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Brandon Frazier

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Brandon Frazier
Frazier in 2012
Full nameBrandon Michael Frazier
Born (1992-11-19) November 19, 1992 (age 31)
Phoenix, Arizona
HometownColorado Springs, Colorado
Height1.89 m (6 ft 2+1⁄2 in)
Figure skating career
CountryUnited States
PartnerAlexa Knierim
CoachJenni Meno, Todd Sand, Rafael Arutyunyan, Nina Mozer
Skating clubAll Year FSC Los Angeles
Began skating2004
Medal record
Figure skating: Pairs
Representing  United States
(with Knierim)
World Team Trophy
Silver medal – second place 2021 Osaka Team
Representing  United States
(with Denney)
World Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2013 Milan Pairs

Brandon Michael Frazier (born November 19, 1992) is an American pair skater. With his skating partner, Alexa Knierim, he is the 2021 U.S. National Champion and the 2020 Skate America Champion. With his former partner, Haven Denney, he is a four-time Grand Prix medalist, the 2013 World Junior champion, and the 2017 U.S. National Champion.

Personal life

Brandon Frazier was born in Phoenix, Arizona.[1] He competed as a roller skater from 1998 until 2004.[2]

Career

Early career

Brandon Frazier and Haven Denney first teamed up in 2002 as roller skaters before switching to the ice.[3][4] As figure skaters, they competed together for three seasons from 2005 to 2008,[5] coached by Jim Peterson and Lyndon Johnston.[6] After two seasons on the juvenile level,[5] the pair moved up a level and won the 2008 U.S. intermediate bronze medal.[4] With their families living in different states, the skaters decided to part ways.[5]

Skating with Mandy Garza, Frazier was 8th at a 2010–11 ISU Junior Grand Prix event in Austria and 5th on the junior level at the 2011 U.S. Championships.[7] Garza and Frazier announced the end of their partnership in February 2011.[8]

2011–2012 season: Junior Grand Prix debut

Denney/Frazier teamed up for the second time in spring 2011.[3][4] They competed on the Junior Grand Prix series, placing 8th in Latvia and 7th in Austria. They won the junior title at the 2012 U.S. Championships and were assigned to the 2012 World Junior Championships, where they placed 4th. The pair was coached by Dalilah Sappenfield in Colorado Springs, Colorado until the fall of 2012 when they moved to Coral Springs, Florida to train with John Zimmerman and Silvia Fontana at Coral Gables.[9]

2012–2013 season: World Junior title

Denney/Frazier finished 4th at the Junior Grand Prix event held in Lake Placid, New York. At the 2013 U.S. Championships in January, they placed fifth. In March, they won the gold medal at the 2013 World Junior Championships, the first American pair to win the title since 2007.

2013–2014 season: Grand Prix debut

Denney/Frazier placed fifth at both their Grand Prix events, 2013 Skate Canada International and 2013 NHK Trophy. In January, they placed fifth at the 2014 U.S. Championships. A short time thereafter, they placed fourth at the 2014 Four Continents Championships.

2014–2015 season: First senior medals

Denney/Frazier won medals at two Challenger Series events – gold at the 2014 CS Lombardia Trophy and silver at the 2014 CS Skate Canada Autumn Classic. In the Grand Prix series, they won their first Grand Prix medal, silver, at 2014 Skate America and then finished fourth at the 2014 Rostelecom Cup. In January, Denney/Frazier won the silver medal at the 2015 U.S. Championships. After Nationals, they began training full-time under Ingo Steuer.[5] They finished 7th at the 2015 Four Continents Championships and 12th at the 2015 World Championships.

