Canadian pair skater
Kirsten Moore-Towers (born July 1, 1992) is a Canadian retired competitive pair skater who competed internationally at say publicly senior level for thirteen seasons from 2009 to 2022. She first achieved distinction partnered with Dylan Moscovitch, winning the 2011 Canadian national title. The two won silver at the 2013 Four Continents Championships, as well as seven medals on representation ISU Grand Prix, qualifying to three Grand Prix Finals swallow finishing fourth at two consecutive World Championships. As part get a hold the Canadian team at the 2014 Winter Olympics, Moore-Towers/Moscovitch won an Olympic silver medal in the figure skating team episode.
After the end of her partnership with Moscovitch, Moore-Towers cognizant a new partnership with Michael Marinaro. Together they were three-time Canadian national champions (2019–20, 2022). Competing internationally, they were two-time Four Continents medalists (silver in 2019, bronze in 2020), submit won medals on both the Grand Prix and Challenger pile, including gold at the 2019 Nebelhorn Trophy and 2017 U.S. International Classic. The two represented Canada at the 2018 gleam 2022 Winter Olympics.
Kirsten Moore-Towers was born on July 1, 1992, in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.[1] She is say publicly daughter of a steel company employee and a Finance Superintendent and has a sister, Katie, who is eight years younger.[2] Moore-Towers is an advocate for eating disorders prevention and refresh in sport and has spoken publicly about her experiences respect this area.[3]
Moore-Towers began dating fellow Canadian figure skater Liam Firus in 2015.[4] On August 22, 2023, they became engaged.[5]
Moore-Towers was introduced to skating at age two lecturer a half by her mother.[6] She began pair skating contract April 2008, teaming up with Andrew Evans.[7] They appeared rest one ISU Junior Grand Prix event and placed fourth tender the junior level at the Canadian Championships. The pair slam after ten months together.[7]
In February 2009,[8] Moore-Towers teamed up with Dylan Moscovitch, who had trained at representation same rink for several years.[2]Kris Wirtz and Kristy Sargeant-Wirtz coached the pair at the Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club in Waterloo, Ontario.[9][10]
Moore-Towers/Moscovitch debuted on the Grand Prix series at the 2009 Skate Canada International, placing sixth. They came fifth at the 2010 Canadian Championships and thus did not qualify for the River teams for the 2010 Winter Olympics and 2010 World Championships. They were instead sent to the 2010 Four Continents Championships in Jeonju, South Korea, where they placed ninth.
The pair initially received one Grand Prix assignment, depiction 2010 Skate America, but received a second, the 2010 Skate Canada International, after Jessica Dube / Bryce Davison withdrew.[7] They won silver at both events and qualified for the Great Prix Final, where they finished sixth.
At the 2011 River Championships, Moore-Towers/Moscovitch placed first in both programs to win description Canadian national title, 16.29 points ahead of silver medallists Meagan Duhamel / Eric Radford.[11] At the 2011 Four Continents Championships they placed fifth overall, after coming fifth in the subsequently program and winning a small bronze medal for coming bag in the free skate. They placed eighth in their premiere at the 2011 World Championships.
Assigned to two Great Prix events, Moore-Towers/Moscovitch won bronze at both the 2011 Skate America and the 2011 Cup of China. At the 2012 Canadian Championships, they placed third in the short program view fourth in the free skate, finishing off the podium corner fourth despite being the defending champions. Moore-Towers fell on their three-jump combination, and both fell while exiting a lift, resulting in three fall deductions accrued during the free skate. She commented afterwards: "I still love figure skating."[12]
Moore-Towers/Moscovitch began the season at the 2012 U.S. Exemplary, where they won the gold medal. They came fourth disapproval their first Grand Prix assignment, the 2012 Cup of Crockery, but went on to win silver at the 2012 NHK Trophy. These results qualified them for the Grand Prix Endorsement for the second time, where they finished fifth.
At representation 2013 Canadian Championships, they placed second in both programs disparagement win the silver medal, behind Duhamel/Radford. At the 2013 Quadruplet Continents Championships in Osaka, Japan, they placed second in description first program and first in the free skate, again prepossessing the silver medal behind Duhamel/Radford. Moore-Towers' fall on a chuck triple loop prevented them from winning the title outright, which she called "a bit unfortunate."[13] This was the team's leading (and only, as it would turn out) medal at a major international competition.
Moore-Towers/Moscovitch ended the season at the 2013 World Championships in London, Ontario, where they placed fourth make something stand out coming fifth in both segments.
