Elizabeth Putnam (figure skater)

Elizabeth Gale Putnam (born November 28, 1984) is a Canadian former competitive pair skater. With Sean Wirtz, she is the 2006 Four Continents bronze medalist and a two-time (2003–04) Canadian national bronze medalist.

Elizabeth Putnam
Elizabeth Putnam / Sean Wirtz in 2004.
Personal information
Full nameElizabeth Gale Putnam
Country representedCanada
Born (1984-11-28) November 28, 1984
Toronto, Ontario
Home townVancouver, British Columbia
Former partnerSean Wirtz
Mark Batka
Former coachPeter Tchernyshev
Paul Wirtz
Skating clubKerrisdale FSC
Began skating1989
RetiredAugust 28, 2007
ISU personal best scores
Combined total160.46
2003 Skate Canada
Short program56.04
2003 Skate Canada
Free skate107.22
2005 Skate America

Personal life

Elizabeth Gale[1] Putnam was born on November 28, 1984 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[2] Her father died in October 2006.[3]

Putnam is married to Canadian skater Patrick Chan. [4] The pair skated in a 2020 free-skate in Vancouver on an untouched plot of glaciered water.[5]

Career

Putnam started skating in 1989.[2] In addition to singles, she began training in pairs at age 15.[6] She finished 9th with Mark Batka at the 2002 Canadian Championships.

Partnership with Wirtz

Putnam began training with Sean Wirtz in July 2002, following tryouts at the Toronto Cricket and Curling Club.[6] The pair won bronze at the 2003 Canadian Championships and placed ninth at their first ISU Championship, the 2003 Four Continents in Beijing.

Putnam/Wirtz made their Grand Prix debut in the 2003–04 season, having received two assignments. After placing sixth at the 2003 Skate America and fifth at the 2003 Skate Canada International, they won bronze at a regular international, the 2003 Bofrost Cup on Ice. For the second season in a row, they took bronze at the Canadian Championships and finished 9th at the Four Continents Championships.

In the 2004–05 Grand Prix series, Putnam/Wirtz placed fifth at the 2004 Skate America and 8th at the 2004 Cup of Russia. They were fourth at both the 2005 Canadian Championships and 2005 Four Continents Championships.

Competing in the 2005–06 Grand Prix series, Putnam/Wirtz placed fourth at the 2005 Skate America and fifth at the 2005 Cup of Russia. After finishing fifth at the 2006 Canadian Championships, they won the bronze medal at the 2006 Four Continents Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Their training for the following season was delayed by a visa problem, which prevented Wirtz from returning to New Jersey for a month.[3] Competing in the 2006–07 Grand Prix series, Putnam/Wirtz finished fourth at the 2006 Skate Canada International, two weeks after the death of Putnam's father,[3] and then fourth at the 2006 Trophee Eric Bompard. They were sixth at the 2007 Canadian Nationals.

Their preparations for the 2007–08 season were hampered by injuries. After Wirtz recovered from a broken rib, sustained while skiing in spring 2007, he injured his foot and then the other foot, causing them to withdraw from both of their Grand Prix assignments.[3] Tchernyshev's availability also decreased due to his show commitments.[3] on August 28, 2007, Putnam/Wirtz announced the end of their partnership.[7]

Later career

Putnam decided to return to single skating, training in Vancouver under Jill Marie Harvey and Joanne McLeod.[3] She later skated on cruise ships with adagio pairs partner Jonathan Poitras.[8] In 2015, she appeared in a video skating on Widgeon Lake, near Coquitlam, at an altitude of 2,500 feet.[9]

Programs

(with Wirtz)

Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2006–2007
[2]
2005–2006
[10]
  • Piano Concerto No. 1
    by Pyotr Tchaikovsky
2004–2005
[11]
2003–2004
[12][13]
2002–2003
[12][6][14]
  • Violin Fantasie on Puccini's Turandot
    performed by Vanessa-Mae
    and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Nessun Dorma
    (from Turandot)
    by Giacomo Puccini
    performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra
  • To Where You Are
    by Josh Groban

Results

GP: Grand Prix

With Wirtz
International[2][10][11][13][14]
Event 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07
Four Continents9th9th4th3rd
GP Bompard4th
GP Cup of Russia5th
GP Skate America6th5th4th
GP Skate Canada5th4th
Bofrost Cup3rd
National[15]
Canadian Champ.3rd3rd4th5th6th
WD: Withdrew

With Batka
National[16]
Event 2001–02
Canadian Championships9th

Single skating
National
Event 2002–03 2003–04
Canadian Championships3rd J.WD
J. = Junior level; WD = Withdrew

References
  1. "BOFROST CUP on ICE 2003: Pairs Result". Deutsche Eislauf-Union. 9 November 2003. Archived from the original on October 28, 2010.
  2. "Elizabeth PUTNAM / Sean WIRTZ: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on July 15, 2007.
  3. Smith, Beverley (August 29, 2007). "Putnam and Wirtz end partnership". The Globe and Mail.
  4. https://www.vavel.com/en-us/more-sports/2019/05/14/981630-exclusive-patrick-chan-reflects-on-post-retirement-life-uncertain-future-of-figure-skating.html
  5. Narciso, Gerald (2020-11-29). "For One Day, the N.H.L. Arena Moved to the Mountains". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  6. Mittan, Barry (May 14, 2003). "Putnam and Wirtz: Canada's Hot New Pairs Couple". Golden Skate.
  7. "Putnam and Wirtz announce end of partnership". Skate Canada. August 28, 2007. Archived from the original on October 25, 2010.
  8. Elfman, Lois (July 26, 2012). "Putnam navigates seas of a new partnership". IceNetwork.com.
  9. Azpiri, Jon (November 21, 2015). "Stunning video shows figure skater's dance routine atop Widgeon Lake near Coquitlam". Global News. Archived from the original on December 27, 2015.
  10. "Elizabeth PUTNAM / Sean WIRTZ: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 7, 2006.
  11. "Elizabeth PUTNAM / Sean WIRTZ: 2004/2005". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on February 7, 2005.
  12. "Profile". Official website of Putnam and Wirtz. Archived from the original on June 17, 2007.
  13. "Elizabeth PUTNAM / Sean WIRTZ: 2003/2004". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 3, 2004.
  14. "Elizabeth PUTNAM / Sean WIRTZ: 2002/2003". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 18, 2003.
  15. "Athletes: Elizabeth Putnam / Sean Wirtz". Skate Canada. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.
  16. "Elizabeth PUTNAM / Mark BATKA". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on March 21, 2016.

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