Viktor Pfeifer

Viktor Pfeifer (born May 16, 1987) is an Austrian former competitive figure skater. An eight-time Austrian national champion, he has placed as high as eighth at the European Championships (2013) and has competed three times at the Winter Olympics, placing 22nd in 2006, 21st in 2010 and 26th in 2014.

Viktor Pfeifer
Viktor Pfeifer at the 2010 Skate America
Personal information
Country representedAustria
Born (1987-05-16) May 16, 1987
Graz, Austria
Height1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Former coachIrina Romanova, Priscilla Hill, Elena Romanova, Uschi Keszler
Former choreographerIrina Romanova, Priscilla Hill, Denis Petukhov
Former skating clubDornbirn SC
Training locationsWilmington, Delaware
Began skating1995
RetiredMay 27, 2014
ISU personal best scores
Combined total194.77
2013 Europeans
Short program67.34
2013 Europeans
Free skate129.34
2009 Nebelhorn Trophy

Career

In the 2002–03 season, Pfeifer won Austria's senior national men's title for the first time. The following season, he began competing on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series.

In 2004–05, Pfeifer competed in his second JGP season and finished 12th at the 2005 World Junior Championships. He also made his senior international debut at the 2005 European Championships, where he was 18th. He then placed 23rd at his first senior World Championships.

In 2005–06, Pfeifer again began his season on the junior level, placing fifth in both of his JGP events. He then competed on the senior level at the 2005 Karl Schäfer Memorial, the final opportunity for countries to qualify an Olympic entry. His placement, fifth, gave Austria a spot in the 2006 Olympic men's event. Pfeifer won his third senior national title and was sent to the Olympics where he placed 22nd. He ended his season at the 2006 World Championships, finishing 26th.

In 2006, Pfeifer moved from Austria to train in Aston, Pennsylvania.[1] Two years later, he began training under Priscilla Hill at the Skating Club of Wilmington in Wilmington, Delaware.[1] He stated that Austrian skating officials disagreed with his decision to train abroad and his funding dried up, leading him to consider no longer competing for the country.[1] He was not sent to any ISU Championships in 2007 and 2008.

Pfeifer returned to international competition in autumn 2008. He placed tenth at the 2008 Nebelhorn Trophy and fifth at the 2008 Karl Schäfer Memorial before taking his fourth national title. He was 29th at both the 2009 European Championships and 2009 World Championships.

The final opportunity to qualify for the 2010 Winter Olympics was the 2009 Nebelhorn Trophy in September. Pfeifer placed fifth and earned a spot for Austria in the men's event in Vancouver. Austria consequently resumed funding his training.[1] After winning his fifth national title, Pfeifer was sent to the 2010 European Championships where he placed 17th. He then competed at the 2010 Winter Olympics, placing 21st. His final event of the season was the 2010 World Championships where he was 20th.

In the 2012–13 season, Pfeifer was eighth at the European Championships, the best European result of his career. He then placed 20th at the 2013 World Championships, earning a spot for Austria in the 2014 Olympic men's event.

Pfeifer began coaching at The Skating Club of Wilmington when he was still a competitive skater.[2] He retired from competition on May 27, 2014.[3][4]

Personal life

Pfeifer began playing the cello as a child and attended a music conservatory in Austria before deciding to focus on skating.[5] He studied business management and economics at the University of Delaware.[1][6]

Programs
Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2013–2014
[7]
  • Cloud Atlas
    by Piano Sextett
  • Breath of Life
    by Audiomachine
  • Sad Piano
    by Michael Orteta
  • Guardians at the Gate
    by Audiomachine
2012–2013
[8]
  • Breath of Life
    by Audiomachine
  • Sad Piano
    by Michael Orteta
  • Guardians at the Gate
    by Audiomachine
2011–2012
[9]
  • Send In the Clowns
  • The Elephant Man
  • Entry of the Gladiators
  • Circus Contraception
2010–2011
[10]
  • Send In the Clowns
  • The Elephant Man
  • Entry of the Gladiators
  • Circus Contraception
2009–2010
[11]
  • Mandolin Rain
    by Bruce Hornsby
2008–2009
[12][13]
  • Blues for Klook
2007–2008
2006–2007
[14]
  • Moonlight Sonata
  • Beethoven's Last Night
2005–2006
[15]
  • Chaplin medley
2004–2005
[16]
  • Art on Ice
    (from "Strings and Beats")
    performed by Edvin Marton
2003–2004
[17]