In April 2015, Denney/Frazier changed their training location from Coral Springs, Florida, to West Palm Beach, Florida.[10] Soon after, on April 22, Denney sustained a knee injury while practicing a throw double flip off the ice.[11] She said, "When I landed, my foot stayed and my body kept rotating" and she then heard "a couple of loud pops".[12] Having torn the anterior cruciate ligament, lateral collateral ligament, and bilateral and lateral meniscus in her right knee,[12] she underwent surgery on April 28 at the Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado.[11]

2015–2016 season

Denney put no weight on her right leg for six weeks and then began physical therapy before returning to the ice in October 2015.[12] During this time, Frazier worked on his skating skills under Marina Zueva and her team in Canton, Michigan.[11] In October, the pair started training at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Initially limited to basic stroking and crossovers, Denney began cautiously practicing jumps in late November.[12]

Denney/Frazier did not compete in the 2015–16 season. By April 2016, they were training with Rockne Brubaker and Stefania Berton at the Fox Valley Ice Center in Geneva, Illinois.[12][13]

2016–2017 season: First national title

Denney/Frazier returned to competition, beginning at the 2016 CS Ondrej Nepela Memorial, where they placed fourth. They were assigned to two Grand Prix events, 2016 Skate America and 2016 Skate Canada International.[14] They won the silver medal at Skate America and then placed fourth at Skate Canada. They competed at a second Challenger event, the 2017 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb, where they placed fourth.

At the 2017 U.S. Championships, Denney/Frazier won their first national title. Denney commented, "I’m just so proud of where we are right now. We’ve worked so hard through our ups and downs and everything. I’m just very appreciative and blessed to be here."[15] They were assigned to the 2017 Four Continents Championships, where they finished eighth, and the 2017 World Championships, where they placed twentieth in the short program and did not qualify for the free skate.

2017–2018 season

Denney/Frazier began the season at the 2017 U.S. Classic, where they placed fifth. They placed seventh at both of their Grand Prix events, 2017 Skate America and 2017 Skate Canada International.

At the 2018 U.S. Championships, Denney/Frazier placed fifth. They were not selected for the 2018 Winter Olympics or any ISU Championship events. In spring 2018, the pair decided to rejoin the coaching team of John Zimmerman and Silvia Fontana, who were based in Wesley Chapel, Florida.[16]

2018–2019 season

Denney developed a stress fracture in her ankle early in the summer.[17] Denney/Frazier won the bronze medal at their Challenger event to start the season, the 2018 CS Autumn Classic International. They placed sixth at 2018 Skate Canada International, but had to withdraw from their second Grand Prix event, the 2018 Internationaux de France, because Denney's stress fracture had become too painful for her to skate.[17]

At the 2019 U.S. Championships, Denney/Frazier won the silver medal, placing third in the short program and second in the free skate, making some errors on their jumps in the latter. Frazier remarked "There were some things we left out on the table, and that’s what we are going to shoot for, to get better."[18] At the 2019 Four Continents Championships, their final event of the season, they finished in fifth place. Side-by-side jump errors continued to plague them, which Denney said would be a focus for improvement in the off-season.[19]

2019–2020 season: End of partnership

For the new season, Denney/Frazier revived their acclaimed The Lion King free skate from the 2014–2015 season. After placing sixth at the 2019 CS Nebelhorn Trophy, they won the bronze medal at 2019 Skate America, defeating reigning US national champions Cain-Gribble/LeDuc.[20] At their second Grand Prix event, the 2019 Internationaux de France, they won the bronze medal. They placed third in the short program, with Denney underrotating their triple Salchow jump.[21] She landed a clean triple Salchow in the free skate, though botched their intended three-jump combination, and they placed second in that segment to finish third overall. They again placed ahead of Cain-Gribble/LeDuc.[22]

Denney/Frazier struggled at the 2020 U.S. Championships, beginning in the short program where Denney fell on their throw and then popped their planned triple jump, resulting in them finishing sixth in that segment.[23] After further side-by-side jump errors and another throw fall in the free skate, they placed fifth overall.[24]

On March 25, Denney/Frazier announced that they had ended their partnership.[25]

2020–2021 season: New partnership, first Grand Prix title, and second national title

