Aritz Maestu

Aritz Maestu Babarro (born 19 September 1990) is a Spanish pair skater. With his former skating partner, Laura Barquero, he is the 2018 Toruń Cup champion and 2018 International Challenge Cup champion, and competed for Spain at two World Championships.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Maestu and the second or maternal family name is Babarro.
Aritz Maestu
Barquero/Maestu at the 2018 European Championships
Personal information
Full nameAritz Maestu Babarro
Country representedSpain
Born (1990-09-19) 19 September 1990
San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain
ResidenceBergamo, Italy
Height1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Former partnerLaura Barquero, Marcelina Lech, Veronica Grigorieva, Alexandra Rodríguez Long
CoachBarbara Luoni, Franca Bianconi
Former coachMariusz Siudek, Dorota Siudek, Miguel Alegre, Emma Baxter, Jonathan Levers
ChoreographerValter Rizzo, Lukáš Csölley
Skating clubTxuri Berri San Sebastián
Training locationsBergamo, Italy
Former training locationsSan Sebastián and Jaca, Spain
Toruń, Poland
Began skating2002
ISU personal best scores
Combined total162.27
2019 Worlds
Short program55.58
2019 Worlds
Free skate106.69
2019 Worlds

Early career

Single skating

Maestu began learning to skate in 2002.[1] As a single skater, he was coached by Jonathan Levers in San Sebastián. He received one ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) assignment, in September 2008.[2]

Partnership with Rodríguez

Maestu's first pair skating partner was Alexandra Rodríguez Long. They competed two seasons together, beginning in 2010–2011. At JGP Austria in September 2011, they became the first pair to represent Spain in an international competition.[3]

Rodríguez/Maestu skated at the 2012 World Junior Championships in Minsk, Belarus, but were eliminated after placing 12th in the preliminary round. Miguel Alegre and Emma Baxter coached the pair in Jaca, Spain.[3]

Partnership with Grigorieva

In September 2012, Maestu teamed up with Russia's Veronica Grigorieva to represent Spain on the senior level.[4] The pair trained in Toruń (Poland) and Jaca (Spain), coached by Marius Siudek.[4] Their international debut came in September 2013, at the Lombardia Trophy. A week later, they competed at the 2013 Nebelhorn Trophy, the final qualifying opportunity for the 2014 Winter Olympics. Their placement, 18th, was insufficient to qualify a spot at the Olympics.

Grigorieva/Maestu's final competition together was the 2014 European Championships, which took place in January in Budapest, Hungary. Ranked 20th in the short program, the pair did not advance to the free skate.

Partnership with Lech

In 2014, Maestu teamed up with Poland's Marcelina Lech to compete for Spain. They made their international debut in February 2015, at the Bavarian Open.

Lech/Maestu placed 13th in the short program, 15th in the free skate, and 15th overall at the 2016 European Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia. They were coached by Dorota Siudek and Mariusz Siudek in Toruń, Poland.[5]

Partnership with Barquero

2016–2017 season

Maestu and Laura Barquero announced their partnership on 4 January 2017.[6][7] They decided to train in Bergamo, Italy, coached by Barbara Luoni and Franca Bianconi.[6][8] During their first season together, the pair was ineligible for international competitions due to the ISU's age requirements – Barquero was too young for senior events and Maestu too old for juniors.

2017–2018 season

Making their international debut, Barquero/Maestu placed 7th at the 2017 CS Lombardia Trophy in mid-September. At the end of the month, they placed 13th at the 2017 CS Nebelhorn Trophy, the final qualifying opportunity for the 2018 Winter Olympics.[9] Although their placement was not sufficient to qualify, Spain became the third alternate for a spot in the Olympic pairs' event.

In January, Barquero/Maestu placed eleventh at the 2018 European Championships in Moscow, Russia. The following month, they won gold at the Toruń Cup in Toruń, Poland, and at the International Challenge Cup in Den Haag, Netherlands. They concluded the season at the 2018 World Championships, in twentieth place.

2018–2019 season

Barquero/Maestu began the season with two Challenger assignments, finishing fifth at the 2018 CS Lombardia Trophy and eighth at the 2018 CS Finlandia Trophy. Making their Grand Prix debut with two assignments, they were seventh at the 2018 Grand Prix of Helsinki and sixth at 2018 NHK Trophy. At the 2019 European Championships they were seventh, after taking their second consecutive national title. Their final event together was the 2019 World Championships, where they placed fifteenth.

