Stéphane Walker

Stéphane Walker (born 25 December 1990) is a Swiss figure skater. Competing in men's singles, he won ten international medals, including two on the ISU Challenger Series, and became a five-time Swiss national champion (2013–14, 2016–18). He appeared in the final segment at seven ISU Championships (six European Championships and the 2014 World Championships). Competing in Ice Dance with former partner Arianna Wroblewska, he is a two-time Swiss national silver medalist. As of July 2021, he is competing with Jasmine Tessari. They are the 2022 Swiss national champions.

Stéphane Walker
Born	(1990-12-25) 25 December 1990 (age 34) Sion, Switzerland
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)
Figure skating career
Country	Switzerland
Partner	Jasmine Tessari
Skating club	CP Sion
Began skating	1994
Medal record
Swiss Championships 2013 Geneva Singles 2014 La Chaux-de-Fonds Singles 2016 Lausanne Singles 2017 Lucerne Singles 2018 Neuchâtel Singles 2022 Lucerne Ice dance 2012 Basel Singles 2019 Wetzikon Ice dance 2020 Biel/Bienne Ice dance 2011 Zug Singles

Career

Early years

Walker began learning to skate in 1994.^[1] His ISU Junior Grand Prix debut came in September 2007; he placed 20th at the Tallinn Cup in Estonia. In the 2007–08 season, he was coached by Heinz Wirz in Sion and Bern, Switzerland.^[2]

By the 2009–10 season, Walker was training under Myriam Loriol-Oberwiler in Neuchâtel.^[3] He was sent to the 2010 World Junior Championships in The Hague but was eliminated after placing 30th in the short program.

2010–2011 through 2012–2013

In January 2011, Walker appeared at his first senior ISU Championship, the 2011 European Championships in Bern, and qualified for the final segment. He placed 10th in the preliminary round, 24th in the short program, 24th in the free skate, and 24th overall.

At the 2013 European Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, he ranked 24th in the short, 17th in the free, and 20th overall.

2013–2014 season

In September 2013, Walker competed at the Nebelhorn Trophy, the last qualifying opportunity for the 2014 Winter Olympics, but his placement, 15th, was insufficient to earn a spot in Sochi, Russia.

Walker reached the free skate at two ISU Championships – he finished 17th at the 2014 European Championships in January in Budapest, Hungary, and 23rd at the 2014 World Championships in March in Saitama, Japan.

2014–2015 season

Walker had surgery on his right foot in June 2014^[4] and spent ten weeks in a cast.^[5] He resumed training in mid-November 2014.^[5] He competed at the 2015 European Championships in Stockholm and 2015 World Championships in Shanghai but was eliminated after the short program at both events.

2015–2016 and 2016–2017 seasons

By December 2015, Walker was training under Franca Bianconi and Rosanna Murante in Sesto San Giovanni, Italy.^[6][7] At the 2016 European Championships in Bratislava, he placed 22nd in the short, 18th in the free, and 19th overall. He also qualified to the free skate at the 2017 European Championships in Ostrava, placing 19th in the short, 15th in the free, and 17th overall.

2017–2018 season

Walker finished 9th at the 2017 CS Nebelhorn Trophy. Due to his result, Switzerland was the second alternate country for the men's event at the 2018 Winter Olympics. He placed 18th (16th in the short, 20th in the free) at the 2018 European Championships in Moscow. He did not advance to the free skate at the 2018 World Championships in Milan.

2018–2019 season

In October 2018, Walker teamed up with Arianna Wróblewska to compete in ice dancing.^[8] Two months later they placed second at the Swiss National Championships.

Programs

Walker at the 2017 World Championships

Ice dancing

Season	Rhythm dance	Free dance
2019-2020		Next To Me by Imagine Dragons Believer by Imagine Dragons
2018–2019		Squeeze Me by Keir Mutant Brain by Sam Spiegel & Ape Drums Feat. Assassin

Single skating

Season	Short program	Free skating
2017–2018 [1]	Io ci sarò by David Foster, Walter Afanasieff performed by Andrea Bocelli, Lang Lang	Truman Sleeps by Philip Glass Wayward Sisters by Abel Korzeniowski
2016–2017 [9]	Purple Rain by Prince	Mi Mancherai by Josh Groban
2015–2016 [6]	Wicked Game by James Vincent McMorrow	Piano Concerto No. 21, Andante by Wolfgang A. Mozart
2014–2015 [4]	Scene Finale (from Swan Lake) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
2013–2014 [10]	Strobe's Nanafushi by Kodo	Shades of Marble by Trentemøller Only God Forgives by Cliff Martinez Roadgame by Kavinsky
2012–2013 [11]	Melodia del Rio by Ruben Gonzalez La Lluvia by Ruben Gonzalez	Atonement by Dario Marianelli Primavera by Ludocivo Einaudi
2009–2011 [3][12]	Angel and Devil by Maxime Rodriguez	Kill the Target by Tomoyasu Hotei Beethoven's Last Night by Trans-Siberian Orchestra
2007–2008 [2]	Mr. & Mrs. Smith by John Powell	Azzuro by Louis Crelier

Results

CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

Ice dance with Tessari

International
Event	21–22
Worlds	23rd
Europeans	19th
CS Warsaw Cup	14th
Challenge Cup	4th
Cup of Nice	7th
NRW Trophy	3rd
National
Swiss Champ.	1st

Ice dance with Wróblewska

International
Event	18–19	19–20	20–21
CS Ice Star		8th
CS Nebelhorn Trophy			5th
Bavarian Open	10th
Bosphorus Istanbul Cup		10th
Egna Trophy		7th
Mentor Toruń Cup		11th
Open d'Andorra		7th
Open Ice Mall Cup	9th
National
Swiss Championships	2nd	2nd
Ticino Cup		2nd

Single skating

International[13]
Event	06–07	07–08	08–09	09–10	10–11	11–12	12–13	13–14	14–15	15–16	16–17	17–18
Worlds								23rd	30th		28th	27th
Europeans					24th		20th	17th	26th	19th	17th	18th
CS Ice Challenge										8th
CS Lombardia											4th	9th
CS Nebelhorn												9th
CS Nepela											7th
CS Warsaw Cup										9th	3rd	2nd
Bavarian Open							10th
Challenge Cup		9th				11th	9th	5th
Crystal Skate						5th	4th
Cup of Nice				8th	14th			12th
Cup of Tyrol											4th	6th
Dragon Trophy								4th
Gardena							3rd			3rd
Golden Bear											3rd
Hamar Trophy									1st
Ice Challenge						9th	8th
Merano Cup											1st
Nebelhorn Trophy								15th
Nepela Trophy							8th
NRW Trophy					11th
Slovenia Open								5th				3rd
Sportland Trophy										3rd
Triglav Trophy				7th		5th
Warsaw Cup								1st
Universiade					15th			14th	13th
International: Junior[13]
Junior Worlds				30th
JGP Czech Rep.			7th
JGP Estonia		20th
JGP USA				12th
Challenge Cup			4th
Gardena		4th
National[13]
Swiss Champ.	5th	4th	5th	5th	3rd	2nd	1st	1st		1st	1st	1st