On April 1, Frazier announced that he was teaming up with Alexa Knierim, whose husband and former partner Chris Knierim had opted to retire.[26] The new pair began training together around May 2020 due to restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. They train in Irvine, California, at Great Park Ice, with coaches Todd Sand, Jenni Meno, Rafael Arutunian, Chris Knierim, and Christine Binder. They also take lessons remotely from coach Nina Mozer.[27]

Knierim/Frazier won the gold medal in their Grand Prix debut at 2020 Skate America, which also marked their competitive debut as a pair. This event was attended by skaters training in the United States due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[28] The pair skated strongly and solidly in both programs, placing 1st in the short program with a score of 74.19 and 1st the free skate with a score of 140.58, for a total of 214.77 to earn their first Grand Prix title.[29][30]

At the 2021 U.S. Championships in January, Knierim/Frazier won their first national title together with a score of 228.10, the highest score ever achieved in U.S. competition. They placed 1st in the short program with a score of 77.46 and 1st in the free skate with a score of 150.64, setting new U.S. Championship records in both segments. They won the gold medal by a dominant 23-point margin with two strong and well-executed programs. Frazier is the first male U.S. pair skater to win national titles with two different partners since 2012.[31]

At the 2021 World Championships in March, Knierim/Frazier placed 7th in their Worlds debut. They skated well enough to finish 7th in both segments of the competition, despite Frazier doubling his planned triple jump in the short program and the pair counting multiple errors in the free skate.[32] This was the best result by a U.S. pair since 2015, when Knierim achieved the same placement with her former partner.[33]

In April, Knierim/Frazier competed at the 2021 World Team Trophy and helped Team USA win the silver medal. They placed second among the pairs, after finishing fourth in the short program and second in the free skate. Their free skate score was the highest score a U.S. pair has ever received from an international judging panel under the current judging system.[34]

2021–2022 season

Knierim/Frazier skated strongly at the Cranberry Cup International in August, where they won the silver medal behind Russian pair Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov.[35] Their score of 205.87 was a new international personal best. In September, they won the gold medal at the John Nicks Pairs Challenge, an ISU international competition in New York City. They placed 1st in both segments of the competition with two strong programs and earned all new personal best scores. Their total score of 212.55 is the highest score a U.S. pair has ever achieved under an international judging panel.[36]

Programs

With Knierim

Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2021–2022
[37]
2020–2021
[38]

With Denney

Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2019–2020
[39]
2018–2019
[40]
  • Irrepressibles selection
2017–2018
[41][42]
  • Who Wants to Live Forever
    by Queen, David Garrett
2016–2017
[1][13]
2014–2015
[43][44]
2013–2014
[9][45]
2012–2013
[46]
  • Malagueña
    by Ernesto Lecuona
2011–2012
[2]

With Garza

Season Short program Free skating
2010–11
[8]
2009–10
[8]

Competitive highlights

GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

With Knierim

International[47]
Event 20–21 21–22
Worlds 7th
GP France TBD
GP Skate America 1st 4th
John Nicks Pairs Challenge 1st
Cranberry Cup 2nd
National
U.S. Champ. 1st
ISP Points Chall. 2nd
Team events
World Team Trophy 2nd T
2nd P
TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew
T = Team result; P = Personal result.
Medals awarded for team result only.

With Denney

International[48]
Event 05–06 07–08 11–12 12–13 13–14 14–15 16–17 17–18 18–19 19–20
Worlds 12th 20th
Four Continents 4th 7th 8th 5th
GP France WD 3rd
GP NHK Trophy 5th
GP Rostelecom Cup 4th
GP Skate America 2nd 2nd 7th 3rd
GP Skate Canada 5th 4th 7th 6th
CS Autumn Classic 2nd 3rd
CS Golden Spin 4th
CS Lombardia 1st
CS Nebelhorn Trophy 6th
CS Nepela Memorial 4th
CS U.S. Classic 4th
Nepela Trophy 4th
International: Junior[48]
Junior Worlds 4th 1st
JGP Austria 7th
JGP Latvia 8th
JGP USA 4th
National[6]
U.S. Champ. 10th V 3rd I 1st J 5th 5th 2nd 1st 5th 2nd 5th
Levels: V = Juvenile; I = Intermediate; J = Junior

With Garza

International[49]
Event 2009–10 2010–11
JGP Austria 8th
National[8]
U.S. Championships 3rd N 5th J
Levels: N = Novice; J = Junior

Detailed results

Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships. At team events, medals awarded for team results only. ISU personal best scores highlighted in bold.