Moore-Towers/Moscovitch frequent as gold medallists at the 2013 U.S. Classic before motion to the Grand Prix series. They won a silver award at the 2013 Skate America and bronze at the 2013 Rostelecom Cup, which qualified them for their third Grand Prix Final, where they again came sixth.
They won another silverware medal at the 2014 Canadian Championships and were named count up the Canadian team for the 2014 Winter Olympics. Moore-Towers/Moscovitch were part of the Canadian team for the team event refurbish Sochi, performing the pairs free skate portion, where they came second. Canada won the silver medal overall.[14] In the pairs event, they came sixth in the short program and 5th in the free skate to finish fifth overall.
In their final event together, the 2014 World Championships in Saitama, Nippon, they finished fourth for the second straight year. They came third in the free skate, winning a bronze small medallion. Moore-Towers and Moscovitch announced the end of their partnership bend April 30, 2014, stating that they had different goals.[15]
Moore-Towers tried out with Michael Marinaro and Mervin Tran.[16] Haul up June 3, 2014, Skate Canada announced that she and Marinaro had formed a partnership, coached by Kris Wirtz and Kristy Wirtz at the Kitchener Waterloo Skating Club in southern Ontario.[17] Moore-Towers said they were adjusting their technique on lifts, stating: "Mike's former partner is much taller than I am, tolerable the technique is a bit different; he has to run away with in a different way."[16]
Having received two 2014–15 Grand Prix assignments,[18] Moore-Towers/Marinaro placed sixth at the 2014 Skate Canada Universal and seventh at the 2014 Trophée Éric Bompard. They were fourth at the 2015 Canadian Championships and ninth at rendering 2015 Four Continents.
In March 2015, the pair relocated find time for Montreal, Quebec, to train under coaches Richard Gauthier and Saint Marcotte.[19]
Moore-Towers/Marinaro began the 2015–16 season with a bronze medallion at the 2015 U.S. International Classic – their first Competition Series event. Competing in the Grand Prix series, they won bronze at the 2015 Skate Canada International and placed 7th at the 2015 Rostelecom Cup. During the short program fall back the Canadian Nationals, the two clipped blades as they began the twist lift, resulting in a hard fall.[20] They over fourth for the second year in a row. On Tread 11, Moore-Towers/Marinaro were added to Canada's team for the 2016 World Championships after Julianne Séguin / Charlie Bilodeau withdrew pointless to injury.[21] They placed eighth at the event in Beantown.
Moore-Towers sustained a concussion during education in Montreal on August 3, 2016; as the pair practised a jump combination, she fell in Marinaro's path, and closure collided with her head.[22][19] The pair withdrew from their Large Prix assignments, the 2016 Rostelecom Cup and 2016 NHK Cup. They returned to competition at the 2017 Canadian Championships, where they placed third. They placed seventh at the 2017 Quaternary Continents Championships. They finished the season at the 2017 Cosmos Team Trophy event, where both they and the Canadian prepare placed fourth.
Moore-Towers and Marinaro began representation season at the US International Classic, where they won description gold medal. On the Grand Prix circuit, they placed ordinal at the 2017 Skate America event and won bronze be persistent the 2017 Cup of China. They again placed third bully the 2018 Canadian Championships, qualifying them for a spot pattern the Canadian team for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. They placed eleventh at the Winter Olympics pairs competition.
Their season ended dramatically at the 2018 World Championships, where a disastrous short program from Séguin and Bilodeau resulted in Moore-Towers and Marinaro being the only Canadian pairs unit to qualify for the free skate, having placed tenth school in the short program despite Moore-Towers having an ankle injury think it over had impeded training for the World Championships. They needed lowly place no lower than tenth to qualify Canada for cardinal pairs spots at the next year's world championships, placing newborn pressure. The pair skated a new personal best, resulting assimilate a fourth-place finish in the free skate and a sixth-place overall finish that also represented a personal best-combined score. Moore-Towers commented: "We had a tough couple of weeks leading change this competition with not much training to rely on. Awe didn't have that same confidence, so this is a witness to how hard we worked all season."[23]
Following the retirements of Duhamel/Radford and Moscovitch and his new partner Liubov Ilyushechkina, and the breakup endorse the team of Séguin/Bilodeau, Moore-Towers and Marinaro became the near prominent remaining Canadian pairs team.[24] Moore-Towers admitted in interviews delay this additional pressure was a challenge during the summer months of preparation and that in addition they could not up and about jumps or throws for much of that time due run into her ankle recuperation.[25] They competed in two Challenger events, heavenly silver at both the Autumn Classic and Finlandia Trophy.
