Matthew Savoie (figure skater)

Figure skater

Matt Savoie

Savoie in 2003.

Born|  (1980-09-12) September 12, 1980 (age 44)
Height| 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Figure skating career
Country| United States
Began skating| 1989
Retired| 2006

Medal record

Men's Figure skating
Representing United States
Four Continents Championships
| 2006 Colorado Springs | Men's singles
Grand Prix Final
| 2000-2001 Tokyo | Men's singles
U.S. Championships
| 2001 Boston | Men’s Singles
| 2004 Atlanta | Men’s Singles
| 2006 St. Louis | Men’s Singles
World Junior Championships
| 2000 Oberstdorf | Men's singles
Junior Grand Prix Final
| 1997-1998 Lausanne | Men's singles

Matthew Savoie (born September 12, 1980, in Peoria, Illinois), is an American former competitive figure skater. He is a three-time U.S. bronze medalist, the 2006 Four Continents bronze medalist, and competed at the 2006 Olympics.

## Skating career

[edit]

Matthew Savoie first gained prominence when he won the gold medal on the junior level at the 1997 U.S. Championships. He went on to place in the top five at every U.S. Nationals between 1999 and 2006, winning bronze medals in 2001, 2004, and 2006 and pewter medals (fourth place) in 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2005.[1]

Savoie won bronze medals at the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final, the Grand Prix Final, and the World Junior Championships. He represented the United States three times at the World Championships.[2]

Savoie was the first alternate to the 2002 Olympic team. In 2004, he underwent knee surgery due to parallel tendonitis.[3] By winning the bronze at the 2006 U.S. Championships, Savoie earned a chance to compete at the 2006 Winter Olympics.[4] He finished seventh overall.

Savoie was raised in Peoria, Illinois, and trained there with coach Linda Branan throughout his career.[5] He also worked with coach Gene Heffron, choreographer Tom Dickson, and modern dance teacher Kathy Johnson.[5][6]

In July 2006, Savoie was appointed as the athlete representative to the Single & Pair Skating Technical Committee of the International Skating Union.[7] He completed a four-year term.

## Personal life and post-competitive career

[edit]

Savoie graduated from Peoria High School (Peoria, Illinois) in 1998.[5] He graduated summa cum laude from Bradley University in 2002, with a major in political science[1] and a minor in biology. He went on to earn his master's degree in urban planning from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Fine & Applied Arts in 2005 and received the AICP Outstanding Graduate Student Award for 2005.[1] He was admitted to the law school at Cornell University in 2005, but obtained a deferral for a year to focus on making the Olympic team. He joined the program in September 2006,[6] where he also served as secretary of the LAMBDA (LGBT) Law Students Association.[8] After graduating in 2009, Savoie worked as an associate at Choate Hall & Stewart law firm before leaving in 2014 to become a coach at The Skating Club of Boston.[9] His students include Curran Oi.[9]

Savoie married attorney Brian Boyle on October 7, 2012, in Sturbridge, Massachusetts.[10] He and Boyle have one son together.[11]

## Programs

[edit]

Season  | Short program | Free skating

|
|

2005–2006
[2] |

* Windmills of Your Mind
by Michel Legrand

* Journey of Man
by Benoit Jutras
* Gabriel's Oboe
* Once Upon a Time in America
* Ascunsion
* The Falls
by Ennio Morricone

2004–2005
[12] |

* Adagio for Strings
by Samuel Barber

* Intro by B Tribe 5
(from Higher Octava album)
by The Brave
* Earth from Xotica
(from Cirque du Soleil) by Rene Dupere
* Intro by B Tribe 5
* Church Shootout
(from Once Upon a Time in Mexico)

2003–2004
[13] |

* Mandala
* Spirit of Taiko
by Kitaro

* Prologue
from Ragtime (musical)
by Stephen Flaherty
* The Ragtime Symphonic Suite
Ragtime (musical)
by William David Brohn
* Maple Leaf Rag
by Scott Joplin
performed by the Boston Pops Orchestra
* Coalhouse and Sarah
from Ragtime (film)
by Randy Newman

