Haven Denney (born October 28, 1995) is an American
pair skater
Pair skating is a figure skating discipline defined by the International Skating Union (ISU) as "the skating of two persons in unison who perform their movements in such harmony with each other as to give the impression of genuine Pair Skating a ...
. With former partner,
Brandon Frazier
Brandon Michael Frazier (born November 19, 1992) is an American pair skater. With his skating partner, Alexa Knierim, he is the 2022 World champion, a 2022 Olympic silver medalist in the figure skating team event, the 2022 Grand Prix Final si ...
, she is a two-time
Skate America
Skate America is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. It is hosted by U.S. Figure Skating. The location changes yearly. Medals are awarded in four disciplines: m ...
silver medalist (2014, 2016), the
2014 CS Lombardia Trophy champion, the
2013 World Junior champion, and the
2017 U.S. national champion.
Personal life
Haven Denney was born in
Ocala, Florida
Ocala ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Marion County within the northern region of Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 63,591, making it the 54th most populated city in Florida.
Home to ...
.
[ Her parents, DeeDee and Bryan Denney, both competed in ]roller skating
Roller skating is the act of traveling on surfaces with roller skates. It is a recreational activity, a sport, and a form of transportation. Roller rinks and skate parks are built for roller skating, though it also takes place on streets, sid ...
.[ Haven won the 2003 U.S. pairs roller skating silver medal.][ She is the younger sister of U.S. pair skater Caydee Denney.][
]
Career
Early years
Haven Denney and Brandon Frazier first teamed up in 2002 as roller skaters before switching to the ice.[ As figure skaters, they competed together for three seasons from 2005 to 2008,][ coached by Jim Peterson and Lyndon Johnston.][ After two seasons on the juvenile level,][ the pair moved up a level and won the 2008 U.S. intermediate bronze medal.][ With their families living in different states, the skaters decided to part ways.][
Denney then competed with Daniel Raad for three seasons.][
]
2011–12 season: Junior Grand Prix debut
Denney/Frazier teamed up again in spring 2011.[ They competed on the 2011–12 ISU Junior Grand Prix series, placing 8th and 7th in ]Latvia
Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...
and Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
. 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
Dalilah Sappenfield is an American figure skating coach and choreographer who specializes in pair skating. She has worked as a coach since 1993 and is the 2008 USFSA/PSA Coach of the Year, an award she won after her pair teams won the gold me ...
in Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality in, and the county seat of, El Paso County, Colorado, United States. It is the largest city in El Paso County, with a population of 478,961 at the 2020 United States Census, a 15.02% increase since ...
until the fall of 2012 when they moved to Coral Springs, Florida
Coral Springs, officially the City of Coral Springs, is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. The city is located approximately northwest of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Fort Lauderdale. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. C ...
to train with John Zimmerman and Silvia Fontana
Silvia Fontana (born December 3, 1976) is a former figure skater who represented Italy twice at the Winter Olympics.
Career
Fontana began skating at age four. She began representing Italy in international competition in the 1993-94 season. Dur ...
at Coral Gables.[
]
2012–13 season: World Junior title
In the 2012–13 season, Denney/Frazier finished 4th at the 2012–13 ISU Junior Grand Prix event held in Lake Placid, New York. They won gold at the 2013 World Junior Championships, the first American pair to win the title since 2007.
2013–14 season: Grand Prix debut
For the 2013–14 season, the team placed fifth at both their Grand Prix events, the 2013 Skate Canada International and 2013 NHK Trophy. They were also fifth at the 2014 U.S. Championships and then fourth at the 2014 U.S. Championships.
2014–15 season: First senior medals
In 2014–15, 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. Turning to the Grand Prix
Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour
Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to:
Arts and entertainment ...
series, they won their first GP medal, silver, at the 2014 Skate America and then finished fourth at the 2014 Rostelecom Cup. In the second half of the season, Denney/Frazier won the silver medal at the 2015 U.S. Championships. After nationals, they began training full-time under Ingo Steuer
Ingo Steuer (born 1 November 1966) is a German pair skater and skating coach. With Mandy Wötzel, he is the 1998 Olympic bronze medalist, the 1997 World champion, the 1995 European champion, and a four-time German national champion. As a c ...
.[ They finished 7th at the 2015 Four Continents and 12th at the 2015 World Championships.
In April 2015, Denney/Frazier changed their training location from ]Coral Springs, Florida
Coral Springs, officially the City of Coral Springs, is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. The city is located approximately northwest of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Fort Lauderdale. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. C ...
, to West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach is a city in and the county seat of Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is located immediately to the west of the adjacent Palm Beach, which is situated on a barrier island across the Lake Worth Lagoon. The populati ...
.[ Soon after, on April 22, Denney sustained a knee injury while practicing a throw double flip off the ice.][ She said, "When I landed, my foot stayed and my body kept rotating" and she then heard "a couple of loud pops".][ Having torn the ]anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of a pair of cruciate ligaments (the other being the posterior cruciate ligament) in the human knee. The two ligaments are also called "cruciform" ligaments, as they are arranged in a crossed formation ...
, lateral collateral ligament, and bilateral and lateral meniscus
The lateral meniscus (external semilunar fibrocartilage) is a fibrocartilaginous band that spans the lateral side of the interior of the knee joint. It is one of two meniscus (anatomy), menisci of the knee, the other being the medial meniscus. It ...
in her right knee,[ she underwent surgery on April 28 at the Steadman Clinic in ]Vail, Colorado
Vail is a home rule municipality in Eagle County, Colorado, United States. The population of the town was 4,835 in 2020. Home to Vail Ski Resort, the largest ski mountain in Colorado, the town is known for its hotels, dining, and for the num ...
