# Samuel Contesti

Samuel Contesti (born 4 March 1983) is a French-Italian former competitive figure skater. He originally competed for France, then switched to Italy after the 2006–07 season. He is the 2009 European silver medalist and a five-time Italian national champion (2008–12).

## Personal life

Samuel Contesti's father, Yves, was a professional football player in Ligue 1. He has two older sisters.
Contesti married Géraldine Zulini in February 2007 and their son, Ennio, was born in June 2009. Their second child was born in 2012.

## Career

Contesti initially competed for France, placing ninth at the 2005 European Championships and 26th at Worlds the same year. The next season, he placed 5th at Trophée Eric Bompard and 2nd at French Nationals but did not compete at Europeans or Worlds. In autumn 2006, Contesti was assigned to compete at Skate America, however, the French skating federation decided to withdraw his name. In 2007, he won bronze at French Nationals.
Having married an Italian, Contesti began competing for Italy in March 2008. In spring of 2008, he moved to Courmayeur, Italy. By capturing silver at the 2009 European Championships, Contesti became the first male single skater to win a medal for Italy at the event in 55 years, since Carlo Fassi's gold in 1954. At the 2009 World Championships, Contesti placed 5th, his career-best finish at the event.
Contesti confirmed his retirement from competition on 15 June 2012.

## Programs

| Season | Short program | Free skating | Exhibition |
| 2011–12 | Au son de gitare by Antoine Bonelli Tarantella Napoletana by Linguini Brothers Hungarian March by Hector Berlioz La gazza ladra by Gioachino Rossini 1812 Overture by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky | "La Vie en rose" by Édith Piaf Ca gaze by Fony Murena La Valse à mille temps by Jacques Brel | |
| 2010–11 | Hungarian March La gazza ladra 1812 Overture | Sikuriadas by Panpipes of the Andes Wara Bolivian Cacharapaya by Panpipes of the Andes | |
| 2009–10 | Wish Me Well by Willie Dixon, Memphis Slim Whammer Jammer by J. Geils Band | Sikuriadas by Panpipes of the Andes Wara Bolivian Cacharapaya by Panpipes of the Andes | Once Upon a Time in the West by Ennio Morricone "Cotton-Eyed Joe" by Rednex |
| 2008–09 | J'envoie valser by Zazie, Memphis Slim La Valse des monstres by Yann Tiersen | Once Upon a Time in the West Cotton-Eyed Joe | "I Won't Dance" by Frank Sinatra |
| 2007–08 | Homevid by Riccardo Cervelli | Once Upon a Time in the West by Ennio Morricone | |
| 2006–07 | "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" (from Kill Bill Vol. 1) by Santa Esmeralda | Once Upon a Time in the West by Ennio Morricone | |
| 2005–06 | "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" | Schindler's List by John Williams Mazel by Klezmer | |
| 2004–05 | Le Phare by Yann Tiersen | Schindler's List by John Williams Mazel by Klezmer | |
| 2003–04 | Summer of '42 | Le jour d'avant by Yann Tiersen | |

## Competitive highlights

GP: Grand Prix; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

### For Italy

International :
| Event | 07–08 | 08–09 | 09–10 | 10–11 | 11–12 |
| Olympics | | | 18th | | |
| Worlds | | 5th | 7th | 18th | 10th |
| Europeans | | 2nd | 5th | 6th | 7th |
| GP Cup of China | | | 4th | 6th | |
| GP Cup of Russia | | | | 4th | |
| GP NHK Trophy | | | | | 4th |
| GP Skate America | | | | | 8th |
| GP Skate Canada | | | 5th | | |
| Challenge Cup | 2nd | 1st | | | 3rd |
| Finlandia Trophy | | | | 3rd | |
| Golden Spin | | 2nd | | | |
| Mont Blanc Trophy | | | 1st | 1st | |
| Nepela Memorial | | | | | 3rd |
| NRW Trophy | | 2nd | 2nd | 4th | 1st |
| Schäfer Memorial | | 2nd | | | |
| National ||||||
| Italian Champ. | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| Team events ||||||
| World Team Trophy | | | | | 6th T (9th P) |
| Japan Open | | | 1st T (5th P) | | |
| T = Team result; P = Personal result; Medals awarded for team result only. ||||||

### For France

International :
| Event | 01–02 | 03–04 | 04–05 | 05–06 | 06–07 |
| Worlds | | | 26th | | |
| Europeans | | | 9th | | |
| GP Bompard | | | 9th | 5th | |
| Bofrost Cup on Ice | | | 4th | | |
| Copenhagen Trophy | | 1st | | | |
| Crystal Skate | | | | 3rd | |
| Gardena | 3rd | | | | |
| Schäfer Memorial | | 5th | | | |
| National ||||||
| French Champ. | 11th | 6th | 3rd | 2nd | 3rd |