icenetwork.com

CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

*2013 U.S. bronze medalists
*U.S. champions at the intermediate (2006), novice (2007) and junior (2010) levels
*Own four U.S. silver medals: senior (2011 and '12), junior (2009), juvenile (2005)
*Debut season on the senior circuit in 2010-11 included winning bronze at 2010 NHK Trophy, 2010 Skate America and the 2011 World Championships and silver at 2011 Four Continents Championships
*That year, became first ice dancing team to medal at both of their Grand Prix assignments in their first year as seniors and the first U.S. ice dancing team to medal in their debut at the World Championships
*2009 World Junior silver medalists

SD Music: "Ojos Azul," "Dolencias," and "Sikureada" by Incantations
FD Music: Music from the Memoirs of a Geisha soundtrack by John Williams

SKATING NOTES

Began skating together in 2005 ... Former coaches include Kathy Bird, Andy Stroukoff, Susie Kelley, Mary Marchiselli and Josh Babb (2004-05), Judy Blumberg, Patti Gottwein, Rich Griffin, Damon Allen and Erik Schulz (2005-06) and Igor Shpilband (2007-12) ... Lived and trained in Colorado Springs from 2005-07 before moving to Ann Arbor in June 2007 to train under Shpilband and Marina Zoueva.

Maia began skating at age 4 because her parents wanted her to be able to skate at other kids' parties ... Participated in the Basic Skills Program from 1998-99 ... Overcame a torn hip flexor muscle suffered three weeks before the 2006 U.S. Junior Championships to win the intermediate gold medal.

Alex started skating at age 7 so he could skate at birthday parties ... Participated in the Basic Skills Program from 1998-99.

PERSONAL NOTES

Maia is a straight-A student ... A member of the 2011 U.S. Figure Skating Scholastic Honors Team ... Together with Alex, supports "An Evening with Champions (Jimmy Fund)" and "Skating Friends Support Japan."

Alex graduated Huron High School in June 2009 ... Received the Outstanding English Scholar award ... Five-time winner of the Universal Sports "Tweet of the Week" ... Family has two Maltese, Lily and Po.

CONNECT WITH US

Twitter: @MaiaShibutani and @AlexShibutani
Facebook fan page
Official site

IN OUR WORDS

After I'm done skating, I want to ... (Maia) complete my education.

My hobbies are ... (Maia) spending time with my two dogs, spending time with family and friends, cooking, reading and traveling.
... (Alex) following sports (particularly all Boston professional teams), working out, writing and hanging out with friends.

The best moment of my skating career thus far was ... (Alex) winning the bronze medal at our first World Championships in 2011 and completing the first North American sweep of the podium in ice dance with our friends and training mates.

OUR FAVORITES

Maia

TV genre: Sitcom
Food: Anything my family makes
Beverage: Strawberry banana smoothies, Sprite

Alex

Off-ice conditioning: Running
Things to do on a day off: Watch a movie, spend time with friends and family
Ways to relax: Watching sports, listening to music, playing with my puppies, spending time with my family, taking a nap
Book: The Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons
Teams: Boston Celtics, Boston Red Sox, Boston Bruins, New England Patriots, Michigan Wolverines

WE PREFER

Maia

Gloves or No Gloves
E-Reader or Book
Footwork or Lift
Theater or Rental
Homecooking or Restaurant
Treadmill or Trail
Short Dance or Free Dance
Pre-competition nap: No

Alex

Gloves or No Gloves
E-Reader or Book
Footwork or Lift
Theater or Rental
Homecooking or Restaurant
Treadmill or Trail
Short Dance or Free Dance
Pre-competition nap: Yes

• 2012 Season Notes
  SD Music:"Batucada" by DJ Dero, "The Girl From Ipanema" by Olivia, and "Samba de Janeiro" by Bellini
  FD Music: Selections from the Sun Valley Serenade soundtrack by Glenn Millere
  
  
• 2011 Season Notes
  SD Music: "The Carousel Waltz" by Richard Rodgers
  FD Music: Charlie Chaplin's "Smile" performed by Nat King Cole and Irving Berlin's "Let's Face the Music and Dance" performed by Nat King Cole
  