.[
]
2015–16 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.[ During this time, Frazier worked on his skating skills under ]Marina Zueva
Marina Olegovna Zoueva or Zueva (russian: Марина Олеговна Зуева; born 9 April 1956) is a Russian figure skating coach, choreographer, and former competitor in ice dancing. Representing the Soviet Union with Andrei Vitman, she ...
and her team in Canton, Michigan
Canton, officially the Charter Township of Canton, is a charter township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the township had a population of 98,659.
Canton Township is Michigan's second most-populated townshi ...
.[ 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.][
Denney/Frazier did not compete in the 2015–16 season. By April 2016, they were training with ]Rockne Brubaker
Rockne Lee Brubaker, II (born June 21, 1986) is an American former competitive pair skater. With Keauna McLaughlin, he is the 2010 Four Continents silver medalist, the 2007 World Junior champion, and a two-time (2008–2009) U.S. national cham ...
and Stefania Berton at the Fox Valley Ice Center in Geneva, Illinois
Geneva is a city in and the county seat of Kane County, Illinois, United States. It is located on the western side of the Chicago suburbs. Per the 2020 census, the population was 21,393.
Geneva is part of a tri-city area, located between S ...
.[
]
2016–17 season: First national title
Denney/Frazier returned to competition, beginning at the 2016 CS Ondrej Nepela Memorial, where they placed fourth. They received invitations to two Grand Prix
Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour
Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to:
Arts and entertainment ...
events, the 2016 Skate America
The 2016 Skate America was the first event of six in the 2016–17 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at the Sears Centre in Chicago, Illinois, on October 21–23. Medals we ...
and 2016 Skate Canada International
The 2016 Skate Canada International was the second of six in the 2016–17 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, Ontario on October 28 ...
.[ They won the silver medal at Skate America, and finished fourth at Skate Canada International. They competed at a second Challenger event, the 2017 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb, again finishing fourth.
At the 2017 U.S. Championships, Denney/Frazier won the national title for the first time. 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."][ 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.
]
2017–18 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
Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour
Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to:
Arts and entertainment ...
events, the 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
, nations = 93
, athletes = 2,922 (1,680 men and 1,242 women)
, events = 102 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, opening =
, closing =
, opened_by = President Moon Jae-in
, cauldron = Kim Yun-a
, stadium = Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium
, winte ...
or any ISU Championship events. In spring 2018, the pair decided to rejoin John Zimmerman and Silvia Fontana
Silvia Fontana (born December 3, 1976) is a former figure skater who represented Italy twice at the Winter Olympics.
Career
Fontana began skating at age four. She began representing Italy in international competition in the 1993-94 season. Dur ...
, who are based at Florida Hospital Center Ice in Wesley Chapel, Florida
Wesley Chapel is a census-designated place in Pasco County, Florida, United States. Wesley Chapel is a suburb in the Tampa Bay Area. Wesley Chapel originated in the mid-1800s as a cohesive community of settlers who demonstrated a uniquely rural ...
.[
]
2018–19 season
Denney developed a stress fracture in her ankle early in the summer.[ Denney/Frazier won the bronze medal at their Challenger event to start the season, the 2018 CS Autumn Classic International. They placed sixth at the 2018 Skate Canada International, but had to withdraw from their second Grand Prix event, the ]2018 Internationaux de France
The 2018 Internationaux de France was the sixth event of six in the 2018–19 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at Patinoire Polesud in Grenoble on November 23–25. Medals ...
, because Denney's stress fracture had become too painful for her to skate.[
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."][ 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.][
]
2019–20 season & end of partnership
For the new season, Denney/Frazier revived their acclaimed ''The Lion King
''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 32nd Disney animated feature film and the fifth produced during the Disney Renaissance, it ...
'' free skate from the 2014–2015 season. After placing sixth at the 2019 CS Nebelhorn Trophy, they won the bronze medal at the 2019 Skate America, managing a second-place finish in the free skate, and beating reigning US national champions Cain-Gribble/ LeDuc.[ At their second ]Grand Prix
Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour
Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to:
Arts and entertainment ...
event, the 2019 Internationaux de France
The 2019 Internationaux de France was the third event of the 2019–20 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at Patinoire Polesud in Grenoble, France from November 1–3. Medal ...
, they placed third in the short program, with Denney landing an underrotated triple Salchow jump.[ She landed a clean triple Salchow in the free skate, though botched their intended three-jump combination and Denney/Frazier again placed second in that segment, winning their second bronze medal of the season. They again finished ahead of Cain-Gribble/LeDuc.][
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 as well, resulting in them finishing sixth in that segment.][ Despite further side-by-side jump errors and another throw fall in the free, they rose one ordinal to fifth overall.][
On March 25, they announced that they were ending their partnership.]
Programs
(with Frazier)
Competitive highlights
''GP: Grand Prix
Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour
Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to:
Arts and entertainment ...
; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix
The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating (titled the ISU Junior Series in the 1997–98 season) is a series of international junior-level competitions organized by the International Skating Union. Medals are awarded in the disciplines of men ...
''
With Frazier
With Raad
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Denney, Haven
American female pair skaters
1995 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Ocala, Florida
World Junior Figure Skating Championships medalists
21st-century American women
20th-century American women