Andrew Poje

Andrew Poje
Weaver & Poje in 2009.
Personal information
Full name	Andrew Poje
Country represented	Canada
Born	(1987-02-25) February 25, 1987 (age 25) Kitchener, Ontario
Home town	Waterloo, Ontario
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Partner	Kaitlyn Weaver
Former partner	Alexandra Nino Alice Graham
Coach	Pasquale Camerlengo Angelika Krylova Shae-Lynn Bourne
Former coach	Paul MacIntosh
Choreographer	Shae-Lynn Bourne Pasquale Camerlengo Antonio Najarro
Former choreographer	Megan Wing, Aaron Lowe, Mathew Gates
Skating club	Kitchener Waterloo SC
Current training locations	Bloomfield Hills, Michigan Toronto, Ontario
Former training locations	Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario
Began skating	1992
World standing	5 (As of 21 April 2012 (2012 -04-21)[update])[1]
Season's bests	4 (2011–2012)[2] 6 (2010–2011)[3] 22 (2009–2010)[4] 15 (2008–2009)[5]
ISU personal best scores
Combined total	166.65 2012 Worlds
Short dance:	66.47 2012 Worlds
Free dance	100.18 2012 Worlds
Medal record Figure skating Ice dancing Competitor for  Canada Four Continents Championships Bronze 2012 Colorado Springs Ice dancing Gold 2010 Jeonju Ice dancing World Junior Championships Bronze 2007 Oberstdorf Ice dancing

Andrew Poje (born February 25, 1987 in Kitchener, Ontario) is a Canadian ice dancer. With partner Kaitlyn Weaver, he is the 2010 Four Continents champion, six-time Canadian Senior medalist, and 2007 World Junior bronze medalist.

Career

Weaver and Poje during the compulsory dance at the 2008 Worlds

Poje took up ice dancing at age seven and also skated in singles until he was 13.^[6] In his early career, he competed with Alexandra Nino, with whom he is the 2001 Canadian novice silver medalist. He teamed up with Alice Graham in late spring 2004.^[7] They won the bronze medal on the junior level at the 2005 Canadian Championships and placed 9th at the senior level at the 2006 Canadian Championships.

Poje teamed up with American-born Kaitlyn Weaver in August 2006.^[6] They trained in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario^[8] under coach Paul MacIntosh. They competed on the 2006-2007 Junior Grand Prix, winning two bronze medals. They went to the 2007 Canadian Championships and won the bronze medal in their first season together. They were placed on the team to the 2007 Junior Worlds. Weaver dislocated her left shoulder in the warm-up before the original dance but was able to compete and the couple won the bronze medal.^[9][10] They placed 20th at the 2007 World Championships.

In the 2007–2008 season, Weaver & Poje competed on the senior Grand Prix series at the 2008 Skate Canada International, where they placed 6th, and at the 2007 Trophée Eric Bompard, where they placed 7th. They won the silver medal at the 2008 Canadian Championships, placed 5th at the 2008 Four Continents, and 17th at the 2008 World Championships. In January 2008, they moved to Toronto to train with new coach Shae-Lynn Bourne.^[11]

In the 2008–2009 season, Weaver & Poje competed on the Grand Prix series at the 2008 Cup of China, where they placed 6th, and at the 2008 NHK Trophy, where they placed 7th. They won the bronze medal at the 2009 Canadian Championships and placed 5th at the 2009 Four Continents. Weaver was granted Canadian citizenship in June 2009.^[12] Advised by Bourne that they needed a more competitive atmosphere, they switched training bases in 2009 to the Detroit Skating Club in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan where they are coached by Pasquale Camerlengo and Anjelika Krylova.^[13] They also continue to work with Bourne.^[13][14] Massimo Scali, Natalia Annenko, and Elizabeth Punsalan are also members of the coaching team in Michigan.^[13]

During the 2009–2010 season, Weaver and Poje won their first Grand Prix medal, bronze at 2009 Skate Canada International. They also won bronze at the 2010 Canadian Championships. They were sent to the 2010 Four Continents where they won the gold medal. They did not qualify for the Olympic or World team.

During the 2010–2011 season, Weaver and Poje won silver medals at the 2010 NHK Trophy and the 2011 Canadian Championships. They qualified for their first Grand Prix Final, where they finished 5th. They were fourth at the 2011 Four Continents. They were sent to the 2011 World Championships and placed 5th, a significant improvement over their previous best result of 17th at the event.^[15]

In the 2011–2012 season, Weaver and Poje chose their free dance music on the suggestion of an anonymous fan.^[16] Karl Hugo composed additional music to add greater variation to the program.^[16] Weaver and Poje competed at three Grand Prix events and won three silver medals. At Four Continents, they took the bronze medal.

Programs

(with Weaver)

Competitive highlights

With Weaver

With Graham

With Nino

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Andrew Poje

• Weaver & Poje at the International Skating Union
• Kaitlyn Weaver & Andrew Poje's Official Site
• Skate Canada profile