Aaron Van Cleave

Aaron Van Cleave
Born (1987-03-14) 14 March 1987 (age 37)
Comox, British Columbia, Canada
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Figure skating career
CountryGermany
PartnerTatiana Domracheva
CoachKnut Schubert
Skating clubSC Berlin

Aaron Van Cleave (born 14 March 1987) is a German pair skater. He is best known for his partnership with Mari Vartmann for Germany. They won the 2015 German national title, the 2011 NRW Trophy, and 2010 Warsaw Cup. After they parted ways, he teamed up with Tatiana Domracheva.

Personal life

Van Cleave was born on 14 March 1987 in Comox, British Columbia, Canada. He was born both a Canadian and American citizen. He became a German citizen in January 2014.[1]

Career

In North America

Van Cleave first competed with Lauren Cowley at the Canadian Junior Championships, appearing on the juvenile level in 2002 and pre-novice in 2003. With Sarah McCoy, he represented Canada on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series. They were assigned to Norway in 2006 and the United States in 2007.

Van Cleave then teamed up with Ameena Sheikh where they represented the United States. The team trained in Detroit, Michigan at the Detroit Skating Club under Yuka Sato and Jason Dunjeon. Van Cleave and Sheikh Competed on the junior level and senior level at the 2009 U.S. Championships and the 2010 U.S. Championships

In Germany

In 2010, Van Cleave teamed up with Mari Vartmann to compete for Germany.[2] The pair made their international debut at the 2010 Warsaw Cup where they won the gold medal. Their first major international event was the 2012 European Championships. On 26 January, during the morning practice before the long programs, Vartmann collided with Daniel Wende while they were attempting to avoid a French couple.[3] Vartmann and Van Cleave finished 5th at the event. They were coached by Knut Schubert in Berlin.[2]

Vartmann and Van Cleave withdrew from the 2012 Nebelhorn Trophy following the short program – Vartmann picked into her right foot when she fell on a throw triple loop during the short and was unable to put on her skate the next day due to swelling.[4] They withdrew from the 2012 Coupe de Nice and their first assigned Grand Prix event, the 2012 Cup of Russia, after Van Cleave sustained a broken cheekbone while catching Vartmann on a triple twist.[5] They later withdrew from their second GP, the 2012 NHK Trophy.[6]

The pair was coached by Knut Schubert and Stefan Lindemann in Berlin in the first half of the 2014–15 season.[7] In December 2014, they joined Maylin Wende and Daniel Wende in Oberstdorf.[1] They won the pairs title at the 2015 German Championships.

His new partner is Tatiana Domracheva from Russia.

Programs

(with Vartmann)

Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2014–15
[1]
  • Waltz from Petersburg Secrets
    (Петербургские тайны)
    by Andrey Petrov
2013–14
[8]
  • Where the light gets in
    by Sennen
2012–13
[9]
2011–12
[2]

Competitive highlights

GP: Grand Prix; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

With Vartmann

International[10]
Event 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14 14–15
Worlds 14th 16th 15th
Europeans 5th 8th 9th 7th
GP Cup of Russia WD
GP NHK Trophy WD 5th
GP Skate Canada 7th 8th
Bavarian Open 3rd 3rd
Challenge Cup 3rd
Cup of Nice 6th WD 3rd
Golden Spin 5th
Ice Challenge 2nd
Lombardia Trophy 6th
Nebelhorn Trophy 8th WD 3rd
NRW Trophy 4th 1st 5th
Warsaw Cup 1st
National[10]
German Champ. 2nd 2nd 2nd 3rd 1st
WD = Withdrew

With Sheikh

International[11]
Event 2010–11
US. Championships 8th J
J = Junior level

With McCoy

International[12]
Event 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08
JGP Norway 10th
JGP United States 6th
National[12]
Canadian Champ. 6th J 3rd J
J = Junior level

With Cowley

National
Event 2001–02 2002–03
Canadian Junior Champ. 8th V 10th P
Levels: V = Juvenile; P = Pre-novice

References

  1. ^ a b c "Mari VARTMANN / Aaron VAN CLEAVE: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015.
  2. ^ a b c "Mari VARTMANN / Aaron VAN CLEAVE: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 18 April 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ "Weiterer Schlag für deutsches Team" [Another blow for the German team] (in German). Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk. 26 January 2012. Archived from the original on 26 January 2012.
  4. ^ Flade, Tatjana (30 September 2012). "2012 Nebelhorn Trophy". Golden Skate.
  5. ^ "Deutsches Duo sagt Grand-Prix-Start ab" [German pair withdraws from Grand Prix event] (in German). Die Zeit. Sport-Informations-Dienst. 18 October 2012. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016.
  6. ^ "Savchenko/Szolkowy sagen Start in Paris ab" [Savchenko/Szolkowy withdraw from Paris event]. Deutsche Presse-Agentur (in German). Stern. 14 November 2012. Archived from the original on 29 April 2013.
  7. ^ "Mari VARTMANN / Aaron VAN CLEAVE: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 13 November 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  8. ^ "Mari VARTMANN / Aaron VAN CLEAVE: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ^ "Mari VARTMANN / Aaron VAN CLEAVE: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 26 February 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  10. ^ a b "Competition Results: Mari VARTMANN / Aaron VAN CLEAVE". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 27 January 2011.
  11. ^ "Ameena SHEIKH / Aaron VAN CLEAVE". International Skating Union.
  12. ^ a b "Sarah McCOY / Aaron van CLEAVE". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 10 October 2016.
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