Karen Venhuizen

Karen Venhuizen
Venhuizen in 2007.
Personal information
Country represented	Netherlands
Born	4 April 1984
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 7 ^1⁄2 in)
Former coach	Sylvia Holtes
Former choreographer	Sylvia Holtes, Karen Venhuizen Lisa Michael
Skating club	KCG Groningen
Began skating	1989
Retired	2008
ISU personal best scores
Combined total	126.30 2008 Europeans
Short program	45.53 2008 Europeans
Free skate	80.77 2008 Europeans

Karen Venhuizen (born 4 April 1984) is a Dutch former competitive figure skater. She is the 2003 Triglav Trophy champion, the 2007 International Challenge Cup champion, and a nine-time (2000–08) Dutch national champion. She qualified for the free skate at seven ISU Championships – two World and five European Championships. Her best placement, 14th, came at the 2008 Europeans.

Personal life

Venhuizen was born 4 April 1984 in Zoetermeer, Netherlands.^[1] From 2001 to 2003, she suffered from anorexia nervosa.^[2][3] After the 2008 European Championships, she was diagnosed with Guillain–Barré syndrome.^[4][5]

Career

Venhuizen started skating at the age of five. In the 1999–2000 season, she debuted on the ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) series and then won her first senior national title, earning assignments to her first ISU Championships. In February 2000, she reached the free skate and finished 21st overall at the European Championships in Vienna after placing tenth in her qualifying group, 23rd in the short, and 21st in the free. In March, she competed at the 2000 World Junior Championships in Oberstdorf; she advanced out of her qualifying group but was eliminated after the short program.

Venhuizen made her final junior-level appearances at the start of the 2000–01 season before repeating as the Dutch national senior champion. She qualified for the final segment at both the 2001 European Championships in Bratislava and at the 2001 World Championships in Vancouver.

Venhuizen won gold medals at the 2003 Triglav Trophy in Slovenia and at the 2007 International Challenge Cup in The Hague. Her best ISU Championship result, 14th, came at the 2008 Europeans in Zagreb, Croatia. It was also the highest placement by a Dutch figure skater since Dianne de Leeuw became the European champion in 1976.

Programs

Season	Short program	Free skating
2007–08 [1]	Music of the Night by Andrew Lloyd Webber	West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein
2006–07 [6]	Seven Years in Tibet by John Williams	Harlem Nocturne Blues by Earle Hagen Fosse Fever
2005–06 [7]	The Promise by Secret Garden	Blues in the Night In a Sentimental Mood
2004–05 [8]	The Man With the Golden Arm Roger Rabbit Big Bad Voodoo Daddy	Gladiator by Hans Zimmer Symphony Sur Glace
2003–04 [9]	The Giving by Michael W. Smith	Bolero Fantasy East of Eden by Leonard Rosenman
2002–03 [10]	Mary and Steve's Tango (from The Wedding Planner) by Mervyn Warren	Fire and Ice (soundtrack) by various composers East of Eden (soundtrack) by Leonard Rosenman
2001–02 [11]	Mary and Steve's Tango (from The Wedding Planner soundtrack) by Mervyn Warren	Phantom of the Opera (musical) by Andrew Lloyd Webber Jesus Christ Superstar (musical) by Andrew Lloyd Webber Don't Cry for Me Argentina (musical) by Andrew Lloyd Webber
2000–01 [12]	Violin Fantasie on Puccini's Turandot performed by Vanessa-Mae	Variations of Andrew Lloyd Webber arranged by Jan Hughes The BBC Concert Orchestra

Results

GP: Grand Prix; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

International[13]
Event	98–99	99–00	00–01	01–02	02–03	03–04	04–05	05–06	06–07	07–08	08–09
Worlds			22nd			34th	24th
Europeans		21st	21st	28th	29th	22nd	20th		26th	14th
GP NHK Trophy							10th
Challenge Cup									1st
Crystal Skate			4th
Cup of Nice								4th	4th
Finlandia Trophy						8th
Golden Spin						14th		10th		11th
Nebelhorn Trophy										16th
Nepela Memorial						7th		8th
NRW Trophy											13th
Schäfer Memorial							16th		12th
Triglav Trophy					1st
International: Junior[13]
Junior Worlds		29th
JGP Netherlands		13th
JGP Poland			14th
JGP Slovenia		13th
JGP Ukraine			7th
Golden Bear	4th J
National[13]
Dutch Champ.	4th	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st
WD: Withdrew

References

1. "Karen VENHUIZEN: 2007/2008". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 21 November 2011.
2. Graat, John (5 January 2004). "Ambitieuze plannen van Karen Venhuizen zijn 'niet irreëel'". Trouw.nl.
3. Misset, Robert (22 December 2008). "'Het is doodeng als je verlamd raakt'" ["It's scary when you're paralyzed"]. Volkskrant.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 8 April 2013.
4. Ellenbroek, Ellis (26 April 2008). "'Stoppen is nu nog geen optie'" [Quitting is not an option]. Trouw.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 8 April 2013.
5. "Venhuizen wil niet terugkeren als een recreant" [Venhuizen would not return recreationally]. Trouw.nl (in Dutch). 17 December 2008. Archived from the original on 8 April 2013.
6. "Karen VENHUIZEN: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 26 June 2007.
7. "Karen VENHUIZEN: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 22 May 2006.
8. "Karen VENHUIZEN: 2004/2005". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 9 March 2005.
9. "Karen VENHUIZEN: 2003/2004". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 9 June 2004.
10. "Karen VENHUIZEN: 2002/2003". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 15 April 2003.
11. "Karen VENHUIZEN: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2 April 2002.
12. "Karen VENHUIZEN: 2000/2001". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 20 April 2001.
13. "Competition Results: Karen VENHUIZEN". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.

External links

• Karen Venhuizen at the International Skating Union

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