result was protested by the Lithuanian team, who had finished fifth, but the protest was denied.[6] Fusar-Poli/Margaglio did not compete at the 2002 World Championships and would not return to eligible skating until the 2005-06 season.

With the 2006 Winter Olympics being held in Turin, Fusar-Poli/Margaglio decided to return and compete in their home country.[7] They did not skate in any international events prior to the Olympics, but did win the Italian National Championships. The Olympics were their first international event under the new scoring system adopted by the ISU, but, Fusar-Poli/Margaglio nonetheless held a narrow lead after the compulsory dance portion of the event, ahead of two-time world champions Tatiana Navka / Roman Kostomarov. This result was described in some news stories at the time as "shocking".[8][9] In the original dance, Fusar-Poli/Margaglio were performing a rotational lift with only seconds left in their program when Margaglio lost his balance, dropped Fusar-Poli, and fell to the ice himself. Following this conclusion to the program, Fusar-Poli stood glaring at her partner for approximately thirty seconds before the couple took their bows and left the ice.[10] They dropped to seventh overall, but moved up to sixth place after a clean free dance, and told the media that the incident at the end of the original dance had reflected their anger at the mistake rather than at each other.[11][12][13] Several years later, Fusar-Poli said that there were Swarovski crystals on the ice from the costumes of earlier competitors, but that the fall was a result of their own mistake and not the ice conditions.[14] The Olympics were Fusar-Poli/Margaglio's final competitive event together, but they continued to perform in shows.

Later career edit

In 2010, Margaglio began working once a month or every two months with senior and junior Finnish synchronized skating teams.[1] In 2011, Margaglio signed a three-year contract to head and develop Finland's ice dancing program, and was appointed to the position of Olympic Youth Coach.[15][16]

His current students include:

Personal life edit

Margaglio was born on 16 November 1974 in Milan.[17] His mother was a housewife and his father an accountant.[18]

He began a relationship with German figure skater Jyrina Lorenz by 1998.[18] They are married and have three sons: Gabriel (born 6 June 2007),[19] Sebastian (born in August 2009)[20] and Julian (born in January 2012 in Helsinki).[21][22]

Programs edit

With Fusar-Poli
SeasonOriginal danceFree danceExhibition
2006–07
2005–06
[17]
2002–05



2001–02
[23]

  • This Business of Love
    (from The Mask)
    by Domino
2000–01
[24]

  • This Business of Love
    by Domino
1999–2000
1998–99
  • Since I Met You Baby
1997–98
1996–97
  • Italian folk music
1995–96
1994–95
  • Quickstep
  • Latin mix

Results edit

GP: Champions Series / Grand Prix

With Fusar-Poli edit

International[25]
Event94–9595–9696–9797–9898–9999–0000–0101–0202–0303–0404–0505–06
Olympics6th3rd6th
Worlds10th9th5th5th2nd1st
Europeans10th8th7th5th4th2nd1st2nd
GP Final5th5th2nd1st4th
GP Cup of Russia1st1st1st
GP NHK Trophy5th3rd
GP Skate America2nd3rd1st1st
GP Skate Canada7th3rd
GP Sparkassen Cup1st1st
GP Trophée Lalique6th2nd2nd
Autumn Trophy1st
Lysiane Lauret1st
Schäfer Memorial3rd
National[25]
Italian Champ.1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st1st

With Frigoli edit

Event1991–92
World Junior Championships16th

References edit

  1. ^ a b Halonen, Lena; Jangbro, Maria (December 29, 2011). "Maurizio Margaglio: "It is a challenge to be in a country with no tradition in ice dance, and I love a challenge."". Absolute Skating. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  2. ^ a b Mittan, J. Barry (1997). "Barbara Fusar-Poli and Maurizio Margaglio". Archived from the original on May 14, 2012.
  3. ^ a b Kestnbaum, Ellyn (2003). Culture on Ice: Figure Skating and Cultural Meaning. Middleton, Connecticut: Wesleyan Publishing Press. p. 248. ISBN 0-8195-6641-1.
  4. ^ "Italians win first skating gold". BBC News. 24 March 2001.
  5. ^ "Anissina and Peizerat edge out Russians for gold". ESPN.
  6. ^ "Lithuania ice dance protest rejected". BBC News. 21 February 2002.
  7. ^ "Italians win compulsories, Belbin-Agosto sixth". ESPN.
  8. ^ "Italians hold shock ice dance lead". CNN.
  9. ^ Shipley, Amy (18 February 2006). "Belbin, Agosto Stand Sixth in Ice Dancing". Washington Post.
  10. ^ "Slam dancing: Americans move up to second as competition repeatedly falls".
  11. ^ "Fusar Poli-Margaglio make up, stay up".
  12. ^ "Belbin-Agosto, 'Glare' put ice dancing on our map".
  13. ^ "Ice dance pair continues Russian figure-skating dominance". The New York Times. 21 February 2006.
  14. ^ "Rings and rinks: The glare, TV ratings and Sasha". Ice Network. February 16, 2010.
  15. ^ "Maailmanmestari jäätanssin nuorten olympiavalmentajaksi Suomeen" (in Finnish). sportti.com. 9 April 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
  16. ^ Paasonen, Elina (July 16, 2011). "Maurizio Margaglio Heads Finland's Ice Dance Program". IFS Magazine. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014.
  17. ^ a b "Barbara FUSAR POLI / Maurizio MARGAGLIO: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 25 April 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  18. ^ a b Stevens, Neil (30 March 2000). "Canadian pairs 11th, 16th after original dance". The Canadian Press. Canoe.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016.
  19. ^ "Fiocco Azzurro a Casa Margaglio" (in Italian). 9 June 2007. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  20. ^ Elina Paasonen (16 July 2011). "Maurizio Margaglio Heads Finland's Ice Dance Program". International Figure Skating. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  21. ^ "Margaglio Tripletta". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 11 January 2012. p. 33. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  22. ^ "Doppio Axel" (in Italian). Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  23. ^ "Barbara FUSAR POLI / Maurizio MARGAGLIO: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2 June 2002.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  24. ^ "Barbara FUSAR POLI / Maurizio MARGAGLIO: 2000/2001". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 April 2001.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  25. ^ a b "Barbara FUSAR POLI / Maurizio MARGAGLIO". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 4 November 2016.

External links edit