2002–2003
[14] | Cirque du Soleil:

* Reveil
* Quidam
by Benoit Jutras

2001–2002
[15] |

* Toccata con Fuoco - Piano Concerto No. 1
by Keith Emerson
London Philharmonic Orchestra
* Age of Illusion
by Joe Hisaishi
New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra
* Introspection
by Bob d'Eith and Paul Schmidt

2000–2001
[16] |

* Passion and Power
by J. Schlachter and A. Maek

* Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra
by George Gershwin

## Competitive highlights

[edit]

Results[1][2][14][16]

International
Event  | 1996–97  | 1997–98  | 1998–99  | 1999–00  | 2000–01  | 2001–02  | 2002–03  | 2003–04  | 2004–05  | 2005–06
Olympics |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7th
Worlds |  |  |  |  |  | 12th |  | 16th |  | 11th
Four Continents |  |  |  |  | 4th | 5th |  |  | 5th | 3rd
Grand Prix Final |  |  |  |  | 3rd |  |  |  |  |
GP Cup of China |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 8th | 7th
GP Cup of Russia |  |  |  |  | 3rd | 4th | 5th |  |  |
GP NHK Trophy |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 9th |  |
GP Skate Canada |  |  |  |  | 3rd |  |  |  |  | 5th
GP Skate America |  |  |  | 5th |  | 6th | 3rd |  |  |
GP Sparkassen |  |  |  | 3rd |  |  |  |  |  |
Bofrost |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3rd |
International: Junior
Junior Worlds |  |  | 4th | 3rd |  |  |  |  |  |
JGP Final |  | 3rd | 6th |  |  |  |  |  |  |
JGP China |  |  | 4th |  |  |  |  |  |  |
JGP France |  | 2nd | 3rd |  |  |  |  |  |  |
JGP Germany |  | 1st |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gardena | 1st J. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
National
U.S. Champ. | 1st J. | 11th | 4th | 4th | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 3rd | 4th | 3rd

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "Matt Savoie". U.S. Figure Skating. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007.
2. ^ a b c "Matthew SAVOIE: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on July 2, 2006.
3. ^ "Savoie, Matt". U.S. Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on April 10, 2008.
4. ^ Wessler, Kirk (January 15, 2006). "An Olympian". Peoria Journal Star. Archived from the original on March 26, 2006.
5. ^ a b c Wessler, Kirk (March 16, 2003). "Proud of his home ice". Peoria Journal Star. Archived from the original on December 20, 2004.
6. ^ a b Wessler, Kirk (February 12, 2006). "Deconstructing Savoie". Peoria Journal Star. Archived from the original on March 26, 2006.
7. ^ "Matt Savoie Appointed Athlete Representative to ISU Technical Committee". U.S. Figure Skating. July 21, 2006. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved October 23, 2006.
8. ^ "2006-2007: LAMBDA Law Students Association". Cornell University Student Activities Office.
9. ^ a b Wessler, Kirk (March 2, 2016). "Olympic skater Matt Savoie to be enshrined in Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame". Peoria Journal Star. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
10. ^ Elfman, Lois (October 18, 2012). "Law of attraction: Wedding bells ring for Savoie". Icenetwork. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
11. ^ "Meet Brian".
12. ^ "Matthew SAVOIE: 2004/2005". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on October 16, 2005.
13. ^ "Matthew SAVOIE: 2003/2004". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 5, 2004.
14. ^ a b "Matthew SAVOIE: 2002/2003". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 8, 2003.
15. ^ "Matthew SAVOIE: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 2, 2002.
16. ^ a b "Matthew SAVOIE: 2000/2001". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on July 15, 2001.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Matthew Savoie.

* Matthew Savoie at U.S. Figure Skating
* Matthew Savoie at the International Skating Union