Anna Valesi (born 9 June 2002) is an Italian pair skater. With her former partner, Manuel Piazza, she is the 2024 Italian national bronze medalist and has won seven senior international medals, including silver at the 2022 Bavarian Open.

Anna Valesi
Born (2002-06-09) 9 June 2002 (age 22)
Como, Italy
HometownCassina Rizzardi, Italy
Height1.58 m (5 ft 2 in)
Figure skating career
CountryItaly Italy
PartnerManuel Piazza [2021-2024]
Filippo Clerici [2020-2021]
CoachOndřej Hotárek
Luca Demattè
Rosanna Murante
Skating clubASGA Como
Began skating2006
Medal record
Italian Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Pinerolo Pairs

Career

edit

Early years

edit

Valesi began learning to skate in 2006.[1] As a singles skater, she competed internationally in the junior ranks from March 2018 through March 2019.[2]

Skating in partnership with Filippo Clerici, she took silver in the pairs event at the Italian Junior Championships in April 2021.[2]

2021–22 season

edit

In the 2021–22 season, Valesi began competing in the senior ranks with Manuel Piazza. Making their international debut, Valesi/Piazza took bronze at the Tayside Trophy in November 2021. The following month, they placed fourth at the Italian Championships.[3]

In January 2022, Valesi/Piazza were awarded silver medals at two events – the Icelab International Cup and Bavarian Open.[3]

2022–23 season

edit

In September 2022, Valesi/Piazza won bronze at the Lombardia Trophy and placed seventh at the 2022 CS Nebelhorn Trophy.[3] In October, they were invited to their first Grand Prix event, the 2022 Skate America, where they finished fifth.[4] They were seventh at the 2022 Grand Prix of Espoo.[3]

2023–24 season

edit

Beginning the international season at the John Nicks Pairs Challenge, where they won the silver.[3] They next competed at the 2023 CS Nebelhorn Trophy, Valesi/Piazza finished ninth. They next competed at the 2023 Diamond Spin, where they won the bronze.[3]

On the Grand Prix, they came sixth at their lone initial assignment, the 2023 Grand Prix de France.[5] They were subsequently invited to the 2023 Cup of China, following the withdrawal of Americans Chan/Howe.[6][7] They were sixth at that event as well.[8]

Valesi / Piazza continued to the 2024 Italian Figure Skating Championships, where they won the bronze medal.[3] They were assigned to the 2024 Bavarian Open, but withdrew prior to the competition. It June, it was confirmed that the pair had split.[9]

Programs

edit
with Piazza
Season Short program Free skating
2023–24
[10]
2022–23
[1]

Competitive highlights

edit

GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series

Pair skating with Manuel Piazza

edit
Competition placements at senior level [11]
Season 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24
Italian Championships 4th 3rd
GP Cup of China 6th
GP Finland 7th
GP France 6th
GP Skate America 5th
CS Nebelhorn Trophy 7th 9th
CS Warsaw Cup 5th
Bavarian Open 2nd
Challenge Cup 8th
Diamond Spin 3rd
IceLab Cup 2nd
John Nicks Pairs 2nd
Lombardia Trophy 3rd
Tayside Trophy 3rd 3rd

Pair skating with Clerici

edit
National[2]
Event 2020–21
Italian Junior Championships 2nd

Single skating

edit
International: Junior[12][2]
Event 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19
Bavarian Open 10th II
Coppa Europa 6th
Egna Trophy 14th
Tallinn Trophy 9th
International: Advanced novice[2]
Coupe du Printemps 15th
Egna Trophy 4th
National[12][2]
Italian Championships 17th J 6th J
J = Junior level

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Anna VALESI / Manuel PIAZZA: 2022/2023". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Anna VALESI". rinkresults.com.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Competition Results: Anna VALESI / Manuel PIAZZA". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023.
  4. ^ Slater, Paula (October 23, 2022). "Knierim and Frazier reclaim Skate America pairs' title". Golden Skate.
  5. ^ "Figura, bel secondo posto per Beccari-Guarise al Nebelhorn Trophy!" [Look, nice second place for Beccari-Guarise at the Nebelhorn Trophy!]. Federazione Italiana Sport del Ghiaccio. September 22, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  6. ^ AnythingGOEs [@AnythingGOE] (October 19, 2023). "🇺🇸 Emily Chan / Spencer Akira Howe have withdrawn from Cup of China" (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 21, 2023 – via Twitter.
  7. ^ AnythingGOEs [@AnythingGOE] (October 23, 2023). "🇮🇹 Anna Valesi / Manuel Piazza have been assigned to Cup of China" (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 29, 2023 – via Twitter.
  8. ^ Slater, Paula (November 11, 2023). "Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps score another victory in China". Golden Skate. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  9. ^ @AnythingGOE (June 7, 2024). "🇮🇹 Anna Valesi / Manuel Piazza have confirmed the end of their partnership" (Tweet). Retrieved June 7, 2024 – via Twitter.
  10. ^ "Anna VALESI / Manuel PIAZZA: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 14 November 2023.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference SS-AVMP was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ a b "Competition Results: Anna VALESI". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022.
edit