Christopher Martin Davis

{{short description|Bulgarian ice dancer}}

{{Infobox figure skater

|name=Christopher Martin Davis

|image=ZdravkovaDavis2020BG.jpg

|image_size=

|caption=Davis and Mina Zdravkova at the 2020 Bulgarian Figure Skating Championships

|altname=Кристофър Мартин Дейвис

|country={{BUL}}

|birth_date={{birth date and age|1994|03|1|df=yes}}

|birth_place=Chicago, USA

|height_m=1.76

|partner=Mina Zdravkova

|coach=Marika Humphreys-Baranova, Vitaliy Baranov

|formercoach=Jamie Whyte, Eve Chalom, Christopher Hyland

|choreographer=Marika Humphreys-Baranova

|skating club=Denkova Staviski - Dance on Ice

|currenttraininglocations=Lee Valley Ice Centre, London, UK

|formertraininglocations=Chicago, USA
Sofia, Bulgaria

|beganskating=2001

}}

Christopher Martin Davis{{Cite web|title=Profile – Mina Zdravkova & Christopher Martin Davis {{!}} ice-dance.com|url=https://www.ice-dance.com/site/profile-mina-zdravkova-christopher-martin-davis/|access-date=2020-07-05|website=www.ice-dance.com}} (born 1 March 1994) is a competitive ice dancer for Bulgaria. With partner Mina Zdravkova, he is the 2020 Bulgarian Ice Dance Champion,{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=ISU Skater Biography|url=http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00015163.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225224210/http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00015163.htm |archive-date=2015-02-25 |access-date=2020-07-03|website=www.isuresults.com}} Silver Medallist at 2020 Jégvirág Cup,{{Cite web|title=JÉGVIRÁG CUP 2020 - ID Senior|url=http://hunskate.hu/external/mukorcsolya/2019_2020/Jegvirag/ISU/CAT097RS.HTM|access-date=2020-07-03|website=hunskate.hu}} Bronze Medallist at 2019 NRW Trophy,{{Cite web|title=NRW Summer Trophy 2019 - Senior Ice Dance|url=http://deu-event.de/results/NRW/2019-NRW-Summer-Trophy/CAT005RS.HTM|access-date=2020-07-03|website=deu-event.de}} and the Bulgarian representative at the 2020 European Figure Skating Championships and 2021 World Figure Skating Championships.{{Cite web|title=Ice Dance|url=http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1920/ec2020/CAT004RS.htm|access-date=2020-07-03|website=www.isuresults.com}}{{Cite web|title=- Ice Dance - Rhythm Dance|url=http://www.isuresults.com/results/season2021/wc2021/SEG007.htm|access-date=2021-05-06|website=www.isuresults.com}} Originally a U.S. citizen, Davis became a naturalized Bulgarian citizen in 2019 and has demonstrated his knowledge of the Bulgarian language in television interviews.{{Cite web|title=Мина Здравкова и Кристофър Дейвис пред Sportal.bg: Преживяхме тежко отмяната на Световното (видео)|url=https://mobile.sportal.bg/bnt/le/le_news.php?news=836936|access-date=2020-07-14|website=Sportal.bg}}{{Cite web|title=Мина Здравкова - фигуристката, която следва мечтите си|url=https://gong.bg/oshte-sport/zimni-sportove/multimedia/video/mina-zdravkova-figuristkata-koiato-sledva-mechtite-si-537610|access-date=2021-05-06|website=Gong.bg|language=bg}}