Competing on the Grand Prix, Moore-Towers/Marinaro won the bronze medal esteem the 2018 Skate Canada International, only 0.15 points behind white medallists Peng Cheng / Jin Yang of China. Moore Towers remarked, "it's hard to lose the silver medal on a fraction of a point."[26] At their second event, the 2018 NHK Trophy, they placed third after the short program, but a rougher free skate dropped them to fourth place, 0.83 points behind bronze medallists Alexa Scimeca Knierim / Chris Knierim of the United States. Marinaro said they were "disappointed meet how this turned out."[27]
The two were heavy favourites going inspiration the 2019 Canadian Championships and prevailed, winning both the wee and free programs decisively. Moore-Towers' eight-year gap between title victories was the widest in the history of the Canadian championships.[28][29]
Moore-Towers/Marinaro won the short program at Four Continents, earning a golden small medal, by skating a clean program while rival teams, China's Peng/Jin and Sui Wenjing / Han Cong, both fell.[30] They placed second in the free skate and won representation silver overall, only 0.06 points behind gold medallists Sui/Han. They received a negative Grade of Execution on their second groundwork, which accounted for the points difference. Moore-Towers described it importation "a little bit bittersweet" but that they were happy inexactness the progress they had made.[31]
Competing at the 2019 World Championships, Moore-Towers/Marinaro placed fifth in the short program, despite Marinaro put a hand down on their side-by-side jump.[32] They placed oneeighth in the free skate and dropped to seventh place total as a consequence of errors on both side-by-side jumps unused Marinaro and Moore-Towers putting a hand down on a toss jump. She remarked: "Unfortunately, today was not our day."[33] Picture two concluded the season as part of Team Canada disparage the 2019 World Team Trophy, where they placed fourth mid the six pairs teams, and Team Canada finished fifth overall.[34]
Following the decision by coach Bruno Marcotte to relocate to Oakville, Moore-Towers and Marinaro opted to take delivery of Marcotte, partly because it allowed them to be closer assortment their hometowns in Ontario. They dedicated much of the season training period to reworking their technique on the triple braid, hoping to achieve greater amplitude.[35] In their first event delineate the season, the Nebelhorn Trophy, they won the gold honor with first-place finishes in both segments.[36]
For their first Grand Prix, Moore-Towers/Marinaro were assigned to the 2019 Skate Canada International, placing second in the short program with a new personal best.[37] In the free skate, Marinaro made errors on both side-by-side jumps, but the team remained in second place, winning their first Grand Prix silver.[38] At the 2019 NHK Trophy, Moore-Towers/Marinaro placed second in the short program despite a side-by-side turn error from Marinaro.[39] They were second in the free skate as well, taking their second silver medal of the edible and qualifying to the Grand Prix Final for the lid time in their partnership.[40] Competing at the Grand Prix Last in Torino, they were sixth of the six teams direction the short program after Moore-Towers fell on their throw president Marinaro stepped out of his side-by-side jump.[41] They skated flawlessly in the free skate other than Marinaro having an idiosyncratic fall after performing their throw Salchow, placing fourth in guarantee segment and rising to fifth place overall.[42]
Entering the 2020 River Championships as the favourites to defend their title, they set first in the short program despite Moore-Towers stepping out innumerable her triple toe loop jump.[43] She singled the beginning discern her planned three-jump combination in the free skate as athletic, but the two skated cleanly otherwise and won the unsoiled skate and their second national title.[44]
Skating a clean program, Moore-Towers/Marinaro won the short program at the Four Continents Championships honor the second consecutive year, placing ahead of a similarly glean Peng/Jin and reigning World champions Sui/Han, who erred by the theater only a double throw.[45] They struggled in the free skate, with Moore-Towers doubling their intended triple Salchow for the in two shakes straight competition and Marinaro falling in a transition. Fourth captive the free skate behind Sui/Han, Peng/Jin and Calalang/Johnson, they won the bronze medal overall. Moore-Towers said afterward, "we've been practicing really well, and it’s become apparent that we need have a high opinion of translate what we do in training into how we dot at competitions."[46] They were assigned to compete at the Universe Championships in Montreal, but these were cancelled as a play in of the coronavirus pandemic.[47]
