Massimo Scali (born 11 December 1979) is an Italian former competitive ice dancer. With partner Federica Faiella, he is the 2010 World bronze medalist, a two-time (2009–2010) European silver medalist, and a six-time (2003–2005, 2007–2009) Italian national champion. They also won eleven Grand Prix medals together.
Massimo Scali | |
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![]() Faiella/Scali at the 2010 Worlds | |
Born | Monterotondo | 11 December 1979
Hometown | Mentana, Province of Rome |
Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) |
Figure skating career | |
Country | Italy |
Partner | Federica Faiella |
Skating club | Agora Skating Team |
Retired | 2011 |
Career
editEarly years
editMassimo Scali began skating at the age of ten.[1] His early ice dance career was with Flavia Ottaviani, with whom he won six medals on the Junior Grand Prix. They were the 1997/1998 Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalists. He and Faiella trained at the same rink under the same coach.[2] After his partner quit skating, he briefly partnered with Jennifer Wester.[2]
Partnership with Faiella
editScali teamed up with Federica Faiella in 2001.[3] Despite skating together for only a brief period of time, they were able to qualify for the 2002 Winter Olympics, where they finished 18th.
In their second season of competition together, Faiella/Scali won Italian nationals for the first time, and placed in the top ten at the European Championships. A year later, they moved into the top ten at Worlds. In the years leading up to the 2006 Winter Olympics, they continued to make steady progress up the ranks. Prior to the 2005-06 Olympic season, Barbara Fusar-Poli / Maurizio Margaglio, who won bronze for Italy at the 2002 Games, returned to the eligible ranks. Faiella/Scali became the second Italian team, and finished outside the top ten at the Olympics after a fall in the original dance.[4]
Following the season, they made a coaching change and relocated to the United States to work with Pasquale Camerlengo and Anjelika Krylova at the Detroit Skating Club in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.[1] They had an up and down season in 2006-07 but enjoyed good results in 2007-08, including a fourth place at the Europeans and a fifth-place finish at Worlds.
In the 2008-09 season, Faiella/Scali finished second at the Trophee Eric Bompard and won their first Grand Prix event, the 2008 NHK Trophy. This qualified them for their first Grand Prix final, where they finished fourth. They won their first European medal, a silver, behind Russians Jana Khokhlova / Sergei Novitski.[5] At the 2009 World Championships, a fall in the original dance ended their hopes of medal contention, and they finished eighth.
In the 2009–10 Olympic season, Faiella/Scali began their season with a bronze medal at the 2009 Cup of China. They withdrew from their next Grand Prix event due to Faiella's illness. At the 2010 Europeans, they won both the original dance and the free dance on their way to their second European silver medal. They finished fifth at the Olympics. Faiella fell ill after the Olympics and returned to the ice only four days before the World Championships.[6] The duo won their first world medal, a bronze, in Turin.[7]
At the 2010 World Championships, Faiella/Scali announced that they would return for another season. Their assigned Grand Prix events in 2010-11 were the Cup of China and the Cup of Russia. Visa problems delayed their training in the U.S. and Faiella had recurring back problems.[8] They again finished third at the 2010 Cup of China after Scali tripped on Faiella's skirts in both programs.[9] They withdrew from the 2010 Cup of Russia prior to the free dance due to Scali's back injury.[10] At the 2011 European Championships, they placed ninth in the short dance but moved up to fifth after the free dance.[11]
On 15 March 2011, Scali announced on the team's website that they were retiring from competitive skating and that he would work with coach and choreographer Pasquale Camerlengo's team at the Detroit Skating Club.[12] However, in May 2011, after Faiella's recovery progressed better than expected, they announced through their official website that they would in fact continue to skate competitively.[13] An injury to Faiella ended this comeback attempt, and in 2012 Scali confirmed that they would not return to competitive skating.[14]
Faiella/Scali often performed reverse lifts in competition, in which she lifted him.[1]
Coaching career
editIn 2011, Scali began working as a coach and choreographer in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan at the Detroit Skating Club, alongside Camerlengo, Anjelika Krylova, Natalia Annenko-Deller, and Elizabeth Punsalan.[14][15] He has worked with Madison Hubbell / Zachary Donohue,[16] Danielle O'Brien / Gregory Merriman,[17] and Alexandra Paul / Mitchell Islam.[18] Scali was working as a coach and choreographer at the Arctic Edge in Canton, Michigan with Marina Zueva. He coached Maia Shibutani / Alex Shibutani until their retirement in 2018.