Personal life

Davis was born in Chicago, Illinois. He studied communications at the University of Florida.{{Cite web|last=Патси|first=Сибила|date=2019-04-27|title=Мина Здравкова и Кристофър Дейвис – новите ни надежди на леда|url=https://bg-voice.com/%d0%bc%d0%b8%d0%bd%d0%b0-%d0%b7%d0%b4%d1%80%d0%b0%d0%b2%d0%ba%d0%be%d0%b2%d0%b0-%d0%b8-%d0%ba%d1%80%d0%b8%d1%81%d1%82%d0%be%d1%84%d1%8a%d1%80-%d0%b4%d0%b5%d0%b9%d0%b2%d0%b8%d1%81-%d0%bd/|access-date=2021-05-06|website=BG VOICE|language=bg-BG}} He abides by a vegan diet and has collaborated with Peta to promote ethical eating.{{Cite web|title=Profi-Eistanzpaar Chris Davis und Mina Zdravkova mit tierfreundlicher Ernährung auf Erfolgskurs|url=https://www.peta.de/presse/profi-eistanzpaar-chris-davis-und-mina-zdravkova-mit-tierfreundlicher-ernaehrung/|access-date=2021-05-06|website=PETA Deutschland e.V.|language=de-DE}} He believes that figure skating should be a welcoming place for diverse groups of athletes, and advocates for adult skating, for inclusive programing for athletes with disabilities, and for the mitigation of elitism and exclusivity in the sport.{{Cite web|title=Focus on Solo Dance: International Perspective {{!}} ice-dance.com|url=https://www.ice-dance.com/site/focus-on-solo-dance-international-perspective/|access-date=2021-05-06|website=www.ice-dance.com}}{{Cite web|title=Dance 10 Profile: Christopher Davis|url=https://www.mydigitalpublication.com/article/Dance+10+Profile%3A+Christopher+Davis/1967917/251615/article.html|access-date=2021-05-06|website=www.mydigitalpublication.com|language=en-US}} He is a trustee of the charity Inclusive Skating.{{Cite web |title=Meet The Team - Inclusive Skating |url=https://inclusiveskating.org/about/meet-the-team |access-date=2022-09-13 |website=inclusiveskating.org}}

Early career

Davis started skating in 1999 in hockey courses at The Robert Crown Community Center in Evanston Illinois.{{Cite web|date=2013-12-22|title=Evanston Man Becomes U.S. Figure Skating Gold Medalist|url=https://patch.com/illinois/evanston/evanston-man-becomes-us-figure-skating-gold-medalist|access-date=2021-05-06|website=Evanston, IL Patch|language=en}} He started training in ice dancing in 2008 with Angelina Giordano under coach Christopher Hyland.{{Cite web|last=Scott|first=Victoria|date=2010-02-02|title=Local Ice Dancers Win National Title The Nice Guys Finish First|url=https://evanstonroundtable.com/2010/02/02/local-ice-dancers-win-national-titlethe-nice-guys-finish-first/|access-date=2021-05-06|website=Evanston RoundTable|language=en-US}} With Giordano, Davis won the 2010 US Junior National Title at the juvenile level. Giordano and Davis terminated their partnership in 2012 due to different goals.{{Cite web|last=Calian|first=Luke|title=8 Questions for Angel Giordano|url=https://www.evanstonian.net/archived-feature/2014/03/31/8-questions-for-angel-giordano/|access-date=2021-05-06|website=The Evanstonian}} His early career coaches included: Christopher Hyland, Jamie Whyte, Eve Chalom, Kendra Goodwin, Benjamin Delmas and Christophe Lecomte.