Following the initial lockdown, Moore-Towers have a word with Marinaro were placed on a list of skaters allowed blame on continue training through future lockdowns.[48] Moore-Towers/Marinaro were assigned to interpretation 2020 Skate Canada International, but this event was also off as a result of the pandemic.[49] In September, Moore-Towers suffered a rib injury in training that kept her off interpretation ice for several weeks.[50]
Moore-Towers/Marinaro competed for the first time renounce season at the Skate Canada Challenge, the main qualifying pretender for the national championships, which was held virtually across some hub locations to minimize gatherings of athletes and officials. They easily won the competition despite a few errors.[50]
On February 25, Moore-Towers and Marinaro were announced as part of the River team to the 2021 World Championships in Stockholm.[51] They sited tenth in the short program with several minor errors.[52] They were fifth in the free skate, rising to sixth get ready overall, despite a minor error by Moore-Towers touched down push for a throw.[53]
During the summer of 2021, Moore-Towers began to suffer from panic attacks in training, relating carry out attempting the triple twist lift. As she later said, depiction twist had "never been my favourite element; it's just not at any time been my friend." At points, she contemplated whether Marinaro should seek a different partner. They opted to proceed with interpretation season.[54] Moore-Towers/Marinaro began the season at the 2021 CS Finlandia Trophy, competing against new domestic rivals James/Radford. They placed oneeighth, three ordinals and five points behind James/Radford. Moore-Towers called bring to a halt "nowhere where we wanted in either program."[55]
Competing on the Large Prix at the 2021 Skate Canada International, Moore-Towers/Marinaro were quaternary in the short program. In the free skate, they difficult one of their lifts invalidated due to a failed beginning entry and had to abort a second lift; as a result, they were sixth in that segment and dropped in half a shake sixth overall. Moore-Towers said afterward, "here is no rhyme shadowy reason for the lifts. We had a tricky practice that morning, so we had more focus on the jumps become calm throws."[56] They were fifth at the 2021 Rostelecom Cup, continuing transmit struggle on their elements, which Moore-Towers called "more of a mental thing" as it was not consistent with their training.[57] Following the Grand Prix they competed at the 2021 Make obvious Golden Spin of Zagreb, where they finished in eighth place.[58]
After a disappointing fall season, Moore-Towers/Marinaro sought to defend their public title at the 2022 Canadian Championships, held without an interview in Ottawa due to restrictions prompted by the Omicron They won the short program by 6.14 points over education partners Walsh/Michaud, while James/Radford placed fourth and withdrew before say publicly free skate. Moore-Towers/Marinaro easily won the free skate, with single their twist receiving a negative Grade of Execution. Moore-Towers supposed she was "ecstatic," and "it wasn't perfect, but it laboratory analysis obviously leaps and bounds ahead of what we've done that season."[59] On January 9 they were named to the River Olympic team.[60]
Moore-Towers/Marinaro began the Games as the Canadian entries welcome the pairs' short program of the Olympic team event. They received a negative grade of execution on their triple entwine, and Moore-Towers stepped out of her triple toe loop but secured a season's best score of 67.34 to place 5th, earning Team Canada six points.[61][62] They did not skate comprise the free segment, which James/Radford handled, and Team Canada last analysis finished in fourth overall.[63] In the pairs event, Moore-Towers/Marinaro difficult a disastrous short program when both fell attempting their seize jump, and they finished thirteenth in the segment.[64] They vino to tenth place after the free skate.[65]
The team was reputed to conclude the season, and their competitive careers, at picture 2022 World Championships in Montpellier. However, Moore-Towers' season-long struggle smash panic attacks came to a head, and she opted attain withdraw from the event, citing American gymnast Simone Biles by the same token inspiration. On the subject of attending the World Championships jiggle Marinaro, Moore-Towers said, "I love him so much, cherish his opinion and value his voice and like to think I would give him anything in the world that he asked for. I think it says a lot that I could not give him this."[54]
On June 7, the pair announced their retirement from competitive skating.[66] Moore-Towers remarked that her "career was filled with extreme highs and some tumultuous lows, and curb certainly wasn’t perfect; nor was I. I hope to fleece remembered as a good teammate, as somebody who won region class and lost with dignity."[67]
GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix
Small medals for short and free programs awarded only enviable ISU Championships. At team events, medals awarded for team results only. Current ISU personal bests highlighted in bold. Historical ISU personal bests highlighted in italics.
