Skaters
Pairs
Amanda Evora
Born:
October 17, 1984
Birthplace:
New York, N.Y.
Height:
5' 0"
Level:
Senior
Hometown:
Sugar Land, Texas
College:
University of South Florida
Club:
Southwest Florida FSC
Mark Ladwig
Born:
May 6, 1980
Birthplace:
Fargo, N.D.
Height:
5' 10"
Level:
Senior
Hometown:
Fargo, N.D. & Moorhead, Minn.
Club:
Red River Valley FSC
Coach:
Jim Peterson, Allison Smith, Lyndon Johnston
Choreographer:
Jim Peterson
Evora and Ladwig tied their best placement at a U.S. Championships with a fourth-place finish in 2009 ... Also came in fourth in 2007 ... Have skated in several benefit shows, including Jimmy Fund's "Evening with Champions" and Parker Pennington's "Skate for Life."
Evora began skating at age 6 because her dad found her sister's old skates and they fit ... Has an older brother, Astro (36), and an older sister, Andrea (29) ... Father is a chemical engineer ... Formerly skated with Mike Adler (2000-01) ... Previously coached by Megan Faulkner (1995-2000) and Kerry Leitch (2000-07) ... Attends the University of South Florida, majoring in business administration ... Graduated from Manatee Community College in 2006 ... Received a letter in high school for symphony and orchestra ... National Honor Society member from 1998-2000 ... Works part time as a figure skating coach ... Serves as an athlete rep on her skating club's board ... Has two cats, Finny and Flower ... Hobbies are playing soccer, playing Guitar Hero and swimming ... Enjoyed traveling to Oberstdorf, Germany, "because it is where I have great memories of well-done skating performances surrounded by great company and in such a beautiful city" ... Has a passion for music and dance ... Wants to train for a marathon after she's done skating ... Lists her biggest life-defining moment as when she moved away from her family to pursue her skating career ... Would want to be a contestant on "Dancing with the Stars" because she's always wanted to ballroom dance.
AMANDA'S FAVORITES
Favorite sports figure: Scott Hamilton
Favorite sports team: Houston Astros
Favorite city: Houston, Texas
Favorite season: Spring
Favorite author: Stephanie Meyer
Favorite performer: Lauren Hill
Favorite reality show: The Biggest Loser
Favorite drink: Starbuck's peppermint misto
Favorite vacation spot: St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Favorite quote: "Life is not a problem to solve but a mystery to live." - Father Drew
AMANDA'S 'THREE THINGS'
Three things people would be surprised to find out about me: I have moved six times in the last eight years, I'm working my way up to my gold ice dancing tests, and I want to sky dive one day
Three things I hate doing: Cooking, watching scary movies and being stuck in traffic
Three things I love doing: Spending time with friends and family, relaxing at the beach and going out to different restaurants
Three favorite movies: Love Actually, The Pursuit of Happyness and Blades of Glory
Three things i must have when I leave the house: My phone, sunglasses and iPod
Three favorite bands: U2, Guns 'N' Roses and Dave Matthews Band
Three people I'd most want to meet: Bono, Beyonce and Scott Hamilton
Three best concerts I've been to: Guns 'N' Roses, Britney Spears and Elton John
Three favorite TV shows: Lost, The office and Family Guy
Three favorite books: Twilight series, Mind Gym and The Great Eight
Three favorite foods: Ice cream, dried mangoes and Twizzlers
Three favorite drinks: Bubble tea, coffee and milk
Mark began skating at age 5 in the man-made outdoor rink behind his house ... Participated in the Basic Skills Program presented by Marshalls for three years (1985-87) ... Formerly paired with Kelsey Sollom (1998-2000) and Keri Lynn Blakinger (2000-02) ... Has been coached by Dawn Franklin (1980-2000), Ron Ludington (2000-03) and Kerry Leitch (2003-08) ... Graduated from Moorhead Senior High School in 1999, and lettered in track, band, drama and swimming ... Was a pole vaulter on the track team, with a personal best of 11 1/2 feet ... Older brother Todd is a lieutenant in the navy ... Married Janet Beverly on Aug. 4, 2006 ... Janet works in human resources at Target ... The couple is expecting its first child in September 2009 ... Was an Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America ... Supporter of March of