John Hamer (figure skater)

John Hamer
Personal information
Country represented United Kingdom
Born (1984-09-12) 12 September 1984
Gillingham, Kent, England
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Coach Gary Jones
Skating club Gilingham FSC Kent
Began skating 1995
Retired 2007
ISU personal best scores
Combined total 144.10
2005 Europeans
Short program 51.02
2007 Europeans
Free skate 96.79
2005 KSM

John William Hamer (born 12 September 1984) is an English former competitive figure skater. He is a three-time British national champion (2005–07). His best result at an ISU Championship was 19th at the 2005 European Championships.

Career

Early years

Hamer started skating relatively late, at age 11. His mother, who had skated during childhood, chose the activity as part of her rehabilitation following a road traffic accident.[1] Her son came with her to the Gillingham Ice rink and, after five weeks of group lessons, he signed up for private lessons with Gary Jones, who would coach him for his whole career.[1]

Competitive career

Hamer began his competitive skating career in 1996 at the age of 12. He competed on the novice level at the 1999 British Championships and placed first on the junior level at the 2003 Championships. In 2001, Hamer appeared at the Mladost Trophy in Zagreb, Croatia and achieved the highest score among the British males. He went on to take part in two ISU Junior Grand Prix events.

In the 2004–05 season, Hamer became the British senior men's champion and was selected for the 2005 European Championships in Turin, Italy. Placing 20th in the short program, he qualified for the free skate and finished 19th overall. A month later, he travelled to Moscow for the 2005 World Championships but did not reach the free skate.[2]

Hamer repeated as British champion during the next two seasons. He did not advance past the short program at the European and World Championships in 2006 but was successful at the 2007 European Championships in Warsaw, Poland. He retired from competition after the event. Although Gary Jones was his main coach, Hamer also worked with Michael Jiranek and Rinata Jiranek (2005), Tatiana Tarasova (2006), and Texas-based Lorraine Boreman (2006).

Show and coaching career

After leaving competition, Hamer spent three years performing with the Russian Ice Stars. In February 2011, he began coaching at Alexandra Palace ice rink in North London.[3] He teaches skaters of all ages and levels of experience and specialises in jumping.

Programs

Season Short program Free skating
2006–07
[2]
  • Carmen Caprice
2005–06
[4]
2004–05
[5]
2003–04
[6]

Competitive highlights

International[2]
Event 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07
Worlds 29th 30th
Europeans 19th 25th 21st
Golden Spin 4th
Nepela Memorial 7th
Schäfer Memorial 10th 12th
International: Junior[2]
JGP Poland 14th
JGP Slovakia 13th
Mladost Trophy 4th J.
National[2]
British Champ. 1st J. 9th 1st 1st 1st
J. = Junior level; JGP = Junior Grand Prix

References

  1. 1 2 Mittan, Barry (6 March 2005). "Britain's Hamer Off to Fast Start". Skate Today.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "John HAMER: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007.
  3. ↑ "Alexandra Palace ice rink".
  4. ↑ "John HAMER: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 15 June 2006.
  5. ↑ "John HAMER: 2004/2005". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 4 February 2005.
  6. ↑ "John HAMER: 2003/2004". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 4 June 2004.
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