In addition to his coaching career he has also choreographed for several skaters. His clients include:
Programs
edit(with Faiella)
Season | Short dance | Free dance | Exhibition |
---|---|---|---|
2010–2011 [19][20] |
My Fair Lady:
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Manolete by Pepe Romero:
|
|
Original dance | |||
2009–2010 [21][22] |
Italian folk:
|
|
|
2008–2009 [23][24] |
|
By Missy Elliott:
| |
2007–2008 [25][26] |
|
|
|
2006–2007 [27][28] |
|
|
|
2005–2006 [29][30] |
|
| |
2004–2005 [31][32] |
|
By Aretha Franklin: |
|
2003–2004 [33][34] |
|
|
|
2002–2003 [35][36] |
|
| |
2001–2002 [37][38] |
|
|
Competitive highlights
editWith Faiella
editResults[39] | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
International | ||||||||||
Event | 2001–02 | 2002–03 | 2003–04 | 2004–05 | 2005–06 | 2006–07 | 2007–08 | 2008–09 | 2009–10 | 2010–11 |
Olympics | 18th | 13th | 5th | |||||||
Worlds | 16th | 11th | 9th | 9th | 8th | 9th | 5th | 8th | 3rd | |
Europeans | 12th | 8th | 6th | 5th | 7th | 6th | 4th | 2nd | 2nd | 5th |
Grand Prix Final | 4th | |||||||||
GP Bompard | 5th | 3rd | 3rd | 2nd | ||||||
GP Cup of China | 6th | 3rd | 3rd | 3rd | ||||||
GP Cup of Russia | 5th | 5th | 3rd | WD | ||||||
GP NHK Trophy | 1st | |||||||||
GP Skate America | 4th | 3rd | ||||||||
GP Skate Canada | 7th | 5th | 3rd | |||||||
Bofrost Cup | 3rd | |||||||||
Karl Schäfer | 2nd | |||||||||
Nebelhorn | 2nd | 1st | ||||||||
National | ||||||||||
Italian Champ. | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | WD |
GP = Grand Prix; WD = Withdrew |
With Ottaviani
editResults[37] | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
International | ||||
Event | 1996–1997 | 1997–1998 | 1998–1999 | 1999–2000 |
Junior Worlds | 22nd | 7th | 4th | |
JGP Final | 3rd | 6th | 5th | |
JGP Bulgaria | 1st | |||
JGP China | 1st | |||
JGP France | 1st | |||
JGP Japan | 1st | |||
JGP Slovakia | 1st | |||
JGP Slovenia | 3rd | |||
Autumn Trophy | 10th J. | |||
National | ||||
Italian Champ. | 2nd J. | 2nd J. | 1st J. | |
J. = Junior level; JGP = Junior Grand Prix |
References
edit- ^ a b c Mittan, Barry (3 February 2008). "Faiella and Scali Reach for Top". GoldenSkate.com. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
- ^ a b Kempf, Susanne (2006). "Passion on the ice". AbsoluteSkating.com. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
- ^ Mittan, Barry (19 December 2004). "Hot Young Italian Dancers Wow Skating Fans". Skate Today.
