# Alexander Johnson (figure skater)

Alexander M. Johnson (born May 15, 1990) is a former competitive American figure skater. He is the 2017 CS Nebelhorn Trophy silver medalist, 2013 International Challenge Cup silver medalist, and 2008 JGP Czech Republic champion.

## Personal life

Alexander Johnson was born on May 15, 1990, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His elder sister, Shannon, is a skating coach.
Johnson graduated from Hopkins High School in 2008. After briefly studying science and engineering at the University of Minnesota, he took a leave of absence. He later studied at Normandale Community College before enrolling at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. In August 2018, he completed an investment banking internship at Lazard.

## Career
### Early years

Johnson began learning to skate in 1999. His first coach was Joan Orvis. Beginning in the 2001–2002 season, he competed in juvenile men's singles for two seasons, in the intermediate ranks for two seasons, and then as a novice for two seasons; he won the novice men's silver medal at the 2007 U.S. Championships.
Johnson debuted on the ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) series in autumn 2007. The following season, he won two JGP medals — gold in the Czech Republic and bronze in England — and qualified for the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final, where he finished sixth. He received the junior bronze medal at the 2009 U.S. Championships.
Johnson also trained in pair skating. He competed with Chelsey Jernberg in the juvenile category at the 2004 and 2005 U.S. Junior Championships. With Danielle Viola, he placed 6th in the novice ranks at the 2012 U.S. Championships.

### Senior career

Johnson began competing in the senior men's category in the 2009–2010 season. He made his senior international debut at the 2009 Finlandia Trophy.
At the 2013 U.S. Championships, Johnson finished seventh after placing 12th in the short program and fifth in the free skate. He landed a 3Lz-1Lo-3F in the free skate. He then won silver at the 2013 International Challenge Cup in The Hague, Netherlands. He was coached mainly by Tom Dickson and Catarina Lindgren, and also worked once a week with Christy Krall.
In June 2013, Johnson tore ligaments in his right ankle while practicing a triple Axel jump and sustained nerve damage from the knee down during surgery in July. He returned to the ice after ten weeks and resumed full training in April 2014 with a titanium screw in his ankle.
Johnson finished 11th at the 2015 U.S. Championships. In the summer of 2015, he underwent surgery for multiple hernias. At the 2016 U.S. Championships, he ranked seventh in the short program, fifth in the free skate, and sixth overall – his best result to date. He replicated that result at the 2017 U.S. Championships, after placing ninth in the short and fifth in the free.
In 2018, Johnson was invited to his first Grand Prix event, the 2018 NHK Trophy.
In 2019, Johnson decided to start a career in finance and work as a part time skating coach, effectively ending participation in competitive skating.

## Programs

| Season | Short program | Free skating | Exhibition |
| 2018–2019 | Don't Stop the Music by Jamie Cullum choreo. by Shae-Lynn Bourne Song of the Stars by Dead Can Dance choreo. by Alexander Johnson | The Golden Age by Woodkid Iron by Woodkid Run Boy Run by Woodkid choreo. by Shae-Lynn Bourne | |
| 2017–2018 | Legends by Sacred Spirit choreo. by Tom Dickson | Mea Culpa Sadeness by Enigma choreo. by Rohene Ward In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel | |
| 2016–2017 | Intro by B-Tribe Bamboleo by Gipsy Kings choreo. by Tom Dickson | La Strada by Nino Rota choreo. by Tom Dickson | |
| 2015–2016 | Trance by Yair Dalal performed by Dalal & Al Ol Ensemble Album: Silan (1998) choreo. by Catarina Lindgren, Christopher Dean | Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles choreo. by Tom Dickson The Christ Trilogy by Balázs Havasi Parce mihi domine performed by Jan Garbarek and The Hilliard Ensemble Album: Officium (1994) In the Act of Creation by Balázs Havasi choreo. by Tom Dickson | |
| 2014–2015 | Trio élégiaque No. 2 by Sergei Rachmaninoff choreo. by Catarina Lindgren | Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim The Barber and His Wife Johanna choreo. by Tom Dickson | |
| 2013–2014 | Stairway to Heaven by Rodrigo y Gabriela | A Nightmare on Elm Street by DiscoPhantom Drowning by Abel Korzeniowski Dinner Waltz by Alexandre Desplat Bernini's Angels by Kerry Muzzey | |
| 2012–2013 | Concerto in F by George Gershwin | Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles | |
| 2011–2012 | O Mio Babbino Caro by Giacomo Puccini performed by Joshua Bell | Gayane by Aram Khachaturian | Hey, Soul Sister |
| 2010–2011 | Caravan performed by Duke Ellington, Dave Grusin and Tommy Newsom | Le Grand Tango Oblivion Allegro Tangabile by Astor Piazzolla | Hey, Soul Sister |
| 2009–2010 | Take Five by Dave Brubeck | Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 – III Alegro Scherzando by Sergei Rachmaninoff | |
| 2008–2009 | Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra (from Ladies in Lavender) by Joshua Bell choreo. by Sebastien Britten | Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Op 28 by Camille Saint-Saëns Meditation (from Thais) by Jules Massenet choreo. by Sebastien Britten | What I Like About You by The Romantics choreo. by Kathleen Gazich |
| 2007–2008 | Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor by Camille Saint-Saëns | Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Op 28 by Camille Saint-Saëns Meditation (from Thais) by Jules Massenet | |
| 2006–2007 | Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor by Camille Saint-Saëns | Autumn (from The Four Seasons) by Antonio Vivaldi | |
| 2005–2006 | The Royal Tenenbaums | Autumn (from The Four Seasons) by Antonio Vivaldi | |

