Juulia Turkkila

Juulia Turkkila (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈjuːliɑ ˈturkːilɑ]; born 3 November 1994) is a Finnish figure skater. Competing in ice dancing with Matthias Versluis, she has won multiple international medals and is a two-time Finnish national champion (2019, 2022).

Juulia Turkkila
Turkkila at the 2019 Europeans
Personal information
Country representedFinland
Born (1994-11-03) 3 November 1994
Helsinki, Finland
ResidenceHelsinki, Finland
Height1.64 m (5 ft 4+12 in)
PartnerMatthias Versluis
CoachMaurizio Margaglio
Former coachTarja Sipilä, Tilu Valgemäe
ChoreographerPasquale Camerlengo, Massimo Scali
Former choreographerShae Zukiwsky, Maria McLean, Igor Lutikov, Olga Tkachenko, Pirjo Kuha
Skating clubHelsingin Luistelijat
Training locationsHelsinki
Began skating2001
World standing34 (2020–21)
40 (2019–20)
40 (2018–19)
69 (2017–18)
ISU personal best scores
Combined total185.19
2021 CS Finlandia Trophy
Short program71.92
2021 CS Finlandia Trophy
Free skate113.27
2021 CS Finlandia Trophy

As a single skater, she is the 2012 Nordic champion and 2014 Finnish national champion. She competed in the final segment at eight ISU Championships, achieving her best result, 12th, at the 2014 Europeans.[1]

Personal life

Juulia Turkkila was born on 3 November 1994 in Helsinki, Finland.[2] At age six, she began training in ballet at the Finnish National Opera and Ballet.[3] After graduating from secondary school, she decided to study economics at Aalto University.[3]

Career

Early years

Turkkila began learning to skate in 2001.[2] She made her junior international debut at the Nordic Championships in February 2010.[4]

2010–2011 season

Turkkila placed sixteenth at the 2011 World Junior Championships, fifteenth at the 2011 European Championships, and twentieth at the 2011 World Championships. She won the bronze medal at the 2011 Nordics.

2011–2012 season

Turkkila at the 2012 Worlds

Turkkila won the silver medal at the 2012 Finnish Championships, behind Kiira Korpi. She placed seventeenth at the 2012 European Championships, nineteenth at the 2012 World Junior Championships, and eighteenth at the 2012 World Championships. She won the gold medal at the 2012 Nordics.

2012–2013 season

Turkkila placed sixth at the 2012 Finlandia Trophy, and ninth at the 2012 Nebelhorn Trophy. She won the silver medal at the 2013 Finnish Championships, again finishing second to Kiira Korpi. She was seventeenth at the 2013 European Championships but was eliminated from the 2013 World Championships after placing thirty-first in the short program.

2013–2014 season

Turkkila placed seventh at the 2013 Finlandia Trophy, and fourteenth at the 2013 Nebelhorn Trophy. She won the gold medal at the 2014 Finnish Championships. She was twelfth at the 2014 European Championships, her best result at the Europeans this far. She did not reach the final at the 2014 World Championships, placing twenty-ninth in the short program.

2014–2015 season

Turkkila participated at the 2014 Finlandia Trophy where she placed 7th and at the 2014 Nebelhorn Trophy where she placed sixth. On 22 October 2014, it was reported that she had a season-ending injury.[5]

2015–2016 season

Turkkila returned to competition in 2015, placing 5th at the Lombardia Trophy. She was tenth at the 2015 Nebelhorn Trophy and fourteenth at the 2015 Finlandia Trophy. In December 2015, Turkkila won the bronze medal at the Finnish Championships. On 20 January 2016, the Finnish Figure Skating Association reported that her season was over due to a groin strain.[6] Tarja Sipilä coached Turkkila at Helsingin Luistelijat figure skating club in Helsinki.[7]

On 1 April 2016, the Finnish Figure Skating Association reported that Turkkila had teamed up with Matthias Versluis to compete in ice dancing.[8]

2016–2017 season: Debut of Turkkila/Versluis

Making their international debut, Turkkila/Versluis placed sixth at the NRW Trophy in November 2016. Later that month, they finished 13th at their first ISU Challenger Series assignment, the 2016 CS Tallinn Trophy. In December, they took the silver medal behind Törn/Partanen at the 2017 Finnish Championships. In February, they represented Finland at the 2017 Winter Universiade, finishing eighth.[9]

2017–2018 season

Turkkila/Versluis competed at a pair of Challenger Series competitions – placing tenth at the 2017 CS Lombardia Trophy and fifteenth at the 2017 CS Finlandia Trophy – and then finished thirteenth at the International Cup of Nice. In November, they won bronze at the Ice Challenge in Austria. In December, they repeated as national silver medalists, again finishing second to Törn/Partanen.[9]