Dimes for Premature Children - his wife was born premature and without the organization's support, she would not be around today ... Serves on U.S. Figure Skating's Athletes Advisory Committee ... Does a little bit of everything at his rink: coaches, sharpens skates, drives the Zamboni, edits music, etc. ... Hobbies include gardening, landscaping and reading ... Nicknamed "Fargo" ... Favorite places to which he's traveled for skating are Croatia ("for its history and beautiful, old buildings) and Korea ("for its ancient temples and strong culture) ... Has a passion for learning new things ... Something not many people know about him is he reads everything - "As a child, I would page through the encyclopedia for enjoyment." ... If he could be on a reality show, it would be "The Amazing Race" because he believes he and his wife could win - "I have Eagle Scout skills, and she's a great communicator." ... Biggest life-defining moment was marrying his best friend, Janet ... Collects state quarters ... If he weren't a figure skater, he would have tried to be an Olympic pole vaulter ... Would like to coach, get his national appointment in announcing, go to college and get a degree after he's done skating ... Wants to meet Stephen Hawking to discuss the uses of physics in everyday life ... Listens to mostly country music and "whatever is free this week on iTunes."
MARK'S FAVORITES
Favorite sports figure: Dara Torres
Favorite sports teams: Tampa Bay lightning, Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Vikings
Favorite season: Winter
Favorite authors: Isaac Asimov, Michael Crichton
Favorite magazines: Time, Life, Field & Stream, Cabela's
Favorite gadgets: All my wood shop tools
Favorite performer: Garth Brooks
Favorite reality show: Ice Road Truckers
Favorite drink: Cookie soup (milk and cookies)
Favorite vacation spot: Brookside Resort on Two Inlets Lake in Park Rapids, Minn.
Favorite quote: "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind" - Dr. Seuss
MARK'S 'THREE THINGS'
Three things people would be surprised to find out about me: I can juggle, I love yard work, and I can do back flips
Three people I'd like to have dinner with: Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking and Tenzing Norgay
Three things I hate doing: Cleaning up after others, stuttering and picking up my dog's "mess"
Three things I love doing: Being my family (especially my wife), reading and camping
Three favorite movies: Stand By Me, The Matrix and 300
Three things I must have when I leave the house: Cell phone, keys, wallet
Three people I'd most like to meet: Sergei Bubka, George Clooney and Scott Hamilton
Three favorite TV shows: How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang Theory and Lost
Three favorite books: A Brief History of Time, Foundation and Empire and Isaac Walterson's Benjamin Franklin
Three favorite web sites: USAToday.com, Wachovia.com and Google.com
Three favorite foods: Cookies in milk, Chinese and pasta
Three favorite drinks: Milk, apple juice and Gatorade
Evora began skating at age 6 because her dad found her sister's old skates and they fit ... Has an older brother, Astro (36), and an older sister, Andrea (29) ... Father is a chemical engineer ... Formerly skated with Mike Adler (2000-01) ... Previously coached by Megan Faulkner (1995-2000) and Kerry Leitch (2000-07) ... Attends the University of South Florida, majoring in business administration ... Graduated from Manatee Community College in 2006 ... Received a letter in high school for symphony and orchestra ... National Honor Society member from 1998-2000 ... Works part time as a figure skating coach ... Serves as an athlete rep on her skating club's board ... Has two cats, Finny and Flower ... Hobbies are playing soccer, playing Guitar Hero and swimming ... Enjoyed traveling to Oberstdorf, Germany, "because it is where I have great memories of well-done skating performances surrounded by great company and in such a beautiful city" ... Has a passion for music and dance ... Wants to train for a marathon after she's done skating ... Lists her biggest life-defining moment as when she moved away from her family to pursue her skating career ... Would want to be a contestant on "Dancing with the Stars" because she's always wanted to ballroom dance.