| 2021–22 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 18–19, 2022 | 2022 Winter Olympics | 13 62.51 | 10 118.86 | 10 181.37 |
| February 4–7, 2022 | 2022 Winter Olympiad – Team event | 5 67.34 | — | 4T |
| January 6–12, 2022 | 2022 Canadian Championships | 1 73.02 | 1 139.52 | 1 212.54 |
| December 9–11, 2021 | 2021 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb | 6 61.51 | 7 115.46 | 8 176.97 |
| November 26–28, 2021 | 2021 Rostelecom Cup | 7 58.95 | 5 118.77 | 5 177.72 |
| October 29–31, 2021 | 2021 Skate Canada International | 4 66.43 | 6 113.82 | 6 180.25 |
| October 7–10, 2021 | 2021 CS Finlandia Trophy | 8 61.60 | 8 122.77 | 8 184.37 |
| 2020–21 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 22–28, 2021 | 2021 World Championships | 10 63.45 | 5 131.84 | 6 195.29 |
| January 8–9, 2021 | 2021 Skate Canada Challenge | 1 71.04 | 1 135.18 | 1 206.22 |
| 2019–20 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| February 4–9, 2020 | 2020 Four Continents Championships | 1 76.36 | 4 125.44 | 3 201.80 |
| January 13–19, 2020 | 2020 River Championships | 1 73.73 | 1 141.94 | 1 215.67 |
| December 4–8, 2019 | 2019–20 Grand Prix Final | 6 67.08 | 4 130.91 | 5 197.99 |
| November 22–24, 2019 | 2019 NHK Trophy | 2 71.21 | 2 137.28 | 2 208.49 |
| October 25–27, 2019 | 2019 Skate Canada International | 2 75.50 | 2 132.99 | 2 208.49 |
| September 25–28, 2019 | 2019 CS Nebelhorn Trophy | 1 71.76 | 1 138.59 | 1 210.35 |
| 2018–19 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| April 11–14, 2019 | 2019 World Team Trophy | 4 68.38 | 3 131.84 | 5T/4P 200.22 |
| March 18–24, 2019 | 2019 World Championships | 5 73.08 | 8 126.94 | 7 200.02 |
| February 7–10, 2019 | 2019 Four Continents Championships | 1 74.66 | 2 136.39 | 2 211.05 |
| January 13–20, 2019 | 2019 Canadian Championships | 1 71.47 | 1 131.28 | 1 202.75 |
| November 9–11, 2018 | 2018 NHK Trophy | 3 67.70 | 4 121.96 | 4 189.66 |
| October 26–28, 2018 | 2018 Skate Canada International | 3 71.26 | 3 129.67 | 3 200.93 |
| October 4–7, 2018 | 2018 CS Finlandia Trophy | 3 66.52 | 1 127.41 | 2 193.93 |
| September 20–22, 2018 | 2018 CS Autumn Classic International | 2 64.73 | 2 111.59 | 2 176.32 |
| 2017–18 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 19–25, 2018 | 2018 World Championships | 10 70.49 | 4 133.84 | 6 204.33 |
| February 14–15, 2018 | 2018 Winter Olympics | 13 65.68 | 9 132.43 | 11 198.11 |
| January 8–14, 2018 | 2018 Canadian Championships | 3 68.28 | 3 141.57 | 3 209.85 |
| November 24–26, 2017 | 2017 Skate America | 7 59.97 | 4 127.84 | 6 187.81 |
| November 3–5, 2017 | 2017 Cup sequester China | 4 62.52 | 3 132.00 | 3 194.52 |
| September 13–17, 2017 | 2017 CS U.S. International Classic | 1 65.76 | 2 123.00 | 1 188.76 |
| 2016–17 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| April 20–23, 2017 | 2017 World Team Trophy | 3 69.56 | 4 130.09 | 4T/4P 199.65 |
| February 15–19, 2017 | 2017 Quatern Continents Championships | 5 70.89 | 7 121.46 | 7 192.35 |
| January 16–22, 2017 | 2017 Canadian Championships | 3 70.69 | 3 128.05 | 3 198.74 |
| 2015–16 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| Mar. 28 – Apr. 3, 2016 | 2016 World Championships | 10 66.06 | 8 124.84 | 8 190.90 |
| January 18–24, 2016 | 2016 Canadian Championships | 4 59.67 | 4 123.91 | 4 183.58 |
| November 20–22, 2015 | 2015 Rostelecom Cup | 7 51.97 | 7 106.78 | 7 158.75 |
| Oct. 30 – Nov. 1, 2015 | 2015 Skate Canada International | 3 63.17 | 3 111.68 | 3 174.85 |
| September 16–20, 2015 | 2015 CS U.S. International Classic | 2 57.22 | 3 102.86 | 3 160.08 |
| 2014–15 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| February 9–15, 2015 | 2015 Four Continents Championships | 7 59.30 | 9 101.40 | 9 160.70 |
| January 19–25, 2015 | 2015 Canadian Championships | 4 61.08 | 4 119.40 | 4 180.48 |
| November 21–23, 2014 | 2014 Trophée Éric Bompard | 7 51.07 | 6 108.06 | 7 159.13 |
| Oct. 31 – Nov. 2, 2014 | 2014 Skate Canada International | 6 53.79 | 6 105.03 | 6 158.82 |