## Competitive highlights

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

### Men's singles: Senior career

International :
| Event | 09–10 | 10–11 | 11–12 | 12–13 | 14–15 | 15–16 | 16–17 | 17–18 | 18–19 |
| GP NHK Trophy | | | | | | | | | 7th |
| CS Autumn Classic | | | | | 8th | | | | |
| CS Golden Spin | | | | | | 6th | | 9th | |
| CS Finlandia | | | | | | | | | 15th |
| CS Nebelhorn | | | | | 6th | | | 2nd | |
| CS Ondrej Nepela | | | | | | | 6th | | |
| Autumn Classic | | | | | | 4th | | | |
| Challenge Cup | | | | 2nd | | | | | |
| Finlandia Trophy | 10th | | | | | | | | |
| Philadelphia | | | | | | | | 5th | |
| National ||||||||||
| U.S. Champ. | 17th | 16th | 15th | 7th | 11th | 6th | 6th | 8th | 9th |

### Men's singles: Juvenile through junior career

International :
| Event | 06–07 | 07–08 | 08–09 |
| JGP Final | | | 6th |
| JGP Bulgaria | | 4th | |
| JGP Czech Republic | | | 1st |
| JGP United Kingdom | | | 3rd |
| Gardena Trophy | 3rd J | | |
| National ||||
| U.S. Champ. | 2nd N | 7th J | 3rd J |

## Detailed results

Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships.
2018–2019 season :
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| Jan. 19 – 27, 2019 | 2019 U.S. Championships | 11 74.07 | 8 142.41 | 9 216.48 |
| 9–11 November 2018 | 2018 NHK Trophy | 8 72.03 | 7 127.72 | 7 199.75 |
| 4–7 October 2018 | 2018 CS Finlandia Trophy | 15 59.42 | 15 118.61 | 15 178.03 |
| 2017–2018 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| Dec. 29 – Jan. 8, 2018 | 2018 U.S. Championships | 10 79.60 | 8 153.02 | 8 232.62 |
| December 6–9, 2017 | 2017 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb | 3 78.80 | 9 140.08 | 9 218.88 |
| September 27–30, 2017 | 2017 CS Nebelhorn Trophy | 2 82.55 | 6 143.49 | 2 226.04 |
| August 3–5, 2017 | 2017 Philadelphia Summer International | 4 73.14 | 6 130.25 | 5 203.39 |
| 2016–2017 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| January 14–22, 2017 | 2017 U.S. Championships | 9 75.19 | 5 158.20 | 6 233.39 |
| Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, 2016 | 2016 CS Ondrej Nepela Memorial | 4 71.41 | 6 137.23 | 6 208.64 |
| 2015–2016 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| January 16–24, 2016 | 2016 U.S. Championships | 7 73.69 | 5 168.25 | 6 241.94 |
| December 2–5, 2015 | 2015 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb | 4 71.95 | 6 140.90 | 6 212.85 |
| October 13–15, 2015 | 2015 Autumn Classic International | 5 63.27 | 4 133.05 | 4 196.32 |
| 2014–2015 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| January 18–25, 2015 | 2015 U.S. Championships | 12 68.46 | 10 149.81 | 11 218.27 |
| October 15–16, 2014 | 2014 Autumn Classic | 4 66.99 | 8 126.07 | 8 193.06 |
| September 24–27, 2014 | 2014 CS Nebelhorn Trophy | 6 69.20 | 6 122.21 | 6 191.41 |
| 2012–2013 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| February 21–24, 2013 | 2013 Challenge Cup | 2 76.53 | 1 152.01 | 2 228.54 |
| January 19–27, 2013 | 2013 U.S. Championships | 12 65.20 | 5 159.29 | 7 224.49 |
| 2011–2012 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| January 22–29, 2012 | 2012 U.S. Championships | 15 57.73 | 8 141.50 | 15 199.23 |
| 2010–2011 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| January 23–30, 2011 | 2011 U.S. Championships | 16 57.30 | 17 108.20 | 16 165.50 |
| 2009–2010 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| January 15–17, 2010 | 2010 U.S. Championships | 22 54.29 | 14 114.00 | 17 168.29 |
| October 8–11, 2009 | 2009 Finlandia Trophy | 11 54.94 | 11 110.09 | 10 165.03 |

### Junior level

2008–2009 season :
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| January 18–25, 2009 | 2009 U.S. Championships | 7 51.68 | 1 119.40 | 3 171.08 |
| December 10–14, 2008 | 2008–09 Junior Grand Prix Final | 4 64.85 | 6 113.55 | 6 178.40 |
| October 15–18, 2008 | 2008 Junior Grand Prix, United Kingdom | 2 68.07 | 3 119.74 | 3 187.81 |
| 17 – 21 Sept, 2008 | 2008 Junior Grand Prix, Czech Republic | 1 66.53 | 2 121.05 | 1 187.58 |
| 2007–2008 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| January 20–27, 2008 | 2008 U.S. Championships | 5 59.12 | 9 110.07 | 7 169.19 |
| October 3–6, 2007 | 2007 Junior Grand Prix, Bulgaria | 6 52.65 | 4 111.97 | 4 164.92 |
| 2006–2007 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 29–30, 2007 | 2007 Gardena Spring Trophy | 5 46.27 | 3 105.53 | 3 151.80 |