Results

GP: Grand Prix; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

2003–2014
International[18]
Event 03–04 04–05 05–06 06–07 08–09 09–10 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14
Olympics22nd21st26th
Worlds23rd26th29th20th26th22nd20th30th
Europeans18th18th29th17th18th18th8th14th
GP Skate America12th
Golden Spin4th
Ice Challenge13th3rd11th2nd
Schäfer Memorial5th14th5th
Nebelhorn Trophy10th5th13th
Nepela Memorial2nd5th
Triglav Trophy2nd
International: Junior[18]
Junior Worlds12th15th
JGP Bulgaria5th
JGP Estonia5th
JGP Romania10th
JGP Slovakia22nd
JGP Ukraine9th
Montfort Cup2nd J1st J1st J
National, domestic, or club events
Austrian Champ.2nd1st1st2nd1st1st1st1st1st1st
Austrian Junior1st1st
OQ Kapfenberg2nd
U.S. Eastern8th
U.S. South Atlantic3rd
Chesapeake Open1st
Liberty Summer12th
J = Junior level; OQ = Olympia-Qualifikation

1998–2003
International[18]
Event 98–99 99–00 00–01 01–02 02–03
Copenhagen Trophy4th N2nd J
Euro. Youth Olympic Festival11th J
Golden Bear of Zagreb1st N
National
Austrian Champ.4th1st
Austrian Junior Champ.2nd1st
Austrian Novice Champ.1st1st
Austrian Debutant Champ.1st
Levels: N = Novice; J = Junior

References
  1. Steinberg, Lisa (March 23, 2010). "University home to international ice skating champ". The Review. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011.
  2. Tresolini, Kevin (February 2, 2014). "Shifting younger, but Delaware still helps breed top figure skating talent". The News Journal.
  3. "Eiskunstlauf: Viktor Pfeifer beendete 27-jährig seine Karriere" [Viktor Pfeifer ends his career]. Austria Press Agency (in German). Tiroler Tageszeitung. May 27, 2014. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014.
  4. "Viktor Pfeifer hört mit dem Eiskunstlauf auf" [Viktor Pfeifer ends his figure skating career] (in German). Vorarlberger Nachrichten. May 28, 2014.
  5. Mittan, Barry (December 4, 2005). "Pfeifer Plans to Compose His Own Music for Programs". SkateToday.
  6. Golinsky, Reut; Geikhman, Tatiana (2010). "Viktor Pfeifer: "You shouldn't take anything for granted"". AbsoluteSkating.com. Retrieved December 22, 2010.
  7. "Viktor PFEIFER: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on March 22, 2014.
  8. "Viktor PFEIFER: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on September 26, 2013.
  9. "Viktor PFEIFER: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 9, 2012.
  10. "Viktor PFEIFER: 2010/2011". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on August 16, 2011.
  11. "Viktor PFEIFER: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on September 25, 2009.
  12. "Viktor PFEIFER: 2008/2009". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 5, 2009.
  13. "Viktor PFEIFER: 2008/2009". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on October 15, 2008.
  14. "Viktor PFEIFER: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on July 2, 2007.
  15. "Viktor PFEIFER: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 15, 2006.
  16. "Viktor PFEIFER: 2004/2005". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 5, 2005.
  17. "Viktor PFEIFER: 2003/2004". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 7, 2004.
  18. "Competition Results: Viktor PFEIFER". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014.

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