2018–2019 season: First national title and Worlds debut

Turkkila/Versluis began their season with three Challenger Series events – they finished sixth at the 2018 CS Lombardia Trophy, seventh at the 2018 CS Ondrej Nepela Trophy, and sixth at the 2018 CS Finlandia Trophy. In October, the duo won silver at the Minsk-Arena Ice Star. In November, they debuted on the Grand Prix series, placing sixth at the 2018 Grand Prix of Helsinki, and then took bronze at the Warsaw Cup. The following month, they became the Finnish national champions and were selected to compete at the 2019 European Championships in Minsk, Belarus, where they placed eleventh. They then competed at their first World Championships, placing sixteenth.[9]

2019–2020 season

Turkkila sustained a neck injury in a practice session at the 2019 CS Lombardia Trophy, compelling the team to withdraw from the competition. They subsequently also withdrew from the 2019 CS Finlandia Trophy and the 2019 Rostelecom Cup, their Grand Prix assignment for the year.[10] They were assigned to compete at the World Championships in Montreal, but these were cancelled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.[11]

2020–2021 season

Returning to competition for the first time in two years, Turkkila/Versluis represented Finland at the 2021 World Championships in Stockholm, placing twenty-first after a fluke error on the rotational lift.[12]

2021–2022 season: Beijing Olympics

Turkkila/Versluis began the Olympic season at the 2021 CS Lombardia Trophy, where they placed sixth.[13] They were assigned to the 2021 CS Nebelhorn Trophy, seeing to qualify a place for Finland at the 2022 Winter Olympics. They placed first in both programs, setting three new personal bests to take both their first Challenger gold and the first of four available dance spots.[14] At their third Challenger event of the season, the 2021 CS Finlandia Trophy, Turkkila/Versluis came sixth, notably managing fourth place in the free dance.[9] They competed at the 2021 Cup of Nice, also known as Trophée Métropole Nice, where they won gold, before going on to make their Grand Prix appearance at the 2021 Internationaux de France, where they finished in seventh.[15]

After winning their second Finnish national title, Turkkila/Versluis were named to the Finnish Olympic team. Turkkila had a mild case of COVID-19 in late December and recovered, but due to the fact that she continued to test positive, the team was unable to participate in the 2022 European Championships.

Making their appearance at the Beijing Olympics dance event, Turkkila/Versluis were the first Finnish ice dancers to appear in the Winter Olympics since Rahkamo/Kokko in 1994. They placed sixteenth in the rhythm dance, qualifying to the free dance.[16] They moved up one place in the free dance, finishing fifteenth.[17]

Turkkila and Versluis concluded the season at the 2022 World Championships, held in Montpellier with Russian dance teams absent due to the International Skating Union banning all Russian athletes due to their country's invasion of Ukraine.[18] They finished twelfth.[9]

Programs

Turkkila at the 2012 World Championships
Turkkila and Versluis at the 2018 Grand Prix of Helsinki

Ice dancing with Versluis

Season Rhythm dance Free dance
2021–2022
[19]
2019–2021
[20][21]
2018–2019
[2][3]
Short dance
2017–2018
[22]
  • Beautiful Maria Of My Soul
    by Arne Glimcher, Robert Kraft
  • Afro Bongo
    by Watazu
  • De Donde Soy
    performed by Thalía
2016–2017

Single skating

Season Short program Free skating
2015–2016
[7]
2014–2015
[23]
  • Gabriel's Oboe
    (Whispers in a Dream)
    by Ennio Morricone, Hayley Westenra
2013–2014
[24]
  • La gazza ladra
    by Gioachino Rossini
2012–2013
[25][26]
  • The Firebird
    by Igor Stravinsky
2011–2012
[27]
  • Scheherazade
    by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
2010–2011
[28]
  • Happy Valley
    by Andy Hill, Vanessa-Mae
2009–2010
  • Don Quixote
    by Ludwig Minkus

Results

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

Ice dancing with Versluis

International[9]
Event 16–17 17–18 18–19 19–20 20–21 21–22
Olympics15th
Worlds16thC21st12th
Europeans11thWD
GP Finland6th
GP France7th
CS Finlandia15th6thWD6th
CS Lombardia10th6thWD6th
CS Nebelhorn Trophy1st
CS Ondrej Nepela7th
CS Tallinn Trophy13th
Universiade8th4th
Bavarian Open11th6th3rd
Cup of Nice13th1st
Egna Trophy5th1st
Ice Challenge3rd
Ice Star2nd
NRW Trophy6th
Open d'Andorra5th
Warsaw Cup3rd
National
Finnish Champ.2nd2nd1stC1st
TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew; C = Cancelled