Career

In 2014 Davis partnered with Mina Zdravkova.Together they won the 2014/15 Bulgarian junior ice dance title.{{Cite web|title=Davis Takes a Chance and Earns 10 {{!}} ISI|url=https://risonline.org/skate-slider-4/|access-date=2021-05-06|language=en-US}} In 2015, Davis sustained a serious shoulder injury for which he underwent keyhole surgery in the USA. Post surgery, a significant recovery and rehab period was required away from the ice. The surgery was not successful, and the injury returned early in the 2016/17 season. A second surgery was conducted in Bulgaria in 2016 and was successful at abating any further problems.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2017-11-25|title=Bulgarian Ice Dancers return to competition after injury|url=https://www.iceskating.london/blog/2017/11/25/ice-dance-at-the-open-dandorra/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200704144257/https://www.iceskating.london/blog/2017/11/25/ice-dance-at-the-open-dandorra/ |archive-date=2020-07-04 |access-date=2020-07-04|website=iceskating.london|language=en-US}} Starting in 2016 Zdravkova and Davis were coached solely by Marika Humphreys-Baranova and Vitaliy Baranov. Zdravkova and Davis returned to national level competition at the 2016/17 Bulgarian figure skating championships where they reclaimed their title{{Cite web|title=“Запомнете това име”: Мина Здравкова|url=https://sportal.bg/news-2020061122310015961|access-date=2021-05-06|website=sportal.bg|language=bg}}.In 2018 Zdravkova and Davis first performed a program set to Bulgarian folk music.{{Cite web|title=Мина Здравкова: Винаги съм имала страст към българските народни танци|url=https://bnr.bg/post/101236707|access-date=2021-05-06|website=bnr.bg|language=bg}}{{Cite web|title=Най-добрите ни фигуристи покориха публиката с "Вечеряй, Радо" {{!}} Dnes.bg|url=https://www.dnes.bg/notifikacii/2019/12/24/nai-dobrite-ni-figuristi-pokoriha-publikata-s-vecheriai-rado.434022|access-date=2021-05-06|website=www.dnes.bg|language=bg}} Their performance of this program at the 2019 Winter Universiade went viral in Bulgaria in 2019, amassing millions of views.{{Cite web|title="Къси разкази": В търсене на партньор по света|url=https://nova.bg/news/view/2019/04/14/247060/%D0%BA%D1%8A%D1%81%D0%B8-%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B7%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B7%D0%B8-%D0%B2-%D1%82%D1%8A%D1%80%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B5-%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%BF%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%82%D0%BD%D1%8C%D0%BE%D1%80-%D0%BF%D0%BE-%D1%81%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B0|access-date=2021-05-06|website=nova.bg|language=bulgarian}}{{Citation|title=Mina Zdravkova and Christopher M. Davis|url=https://www.facebook.com/Красивата-страна-на-спортаBeauty-in-sport-522215051162009/videos/mina-zdravkova-and-christopher-m-davis/260396975019500/|language=en|access-date=2021-05-06}} During the 2019/20 season, Zdravkova and Davis qualified and competed at the 2020 European Figure Skating Championships placing 25th. The team also qualified for the 2020 World figure skating championships, but the event was cancelled due to COVID-19.Due to COVID-19 Zdravkova and Davis were unable to train on the ice for over 7 months. During this time they trained off-ice and made several PSAs for Bulgarian media urging compliance with public health safety measures.{{Cite news|date=2020-08-06|title=Coronavirus: Dancing on Ice coach warns of ice skating concern|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-53655198|access-date=2021-05-06}}{{Cite web|title=Коронавирусът провали и Световното първенство по фигурно пързаляне|url=http://www.btv.bg/video/shows/predi-obed/videos/koronavirusat-provali-i-svetovnoto-parvenstvo-po-figurno-parzaljane.html|access-date=2021-05-06|website=bTV|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Пандемията натъжи, но не сломи най-добрата ни двойка по фигурно пързаляне|url=https://www.bgonair.bg/a/7-sport/190793-pandemiyata-natazhi-no-ne-slomi-nay-dobrata-ni-dvoyka-po-figurno-parzalyane|access-date=2021-05-06|website=Bgonair|language=bg}} In December 2020, the Bulgarian National Championships were postponed until February 2021. Zdravkova and Davis reclaimed their title and were named to the world team.{{Cite web|title=Александра Фейгин и танцовата ни двойка с нови волни програми за СП|url=https://bnr.bg/post/101422300|access-date=2021-05-06|website=bnr.bg|language=bg}} Zdravkova and Davis competed at the 2021 World Figure Skating Championships which were held in a bubble for the first time due to COVID-19 safety precautions, and placed 31st.{{Cite web|date=2021-03-23|title=Фигурното пързаляне се завръща в ефира на Евроспорт|url=https://www.eurosport.bg/figure-skating/%d1%84%d0%b8%d0%b3%d1%83%d1%80%d0%bd%d0%be%d1%82%d0%be-%d0%bf%d1%8a%d1%80%d0%b7%d0%b0%d0%bb%d1%8f%d0%bd%d0%b5-%d1%81%d0%b5-%d0%b7%d0%b0%d0%b2%d1%80%d1%8a%d1%89%d0%b0-%d0%b2-%d0%b5%d1%84%d0%b8%d1%80%d0%b0-%d0%bd%d0%b0-%d0%b5%d0%b2%d1%80%d0%be%d1%81%d0%bf%d0%be%d1%80%d1%82_sto8189069/story.shtml|access-date=2021-05-06|website=Eurosport|language=bg}}{{Cite web|title=Фигуристите на леда само срещу дневник на Мондиал 2020 - Труд|url=https://trud.bg/фигуристите-на-леда-само-срещу-дневник-на-мондиал-2020/|access-date=2021-05-06|website=trud.bg|language=bg}}{{Cite web|title=И наша двойка на световното по фигурно пързаляне|url=https://www.24chasa.bg/sport/article/8198486|access-date=2021-05-06|website=www.24chasa.bg}}