  Goal is to make a strong senior debut in the Grand Prix Series and at the U.S. Championships
  
  Had an historic debut season on the senior circuit, winning the bronze at the 2010 NHK Trophy, 2010 Skate America and the 2011 World Championships ... Are the first ice dancing team to medal at both of their Grand Prix assignments in their first year as seniors and the first U.S. ice dancing team to medal in their debut at the World Championships ... Earned the silver at the U.S. Championships and at the Four Continents Championships.
• 2010 Season Notes
  OD Music: "Itsuka Mata" (Japanese Folk) by Tetsuro Naito, "Ao-ki Kaze" (Japanese Folk) by Ryutaro Kaneko and "Itsuka Mata" (Japanese Folk) by Tetsuro Naito
  FD Music: "Tango Rhapsody" by Luis Enriques Bacalov
  
  Won the gold at both of their Junior Grand Prix Series assignments (Lake Placid, Croatia) and qualified for the Junior Grand Prix Final for the second year in a row, winning the bronze ... Captured the U.S. junior title ... Placed fourth at the World Junior Championships.
• 2009 Season Notes
  OD Music: Swing dance selections from film scores by composer Paul Englishby
  FD Music: Selections from the film Cinema Paradiso composed by Ennio Morricone
  
  Won gold and silver at their two Junior Grand Prix assignments (France, Spain) and qualified for the JGP Final ... Claimed the silver medal at the U.S. Championships (junior) and World Junior Championships.
• 2008 Season Notes
  OD Music: Selections from French cinema scores
  FD Music: Sakura variations and taiko drums: "Heartbeat
  
  Finished fourth as juniors at the U.S. Championships.
• 2007 Season Notes
  FD Music: Music from Memoirs of a Geisha by John Williams
  
  Captured the U.S. novice title.
• 2006 Season Notes
  Won the intermediate title at the U.S. Junior Championships
• 2005 Season Notes
  Won the juvenile silver medal at the U.S. Junior Championships

2013 - World Championships - 8th
2013 - Four Continents Championships - 4th
2013 - U.S. Championships - 3rd
2012 - NHK Trophy - 3rd
2012 - Rostelecom Cup - 4th
2012 - World Championships - 8th
2012 - Four Continents - 4th
2012 - U.S. Championships - 2nd
2011 - Grand Prix Final - 5th
2011 - NHK Trophy - 1st
2011 - Cup of China - 2nd
2011 - Finlandia Trophy - 2nd
2011 - World Championships - 3rd
2011 - Four Continents Championships - 2nd
2011 - U.S. Championships - 2nd
2010 - Skate America - 3rd
2010 - NHK Trophy - 3rd
2010 - Nebelhorn Trophy - 5th
2010 - World Junior Championships - 4th
2010 - U.S. Championships, Junior - 1st
2009 - Junior Grand Prix Final - 3rd
2009 - Junior Grand Prix (Croatia) - 1st
2009 - Junior Grand Prix (United States) - 1st
2009 - World Junior Championships - 2nd
2009 - U.S. Championships, Junior - 2nd
2008 - Junior Grand Prix Final - 4th
2008 - Junior Grand Prix (Spain) - 2nd
2008 - Junior Grand Prix (France) - 1st
2008 - U.S. Championships, Junior - 4th
2008 - Midwestern Sectional, Junior - 3rd
2007 - U.S. Championships, Novice - 1st
2007 - Midwestern Sectional, Novice - 1st
2006 - North American Challenge Skate, Novice - 2nd
2006 - U.S. Junior Championships, Intermediate - 1st
2006 - Southwestern Regional, Intermediate - 1st
2005 - U.S. Junior Championships, Juvenile - 2nd
2005 - North Atlantic Regional, Juvenile - 1st

IJS Personal Bests

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
SD - 66.88 (2011 World Championships)
FD - 96.91 (2011 World Championships)
Final Score - 163.79 (2011 World Championships)

U.S. QUALIFYING COMPETITION
SD - 76.89 (2012 U.S. Championships)
FD - 114.65 (2012 U.S. Championships)
Final Score - 178.84 (2012 U.S. Championships