On May 31, 2019, it was announced that Maestu had suffered an injury that would involve a prolonged recovery, and in consequence of this the team had split.[10]

Programs

Pairs with Barquero
Season Short program Free skating
2017–2018
[1]

Pairs with Lech
Season Short program Free skating
2015–2016
[5]

Pairs with Grigorieva
Season Short program Free skating
2013–2014
[4]

Pairs with Rodríguez
Season Short program Free skating
2011–2012
[3]
  • Tango Flamenco
    by Paco de Lucia
    choreo. by Emma Baxter

Men's singles
Season Short program Free skating
2008–2009
[2]

Competitive highlights

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

Pairs with Barquero
International[11]
Event 2017–18 2018–19
World Championships20th15th
European Championships11th7th
GP Finland7th
GP NHK Trophy6th
CS Finlandia Trophy8th
CS Lombardia Trophy7th5th
CS Nebelhorn Trophy13th
CS Warsaw Cup7th
Bavarian Open1st
Challenge Cup1st
Cup of Nice6th
Ice Star2nd
Toruń Cup1st
National[11]
Spanish Championships1st1st

Pairs with Lech
International[12]
Event 2014–15 2015–16
European Champ.15th
CS Golden Spin11th
CS Warsaw Cup8th
Bavarian Open6th
Challenge Cup5th
Toruń Cup6th
National[12]
Spanish Champ.1st1st

Pairs with Grigorieva
International[13]
Event 2012–13 2013–14
European Champ.20th
Golden Spin5th
Lombardia Trophy9th
Nebelhorn Trophy18th
Toruń Cup2nd
Warsaw Cup6th
National[13]
Spanish Champ.1st1st

Pairs with Rodríguez
International[14]
Event 2010–11 2011–12
World Junior Champ.21st
JGP Austria17th
JGP Estonia11th
National[14]
Spanish Champ.1st J1st J
J = Junior level

Men's singles
International[15]
Event 06–07 08–09 09–10 10–11
JGP Spain28th
Cup of Nice6th J
National[15]
Spanish Champ.6th J3rd J4th
J = Junior level

Detailed results

Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships.

With Barquero for Spain
2018–19 season
Date Event SP FS Total
18-24 March 2019 2019 World Figure Skating Championships 14
55.58		 15
106.69		 15
162.27
5-10 February 2019 2019 Bavarian Open 1
61.29		 2
108.70		 1
169.99
21-27 January 2019 2019 European Figure Skating Championships 9
53.89		 7
106.27		 7
160.16
14-16 December 2018 2018 Spanish Championships 1
59.94		 1
100.15		 1
160.09
9-11 November 2018 2018 NHK Trophy 6
55.37		 6
104.22		 6
159.59
2-5 November 2018 2018 Grand Prix of Helsinki 7
50.91		 8
98.63		 7
149.54
12-16 September 2018 2018 CS Lombardia Trophy 6
45.94		 4
99.13		 5
145.07
2017–18 season
Date Event SD FD Total
19-25 March 2018 2018 World Figure Skating Championships 20
58.36		 WD
-		 20
58.36
22-25 February 2018 2018 Challenge Cup 1
57.66		 1
101.50		 1
159.16
30 January - 4 February 2018 2018 CS Toruń Cup 2
50.85		 1
97.53		 1
148.38
15-21 January 2018 2018 European Championships 11
51.46		 11
100.62		 11
152.08
15-17 December 2017 2017 Spanish Championships 1
46.81		 1
97.13		 1
143.94
16-19 November 2017 2017 CS Warsaw Cup 6
49.96		 7
93.30		 7
143.26
27-30 September 2017 2017 Nebelhorn Trophy 13
49.78		 13
95.32		 13
145.10
14-17 September 2017 2017 CS Lombardia Trophy 7
49.44		 7
90.80		 7
140.24

References
  1. "Laura BARQUERO / Aritz MAESTU: 2017/2018". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 March 2018.
  2. "Aritz MAESTU: 2008/2009". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 13 May 2010.
  3. "Alexandra RODRIGUEZ / Aritz MAESTU: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012.
  4. "Veronica GRIGORIEVA / Aritz MAESTU: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 21 June 2014.
  5. "Marcelina LECH / Aritz MAESTU: 2015/2016". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016.
  6. "Aritz Maestu formará pareja con Laura Barquero" [Aritz Maestu will form a pair with Laura Barquero]. hieloespanol.es (in Spanish). 4 January 2017.
  7. "Laura Barquero y Aritz Maestu, una pareja para hacer historia". laliga4sports.es (in Spanish). 28 December 2017.
  8. D Adderio, Lorenza (26 February 2018). "Laura Barquero e Aritz Maestu: "Ci alleniamo con i pattinatori olimpici e andiamo ai mondiali. Un sogno che si realizza"". vavel.com (in Italian).
  9. Lamelas, Pedro (29 September 2017). "Barquero y Maestu no logran la clasificación olímpica, pero evidencian un gran potencial". Marca (in Spanish).
  10. Hieloespanol [@Hieloespanol] (31 May 2019). "URGENTE: Lamentamos informar que la pareja formada por Laura Barquero & Aritz Maestu se separa debido a una lesión sufrida por Aritz. Laura Barquero nos ha transmitido que "es un momento muy duro para ellos" pero que "seguirán luchando"" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. "Competition Results: Laura BARQUERO / Aritz MAESTU". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 March 2018.
  12. "Competition Results: Marcelina LECH / Aritz MAESTU". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 15 April 2017.
  13. "Competition Results: Veronica GRIGORIEVA / Aritz MAESTU". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017.
  14. "Competition Results: Alexandra RODRIGUEZ / Aritz MAESTU". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 18 April 2017.
  15. "Competition Results: Aritz MAESTU". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 20 April 2014.

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