Programs - with Mina Zdravkova

class="wikitable"

|+

!Season

!Short/Rhythm Dance

!Free Dance

2014/15

|Samba & Latin rhythms

Loca [changed to La Tortura later in season] (Shakira)

Hay Amores (Shakira)

Hips Don't Lie (Shakira: Bambo remix)

|Gladiator Soundtrack :

Gladiator (Hans Zimmer & Lisa Gerrard)

2015/16

|Waltz and Polka

And The Waltz Goes On (Andrei Reiu)

Polka (Unknown)

|Beyoncé inspired medley

Drunk in Love (Post modern jukebox)

At Last (Beyoncé)

Crazy in Love (Beyoncé: 50 Shades of Grey Soundtrack)

Crazy in Love (Emilie Sande: Great Gatsby Soundtrack)

2016/17

|Blues and Hip-Hop

I Put a Spell on You (Nina Simone)

I Put a Spell on You (Young Bosnia Trap Remix)

|Arabian Inspired

Sirocco (Momo & Christophe Goze)

Caleludemco (Bruno Montal)

Layali (Al Sharq)

2017/18

|Rhumba & Latin rhythms

Samba Vocalizado (Luciano Perrone)

Safari (J Balvin)

Abre Que Voy (Miguel Enriquez)

|Chicago Movie Musical

Cell Block Tango

All I Care About Is Love

2018/19

|Tango & Spanish rhythms

Selections from Carmen (Bizet)

| rowspan=2 | Bulgarian Folk Music

Ergen Deda (Pendara Ethno Project)

Vecherai Rado (Slavi Trifanov, Desislava Dobreva & Ki-Ki Bend)

2019/20

|Quickstep & related rhythms

From Chicago Movie Musical

Funny honey (Rene Zelweiger)

We both reached for the gun (Richard Gere & ensemble)

Nowadays/hot honey rag (Catherine Zeta Jone, Rene Zelweiger)

Results - with Mina Zdravkova for Bulgaria

class="wikitable"

|+

! colspan="7" style="background-color: #ffdead; " align="center" |International{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=ISU Skater Results Summary Table|url=http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs_cr_00015163.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151104124936/http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs_cr_00015163.htm |archive-date=2015-11-04 |access-date=2020-07-03|website=www.isuresults.com}}

Event

!14–15

!16–17

!17–18

!18–19

!19–20

!20–21

Worlds

|

|

|

|

|C

|31st

Europeans

|

|

|

|

|25th

|

Winter Universiade

|

|

|

|13th

|

|

CS Finlandia Trophy

|

|

|

|11th

|

|

CS Lombardia Trophy

|

|7th

|

|

|

|

CS Inge Solar Memorial

|

|

|

|14th

|

|

NRW Trophy

|

|

|

|

|bgcolor=cc9966 | 3rd

|

Jégvirág Cup

|

|

|

|

|bgcolor=silver | 2nd

|

Bosphorus Cup

|

|

|4th

|

|10th

|

Ice Star

|

|

|

|7th

|

|

Halloween Cup

|

|

|

|

|6th

|

Volvo Open Cup

|

|

|

|

|8th

|

Santa Claus Cup

|

|

|10th

|

|8th

|

Open d'Andorra

|

|

|10th

|

|

|

Mentor Toruń Cup

|

|

|

|

|15th

|

Egna Dance Trophy

|

|

|

|

|11th

|

colspan="7" style="background-color: #ffdead; " |International: Junior
Bavarian Open

|15th

|

|

|

|

|

Mentor Toruń Cup

|21st

|

|

|

|

|

colspan="7" style="background-color: #ffdead; " |National
Bulgarian Champs.

|bgcolor=gold | 1st

|

|bgcolor=gold | 1st

|

|bgcolor=gold | 1st

|bgcolor=gold | 1st

References

{{reflist|30em}}