With Knierim

2021–22 season
Date Event SP FS Total
October 22–24, 2021 2021 Skate America


September 9–10, 2021 2021 John Nicks Pairs Challenge 1
76.09 		1
136.46 		1
212.55
August 11–15, 2021 2021 Cranberry Cup International 2
69.83 		2
136.04 		2
205.87
2020–21 season
Date Event SP FS Total
April 15–18, 2021 2021 World Team Trophy 4
65.68 		2
133.63 		2T/2P
199.31
March 22–28, 2021 2021 World Championships 7
64.67 		7
127.43 		7
192.10
January 11–21, 2021 2021 U.S. Championships 1
77.46 		1
150.64 		1
228.10
October 25–27, 2020 2020 Skate America 1
74.19 		1
140.58 		1
214.77

References

  1. ^ a b "Haven DENNEY / Brandon FRAZIER: 2016/2017". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 21, 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Haven DENNEY / Brandon FRAZIER: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 19, 2012.
  3. ^ a b Walker, Elvin (May 27, 2012). "Second time a charm for Denney and Frazier". Golden Skate.
  4. ^ a b c Rutherford, Lynn (January 24, 2012). "Colorado junior pairs face California challenge". IceNetwork.com. Archived from the original on May 13, 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d Cloutier, Claire (September 21, 2016). "Interview with Denney/Frazier". A Divine Sport.
  6. ^ a b "Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier". U.S. Figure Skating. Archived from the original on February 7, 2019.
    "Earlier versions: 2013–2018". IceNetwork.com. Archived from the original on June 9, 2018.
    "Earlier versions". Archived from the original on April 20, 2013.
  7. ^ "Mandy GARZA / Brandon FRAZIER: 2010/2011". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on July 28, 2014.
  8. ^ a b c d "Mandy Garza / Brandon Frazier". IceNetwork.com. Archived from the original on March 1, 2012.
  9. ^ a b Rutherford, Lynn (May 17, 2013). "Change of scenery serves Denney, Frazier well". IceNetwork.com. Archived from the original on May 13, 2016.
  10. ^ Slater, Paula (April 22, 2015). "Denney and Frazier regroup with Steuer". Golden Skate.
  11. ^ a b c Rutherford, Lynn (August 10, 2015). "On the mend: Denney plans August return to ice". IceNetwork.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2017.
  12. ^ a b c d e Brannen, Sarah S. (April 25, 2016). "Denney, Frazier seek fresh start in Chicago". IceNetwork.com. Archived from the original on August 1, 2017.
  13. ^ a b Rutherford, Lynn (July 25, 2016). "Denney, Frazier win Skate Detroit free in return". IceNetwork.com. Archived from the original on November 4, 2016.
  14. ^ "Aaron and Settlage End Partnership". U.S. Figure Skating. August 10, 2016. Archived from the original on October 8, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  15. ^ Slater, Paula (January 21, 2017). "Denney and Frazier take national pairs title". Golden Skate.
  16. ^ Rutherford, Lynn (August 21, 2018). "Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier "Hit the Reset Button"". U.S. Figure Skating. Archived from the original on February 7, 2019.
  17. ^ a b Penny, Brandon (January 25, 2019). "Overcoming 4 Years Of Injuries, Tarah Kayne And Danny O'Shea Return To Health To Lead After Short At Nationals". teamusa.org. Archived from the original on February 7, 2019. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  18. ^ Mammoser, Scott (January 26, 2019). "Cain and LeDuc capture Pair's U.S. title". Golden Skate.
  19. ^ Slater, Paula (February 9, 2019). "Sui and Han rebound for fifth Four Continents title". Golden Skate.
  20. ^ Slater, Paula (October 20, 2019). "China's Peng and Jin win first Grand Prix gold at 2019 Skate America". Golden Skate.