AMANDA'S FAVORITES
Favorite sports figure: Scott Hamilton
Favorite sports team: Houston Astros
Favorite city: Houston, Texas
Favorite season: Spring
Favorite author: Stephanie Meyer
Favorite performer: Lauren Hill
Favorite reality show: The Biggest Loser
Favorite drink: Starbuck's peppermint misto
Favorite vacation spot: St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Favorite quote: "Life is not a problem to solve but a mystery to live." - Father Drew
AMANDA'S 'THREE THINGS'
Three things people would be surprised to find out about me: I have moved six times in the last eight years, I'm working my way up to my gold ice dancing tests, and I want to sky dive one day
Three things I hate doing: Cooking, watching scary movies and being stuck in traffic
Three things I love doing: Spending time with friends and family, relaxing at the beach and going out to different restaurants
Three favorite movies: Love Actually, The Pursuit of Happyness and Blades of Glory
Three things i must have when I leave the house: My phone, sunglasses and iPod
Three favorite bands: U2, Guns 'N' Roses and Dave Matthews Band
Three people I'd most want to meet: Bono, Beyonce and Scott Hamilton
Three best concerts I've been to: Guns 'N' Roses, Britney Spears and Elton John
Three favorite TV shows: Lost, The office and Family Guy
Three favorite books: Twilight series, Mind Gym and The Great Eight
Three favorite foods: Ice cream, dried mangoes and Twizzlers
Three favorite drinks: Bubble tea, coffee and milk
Mark began skating at age 5 in the man-made outdoor rink behind his house ... Participated in the Basic Skills Program presented by Marshalls for three years (1985-87) ... Formerly paired with Kelsey Sollom (1998-2000) and Keri Lynn Blakinger (2000-02) ... Has been coached by Dawn Franklin (1980-2000), Ron Ludington (2000-03) and Kerry Leitch (2003-08) ... Graduated from Moorhead Senior High School in 1999, and lettered in track, band, drama and swimming ... Was a pole vaulter on the track team, with a personal best of 11 1/2 feet ... Older brother Todd is a lieutenant in the navy ... Married Janet Beverly on Aug. 4, 2006 ... Janet works in human resources at Target ... The couple is expecting its first child in September 2009 ... Was an Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America ... Supporter of March of Dimes for Premature Children - his wife was born premature and without the organization's support, she would not be around today ... Serves on U.S. Figure Skating's Athletes Advisory Committee ... Does a little bit of everything at his rink: coaches, sharpens skates, drives the Zamboni, edits music, etc. ... Hobbies include gardening, landscaping and reading ... Nicknamed "Fargo" ... Favorite places to which he's traveled for skating are Croatia ("for its history and beautiful, old buildings) and Korea ("for its ancient temples and strong culture) ... Has a passion for learning new things ... Something not many people know about him is he reads everything - "As a child, I would page through the encyclopedia for enjoyment." ... If he could be on a reality show, it would be "The Amazing Race" because he believes he and his wife could win - "I have Eagle Scout skills, and she's a great communicator." ... Biggest life-defining moment was marrying his best friend, Janet ... Collects state quarters ... If he weren't a figure skater, he would have tried to be an Olympic pole vaulter ... Would like to coach, get his national appointment in announcing, go to college and get a degree after he's done skating ... Wants to meet Stephen Hawking to discuss the uses of physics in everyday life ... Listens to mostly country music and "whatever is free this week on iTunes."