- ^ Judd, Ron (20 February 2006). "Two to tangle: Chaos reigns in flub-filled ice dance competition". Seattle Times. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
- ^ Kondakova, Anna (24 January 2009). "Khokhlova and Novitski capture European ice dance title". Goldenskate.com. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
- ^ Bőd, Titanilla (2010). "Torino 2010 – day four: downgrades, mistakes and the story of an unusual friendship". AbsoluteSkating.com. Retrieved 22 December 2010.
- ^ Kondakova, Anna (26 March 2010). "Olympic ice dance champs nab first World title". Golden Skate.
- ^ Kany, Klaus-Reinhold (28 May 2011). "Different Paths for Federica Faiella & Massimo Scali". IFS Magazine. Archived from the original on 15 August 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2011.
- ^ "Cup of China produces mixed results". CBC Sports. 7 November 2010.
- ^ Flade, Tatjana (26 January 2011). "Pechalat and Bourzat grab lead in the Short Dance". GoldenSkate.com. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
- ^ Flade, Tatjana (29 January 2011). "Pechalat and Bourzat dance to first European title". GoldenSkate.com. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
- ^ Rutherford, Lynn (15 March 2011). "Ice dancers Faiella, Scali announce retirement". icenetwork.com. Retrieved 30 March 2011.
- ^ "Federica and Massimo... the ice is calling!". May 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-08-16.
- ^ a b "Massimo Scali, the challenge continues". Art on Ice. 6 May 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
- ^ Kany, Klaus-Reinhold; Rutherford, Lynn (19 August 2011). "Summer Notebook: Rockin' the ice in Detroit". icenetwork. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
- ^ Rutherford, Lynn (27 July 2011). "Hubbell, Donohue hope to put a spell on judges". icenetwork. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
- ^ Wheeler, Alice (13 February 2014). "Scali proud of green and gold role". Australian Olympic Committee.
- ^ "Alexandra PAUL / Mitchell ISLAM". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 12 April 2014.
- ^ "Federica FAIELLA / Massimo SCALI: 2010/2011". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 18 August 2011.
- ^ "Programs Season 2010/2011". FaiellaScali.com. Archived from the original on 6 May 2012.
- ^ "Federica FAIELLA / Massimo SCALI: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 4 May 2010.
- ^ "Programs Season 2009/2010". FaiellaScali.com. Archived from the original on 6 May 2012.
- ^ "Federica FAIELLA / Massimo SCALI: 2008/2009". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 27 June 2009.
- ^ "Programs Season 2008/2009". FaiellaScali.com. Archived from the original on 6 May 2012.
- ^ "Federica FAIELLA / Massimo SCALI: 2007/2008". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 26 June 2008.
- ^ "Programs Season 2007/2008". FaiellaScali.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
- ^ "Federica FAIELLA / Massimo SCALI: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 20 June 2007.
- ^ "Programs Season 2006/2007". FaiellaScali.com. Archived from the original on 21 November 2008.
- ^ "Federica FAIELLA / Massimo SCALI: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2 July 2006.
- ^ "Programs Season 2005/2006". FaiellaScali.com. Archived from the original on 21 November 2008.
- ^ "Federica FAIELLA / Massimo SCALI: 2004/2005". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 30 August 2005.
- ^ "Programs Season 2004/2005". FaiellaScali.com. Archived from the original on 21 November 2008.
- ^ "Federica FAIELLA / Massimo SCALI: 2003/2004". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 June 2004.
- ^ "Programs Season 2003/2004". FaiellaScali.com. Archived from the original on 21 November 2008.
- ^ "Federica FAIELLA / Massimo SCALI: 2002/2003". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 17 April 2003.
- ^ "Programs Season 2002/2003". FaiellaScali.com. Archived from the original on 21 November 2008.
- ^ a b "Federica FAIELLA / Massimo SCALI: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 11 June 2002.
- ^ "Programs Season 2001/2002". FaiellaScali.com. Archived from the original on 21 November 2008.
- ^ "Competition Results: Federica FAIELLA / Massimo SCALI". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012.
External links
editMedia related to Massimo Scali at Wikimedia Commons