  21. ^ Slater, Paula (November 1, 2019). "Russia's Pavliuchenko and Khodykin hold top spot in pairs in Grenoble". Golden Skate.
  22. ^ Slater, Paula (November 2, 2019). "Russia's Mishina and Galliamov edge out teammates for 2019 Internationaux de France gold". Golden Skate.
  23. ^ Slater, Paula (January 23, 2020). "Knierim and Knierim lead Pairs at U.S. Nationals". Golden Skate.
  24. ^ Slater, Paula (January 25, 2020). "Knierim and Knierim reclaim U.S. National title in Pairs". Golden Skate.
  25. ^ Lutz, Rachel (March 25, 2020). "Haven Denney, Brandon Frazier mark another U.S. pair split". NBC Sports.
  26. ^ "Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Brandon Frazier Announce Partnership". USFSA. March 30, 2020.
  27. ^ "Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier Bio". US Figure Skating Fan Zone.
  28. ^ "2020 Skate America". International Figure Skating. October 20, 2020.
  29. ^ Slater, Paula (October 24, 2020). "Scimeca Knierim and Frazier take lead in pairs at 2020 Skate America". Golden Skate.
  30. ^ Slater, Paula (October 26, 2020). "Golden debut for Scimeca Knierim and Frazier at 2020 Skate America". Golden Skate.
  31. ^ "Knierim, Frazier win national title in debut season with record scores". NBC Sports Olympic Talk. January 16, 2021.
  32. ^ Slater, Paula (March 24, 2021). "Boikova and Kozlovskii debut new program; lead pairs in Stockholm". Golden Skate.
  33. ^ Slater, Paula (March 26, 2021). "Mishina and Galliamov capture pairs' title in World debut". Golden Skate.
  34. ^ Rutherford, Lynn (April 17, 2021). "Team USA Earns Second Place Behind Team Russia at World Team Trophy". Team USA.
  35. ^ "2021 Cranberry Cup International". U.S. Figure Skating.
  36. ^ "2021 John Nicks Pairs Challenge". U.S. Figure Skating.
  37. ^ "Alexa SCIMECA KNIERIM / Brandon FRAZIER: 2021/2022". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  38. ^ "Alexa SCIMECA KNIERIM / Brandon FRAZIER: 2020/2021". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on October 22, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  39. ^ "Haven DENNEY / Brandon FRAZIER: 2019/2020". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on September 27, 2019.
  40. ^ "Haven DENNEY / Brandon FRAZIER: 2018/2019". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on February 7, 2019.
  41. ^ Cloutier, Claire (July 26, 2017). "U.S. Champions Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier: "We want to show everyone that we still have a lot to give"". figureskatersonline.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2018.
  42. ^ "Haven DENNEY / Brandon FRAZIER: 2017/2018". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018.
  43. ^ "Haven DENNEY / Brandon FRAZIER: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 20, 2015.
  44. ^ Rutherford, Lynn (July 26, 2014). "Detroit postcards: More pair action off ice than on". IceNetwork.com. Archived from the original on May 28, 2017.
  45. ^ "Haven DENNEY / Brandon FRAZIER: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 28, 2014.
  46. ^ "Haven DENNEY / Brandon FRAZIER: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on February 26, 2013.
  47. ^ "Competition Results: Alexa KNIERIM / Brandon FRAZIER". International Skating Union.
  48. ^ a b "Competition Results: Haven DENNEY / Brandon FRAZIER". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on February 7, 2019.
  49. ^ "Competition Results: Mandy GARZA / Brandon FRAZIER". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016.

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