Emanuel Sandhu

Emanuel Sandhu

Emanuel Sandhu competing at the 2004 Worlds.
Personal information
Country represented	Canada
Born	November 18, 1980 (1980-11-18)
Residence	Burnaby, British Columbia
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Coach	Joanne McLeod
Choreographer	Joanne McLeod
Skating club	B.C. Centre of Excellence
ISU personal best scores
Combined total	228.29 2004 GP Final
Short program	78.41 2006 Worlds
Free skate	152.74 2004 GP Final
Medal record Men's Figure skating Competitor for Canada Four Continents Championships Silver 2004 Hamilton Men's Singles Grand Prix Final Gold 2003–2004 Colorado Springs Men's Singles

Emanuel Sandhu (born November 18, 1980) is a Canadian figure skater and dancer. He is a three-time Canadian national champion and the 2004 Grand Prix champion.

Personal life

Sandhu was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and raised in Richmond Hill, Ontario. His mother Enza was born in Italy, and his father Lokraj is Sikh. He began studying ballet at the age of three and figure skating at the age of eight. Despite training as a figure skater, Sandhu continued to dance until the end of high school and graduated from Canada's National Ballet School. A year after Sandhu started figure skating, he was discovered by coach Joanne McLeod who has a background in dance and she has been his coach ever since. Sandhu later relocated to Burnaby, British Columbia to continue training at the B.C. Centre of Excellence with McLeod, whom he credits as being his biggest support system. Sandhu's ballet training and Indo-Canadian/Italian heritage have given him a unique style and flamboyant look. He is fluent in English, French, and Italian. Sandhu also dabbles in modeling and singing.

Career

Sandhu had early success in Canada, placing second in his first Canadian nationals. Sandhu's success qualified him for the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, but the Canadian Olympic committee refused to send him because while he met the criteria of the Canadian Figure Skating Association he did not meet theirs. He had missed the Grand Prix season because of injury while Langdon did not. He later qualified for the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, but was forced to withdraw before the short program due to injury. He also withdrew from the World Championships that year. Sandhu's father had left the family years earlier, and Sandhu was reunited with him prior to the 2002 Olympic Games. Sandhu stated that he was almost relieved to have to withdraw with an injury, because it was difficult dealing with his father's return.

Sandhu was the Canadian Nationals Champion in 2001, 2003 and 2004, and he won the Grand Prix Final in 2004, his most successful season. In winning the Grand Prix Final, Sandhu beat reigning World Champion Evgeny Plushenko and is one of only two people (with Brian Joubert) to beat Plushenko in the 2002-2006 quadrennium. This win was even more notable because Sandhu was a substitute, not having medaled at his Grand Prix events that season. Sandhu went on to win his third Canadian title and to take the silver medal at the 2004 Four Continents, his highest placement at the event.

Despite his various victories, Sandhu was inconsistent at major events. He kept his eligibility following the 2006 Olympics season. He competed at Cup of China, where he won the bronze medal, and Cup of Russia, where he placed fifth. At the 2007 Nationals, he was unable to hold onto silver and dropped to third, his lowest placement at the senior level at Nationals. His season continued its downward trend as he placed ninth at the 2007 Four Continents. He placed 16th at the 2007 Worlds.

In May 2008, Sandhu auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance Canada in Vancouver, BC and qualified for the final audition round in Toronto. He succeeded past all but the final round of auditions and was cut when selections were made for the show's Top 20.

Sandhu again auditioned during the second season of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, but this time made it into the Top 20. He finished in the Top 6 as the third-ranked male dancer.

In 2011, Sandhu performed in the Art on Ice show in China. He also registered to compete in a qualifying competition for the 2012 Canadian Nationals, his first competition since 2007. He withdrew because of a foot injury and lack of preparation time due to ice shows.

Records and achievements

• Recipient of the Indo-Canadian Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award at age 17.

Programs

Season	Short program	Free skating	Exhibition
2006–2007	Pantera en Liberta by Monica Naranjo Mambo by Wanyne	When Strangers Meet by Sharov, Jiping Legends by Chun Yi Tabla Beat Science by Tala Matrix
2005–2006	Tango by Lalo Schifrin	Original composition by Gordon Cobb
2004–2005	Rise by Safri Duo Xotica by Rene Dupere	Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Minor by Emil von Sauer	Like I Love You by Justin Timberlake
2003–2004	Carlo Saura's Tango by Lalo Schifrin	Ninkov Latora by Violaine Corradi Slow & Sassy by [ [Henry Mancini]] Take California & Bang On by Propellerheads	Like I Love You by Justin Timberlake All Love Can Be by Charlotte Church
2002–2003	Crazy Benny by Safri Duo	Ninkov Latora by Violaine Corradi Slow & Sassy by Henry Mancini Take California & Bang On by Propellerheads	Purple Rain by Prince
2001–2002	A-Gusta / Crazy / Played-A-Live by Safri Duo	Piano Concerto 1 by Edward Grieg Lamento d'Ariane by Massenet Piano Concerto 1 in C - For Orchestra by Herbert Howells
2000–2001	The Freedom Rider by A. Blakey Back to the Apple by C. Basie	Journey of Man by Cirque de Soleil Orchestra

Competitive highlights

Event	1997–98	1998–99	1999–00	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07	2011–12
Winter Olympic Games					WD				13th
World Championships	29th	18th		9th		8th	8th	7th	5th	16th
Four Continents Championships		10th	13th	7th		5th	2nd			9th
World Junior Championships	11th
Canadian Championships	2nd	2nd	2nd	1st	2nd	1st	1st	2nd	2nd	3rd
Grand Prix Final							1st	4th	5th
Cup of Russia										5th
Skate Canada					5th	2nd	4th	1st	1st
Cup of China							5th		1st	3rd
Trophée Eric Bompard		3rd			9th			3rd
Skate America				4th		6th
Sparkassen Cup on Ice			8th	6th
NHK Trophy		6th
Nebelhorn Trophy		6th
Top Jump						2nd
Sears Open				5th	2nd
Goodwill Games					8th
Junior Grand Prix, France	4th
British Columbia Yukon Sectionals											WD

External links

• Skate Canada Profile
• Emanuel Sandhu at the International Skating Union
• Modeling Portfolio