Neil Wilson (figure skater)

Neil Wilson
Born (1978-06-26) 26 June 1978 (age 46)
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Figure skating career
CountryUnited Kingdom
Began skating1986
Retired2004

Neil Wilson (born 26 June 1978) is a British former competitive figure skater. He is a three-time British national champion in men's singles (1997, 2000, and 2003) and reached the free skate at nine ISU Championships – two World Championships, four European Championships, and three World Junior Championships.

Career

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Wilson began skating at age eight after a rink opened near his home.[1] He competed at three World Junior Championships, achieving his best result, sixth, in 1997 in Seoul, South Korea. He also competed at four World Championships – best result: 20th at the 1996 Worlds in Edmonton, Alberta — and four European Championships, obtaining his best result, 13th, at the 1999 Europeans in Prague, Czech Republic. Wilson defeated Steven Cousins to win the 1997 British Championships, held in November 1996.[2] He would go on to win two more senior national titles.

In 1997, Wilson entered the Guinness Book of World Records for the most rotations in an upright spin — he performed a forward scratch spin with 60 uninterrupted rotations.[1] His coaches included Philip and Sue Walsh and then Kevin Bursey in Ayr, Scotland.[3] In June 2001, he moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, where his coach became Joanne McLeod.[1]

Wilson retired from competition after the 2004 World Championships in Dortmund. He became a figure skating coach and choreographer at the BC Center of Excellence in Burnaby, British Columbia.[citation needed] He has worked with Kevin Reynolds, Jeremy Ten,[4] and Kelsey Wong.[5]

Programmes

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Season Short programme Free skating
2002–2003
[6][1]
  • Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in E Minor
    by Julius Conus
    performed by the Russian National Orchestra
2000–2001
[3]
  • Sikuriadas
    by Incantation

Competitive highlights

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GP: Champions Series/Grand Prix

International[6][3]
Event 93–94 94–95 95–96 96–97 97–98 98–99 99–00 00–01 01–02 02–03 03–04
Worlds 20th 33rd 26th 23rd
Europeans 16th 15th 13th 14th
GP Skate Canada 9th 11th
Finlandia Trophy 13th 8th
Golden Spin 5th
Nebelhorn Trophy 9th
Skate Israel 13th
International: Junior[6][3]
Junior Worlds 12th 10th 6th
Blue Swords 8th J. 5th J.
EYOF 8th J.
National[6][3]
British Champ. 1st J. 5th 2nd 1st 2nd 1st 2nd 1st 2nd
J. = Junior level

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Mittan, Barry (27 June 2003). "Move to Vancouver Rejuvenates Britain's Wilson". Golden Skate.
  2. ^ Burton, Mark (16 November 1996). "Ice Skating: Hard acts for Cousins to follow". The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Neil WILSON: 2000/2001". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 April 2001.
  4. ^ "Jeremy TEN: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014.
  5. ^ "Kelsey WONG: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 9 February 2014.
  6. ^ a b c d "Neil WILSON: 2002/2003". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012.
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