Roy Wagelein

Roy Wagelein
Full nameRoy Charles Wagelein
Born(1943-10-14)October 14, 1943
New York City, New York, United States
DiedJune 24, 2008(2008-06-24) (aged 64)
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Figure skating career
Country United States
PartnerSandi Sweitzer
Susan Behrens
Skating clubLos Angeles FSC
Medal record
Representing the  United States
Figure skating: Pairs
North American Championships
Silver medal – second place 1967 Montreal Pairs

Roy Charles Wagelein (October 19, 1943 – June 24, 2008) was an American pair skater. He was the 1967 North American silver medalist with Susan Behrens and competed with Sandi Sweitzer at the 1968 Winter Olympics, finishing 7th.

Personal life

Wagelein was born on October 19, 1943, in New York City.[1] In 1961, he graduated from the Hollywood Professional School in Hollywood, California.[2] He married Sandi Sweitzer following the 1968 Olympics and the two had a daughter, Kristia, before divorcing.[3] Wagelein died on June 24, 2008, in Phoenix, Arizona.[2]

Career

Wagelein started skating as a 22-month-old at the Hollywood Polar Palace and became a member of the Los Angeles Figure Skating Club.[3] He also trained at the Pasadena Winter Garden and Pickwick Ice.[2]

Wagelein originally competed in partnership with Susan Behrens. After becoming the 1965 national junior silver medalists, the pair moved up to the senior level and took silver behind Cynthia Kauffman / Ronald Kauffman at the 1966 U.S. Championships in Berkeley, California. They were then sent to their first major international, the 1966 World Championships in Davos, Switzerland, where they ranked 11th. The following year, Behrens/Wagelein won silver behind the Kauffmans at the U.S. Championships in Omaha, Nebraska and at the North American Championships in Montreal, Canada. They finished 7th at the 1967 World Championships in Vienna, Austria.

In the 1967–68 season, Wagelein competed with Sandi Sweitzer. The two were awarded the silver medal behind the Kauffman siblings at the 1968 U.S. Championships and were included in the U.S. team to the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France. They placed 8th in the short program, 6th in the free skate, and 7th overall at the Olympics.[1] Making their final competitive appearance, they placed 8th at the 1968 World Championships in Geneva, Switzerland.

After retiring from competition, Sweitzer/Wagelein performed with the West Company of the Ice Capades for seven years.[3]

Results

With Sweitzer

International
Event 1968
Winter Olympics 7th
World Championships 8th
National
U.S. Championships 2nd

With Behrens

International
Event 1965 1966 1967
World Championships 11th 7th
North American Champ. 2nd
National
U.S. Championships 2nd J 2nd 2nd
J = Junior level

References

  1. ^ a b "Roy Wagelein". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 2020-04-18.
  2. ^ a b c Rutherford, Lynn (June 26, 2008). "Olympian Wagelein passes away in Phoenix". IceNetwork.com.
  3. ^ a b c "Passings: Roy Wagelein: World Team Member—1966, 1967, 1968 Olympic Team Member –1968" (PDF). Vol. 63, no. 4. The Los Angeles Figure Skating Club News Bulletin. July 2008. p. 9. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 3, 2016.