MARK'S FAVORITES
Favorite sports figure: Dara Torres
Favorite sports teams: Tampa Bay lightning, Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Vikings
Favorite season: Winter
Favorite authors: Isaac Asimov, Michael Crichton
Favorite magazines: Time, Life, Field & Stream, Cabela's
Favorite gadgets: All my wood shop tools
Favorite performer: Garth Brooks
Favorite reality show: Ice Road Truckers
Favorite drink: Cookie soup (milk and cookies)
Favorite vacation spot: Brookside Resort on Two Inlets Lake in Park Rapids, Minn.
Favorite quote: "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind" - Dr. Seuss
MARK'S 'THREE THINGS'
Three things people would be surprised to find out about me: I can juggle, I love yard work, and I can do back flips
Three people I'd like to have dinner with: Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking and Tenzing Norgay
Three things I hate doing: Cleaning up after others, stuttering and picking up my dog's "mess"
Three things I love doing: Being my family (especially my wife), reading and camping
Three favorite movies: Stand By Me, The Matrix and 300
Three things I must have when I leave the house: Cell phone, keys, wallet
Three people I'd most like to meet: Sergei Bubka, George Clooney and Scott Hamilton
Three favorite TV shows: How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang Theory and Lost
Three favorite books: A Brief History of Time, Foundation and Empire and Isaac Walterson's Benjamin Franklin
Three favorite web sites: USAToday.com, Wachovia.com and Google.com
Three favorite foods: Cookies in milk, Chinese and pasta
Three favorite drinks: Milk, apple juice and Gatorade
-
2010 Season NotesSP Music: Themes from the movie Love Actually by Craig Armstrong
FS Music: "Piano Concerto No. 2" by Rachmaninoff
Costumes designed by Dawn Imperatore (short program) and Brad Griffies (free skate)
Goals for 2009-10: To qualify for the Olympic Games and compete at the World Championships -
2009 Season NotesSP Music: "Santorini" by Yanni
FS Music: "Pas de Deux" by Tchaikovsky
Costumes designed by Kathy Leitch
Placed fourth at the Cup of China and won their second U.S. pewter medal. -
2008 Season NotesSP Music: "Stray Cat Strut" by the Stray Cats and Brian Setzer (choreographed by Sweeney)
FS Music: Ravel's "Daphnis and Chloe" combined with Debussy's "Reverie" (choreographed by Peterson)
Costumes designed by Kathy Leitch and Dawn Imperatore
Took the bronze medal at the Nebelhorn Trophy ... Placed fourth at Skate America. -
2007 Season NotesSP Music: "Black Magic Woman" by Carlos Santana (choreographed by Christine Hough Sweeney)
FS Music: From the soundtrack to West Side Story (choreographed by Jim Peterson)
Won the pewter medal at the U.S. Championships. -
2006 Season NotesSP Music: "Hotel California" by the Eagles
FS Music: Music from Romeo and Juliet by Prokofiev -
2005 Season NotesSP Music: Aaron Copland's "Theme for the Common Man"
FS Music: "Butterfly Suite" by Vanessa Mae -
2004 Season NotesSP Music: "Smokie Joe's Cafe"
FS Music: "Scheherazade" by Rimsky-Korsakov
- 2009 - Skate America - 5th
2009 - Cup of China - 7th
2009 - AT&T U.S. Figure Skating Championships - 4th
2008 - Cup of China - 4th
2008 - HomeSense Skate Canada - 7th
2008 - U.S. Figure Skating Championships - 5th
2007 - Skate America - 4th
2007 - Nebelhorn Trophy - 3rd
2007 - State Farm U.S. Championships - 4th
2007 - Eastern Sectional - 1st
2006 - State Farm U.S. Championships - 7th
2005 - Skate Canada - 8th
2005 - Smart Ones Skate America - 9th
2005 - Four Continents Championships - 5th
2005 - State Farm U.S. Championships - 5th
2005 - Eastern Sectional - 1st
2004 - Nebelhorn Trophy - 5th
2004 - State Farm U.S. Championships - 10th
2003 - Golden Spin of Zagreb - 1st
2003 - State Farm U.S. Championships - 12th
2003 - Eastern Sectional - 3rd