Single skating

International[1]
Event 08–09 09–10 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14 14–15 15–16
Worlds20th18th31st29th
Europeans15th17th17th12th
CS Finlandia7th14th
CS Nebelhorn6th10th
CS Warsaw Cup6th
Challenge Cup6th
Cup of Nice8th21st
Finlandia Trophy6th6th7th
Lombardia Trophy5th
Nebelhorn Trophy9th14th
Nordics3rd1st5th
Skate Helena1st
Volvo Open Cup3rd
International: Junior[1]
Junior Worlds16th19th
JGP Estonia13th
JGP Germany10th
JGP Poland13th
Ice Challenge5th J3rd J
Nordics5th J
Warsaw Cup9th N
National[1]
Finnish Champ.4th J1st J2nd2nd1st3rd
Levels: N = Novice; J = Junior

References

  1. "Competition Results: Juulia TURKKILA". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 July 2016.
  2. "Juulia TURKKILA / Matthias VERSLUIS: 2018/2019". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 11 January 2019.
  3. "Q & A: Juulia Turkkila & Matthias Versluis". ice-dance.com. 20 December 2018. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  4. "Juulia TURKKILA". rinkresults.com. Archived from the original on 2019-01-14. Retrieved 2019-01-13.
  5. "Suomen taitoluistelijoille taas takaisku: Nyt loukkaantui Juulia Turkkila" [Finnish figure skater]. Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 22 October 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
  6. Pusa, Ari (20 January 2016). "Taitoluistelija Juulia Turkkila loukkaantui jälleen – jo toinen kausi peräkkäin piloille" [Figure skater Juulia Turkkila]. Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Archived from the original on 20 January 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  7. "Juulia TURKKILA: 2015/2016". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 28 May 2016.
  8. "Juulia Turkkila ja Matthias Versluis jäätanssipariksi" [Juulia Turkkila and Matthias Versluis team up for ice dancing] (in Finnish). Finnish Figure Skating Association. 1 April 2016. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  9. "Competition Results: Juulia TURKKILA / Matthias VERSLUIS". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 13 January 2019.
  10. Skating Finland [@SkatingFinland] (1 October 2019). "Juulia Turkkila-Matthias Versluis announced today: "Unfortunately we have to postpone the start of our competitive season due to Juulia's neck injury. We hope to be back soon and stronger than ever." Get well soon but be patience with the recovery! 💛" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  11. Ewing, Lori (March 11, 2020). "World figure skating championships cancelled in Montreal". CBC Sports. Archived from the original on March 22, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  12. "ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2021 Results – Ice Dance". International Skating Union.
  13. "Lombardia Trophy 2021". Federazione Italiana Sport del Ghiaccio.
  14. Flade, Tatjana (September 25, 2021). "Finland's Turkkila and Versluis dance off with Nebelhorn gold". Golden Skate.
  15. Slater, Paula (November 20, 2021). "Papadakis and Cizeron take 12th Grand Prix gold in France". Golden Skate.
  16. "Suomalaiset palasivat jäätanssin olympiajäälle upealla tavalla – Turkkila ja Versluis saivat tiedon jatkopaikasta yllättävällä hetkellä" [The Finns returned to the ice age of ice dancing in a wonderful way - Turkkila and Versluis received information about the continuation at a surprising moment]. Ilta-Sanomat (in Finnish). 12 February 2022.
  17. Penny, Brandon (February 13, 2022). "How the free dance transpired and determined Olympic ice dance medalists". NBC Sports.
  18. Campigotto, Jesse (March 22, 2022). "Get ready for a bizarre figure skating world championships". CBC Sports.
  19. "Juulia TURKKILA / Matthias VERSLUIS: 2021/2022". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 1 September 2021.
  20. "Juulia TURKKILA / Matthias VERSLUIS: 2019/2020". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 22 September 2019.
  21. "Juulia TURKKILA / Matthias VERSLUIS: 2020/2021". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021.
  22. "Juulia TURKKILA / Matthias VERSLUIS: 2017/2018". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 29 May 2018.
  23. "Juulia TURKKILA: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 21 May 2015.
  24. "Juulia TURKKILA: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 4 June 2014.
  25. "Juulia TURKKILA: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 16 July 2013.
  26. Halonen, Lena (4 January 2013). "Juulia Turkkila: "I think I am ready"". Absolute Skating. Archived from the original on 26 May 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  27. "Juulia TURKKILA: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 January 2012.
  28. "Juulia TURKKILA: 2010/2011". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 15 August 2011.

Media related to Juulia Turkkila at Wikimedia Commons

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.