# Julia Sauter

Julia Franziska Sauter (married name: Sauter-Czarnik; born 18 June 1997) is a German-Romanian figure skater. Representing Romania, she has won twelve senior international medals as well as seven Romanian national titles. She has reached the final segment at two World and three European Championships, with a top-ten result at two European Championships.

## Personal life

Sauter was born on June 18, 1997 in Weingarten, Württemberg, Germany. She is a dual citizen of Germany and Romania.
In 2019, while visiting the United States, she met and began dating American ice hockey player, Robbie Czarnik. Afterwards, Czarnik moved to Landshut, Germany to be with Sauter. They married in September 2021.
In addition to figure skating, Sauter also worked as a kids-aid in a school, a part-time waitress, and as a figure skating coach at her training rink in Ravensburg to pay for her figure skating due to a lack of funding from the Romanian Figure Skating Federation. In 2023, her club was able to provide her with funding, allowing her to quit her part-time jobs, although she continues to coach and choreograph at her rink.
Sauter has expressed interest in becoming a full-time figure skating coach and choreographer after she retires from competitive figure skating.
Her figure skating role models are Kiira Korpi, Yuna Kim, Kaetlyn Osmond, Carolina Kostner, as well as her coach and choreographer, Roxana Hartmann.

## Career
### Early years

Sauter began figure skating in 2002 at the age of four. Her childhood coaches were Diane Eisele and Silvia Jansson before Marius Negrea began coaching her in 2010 at the age of twelve.
Sauter represented Germany at junior international events in 2010 and 2011.
She made the decision to represent Romania in 2011 at the age of fourteen due to not being invited to enter the elite group of figure skaters in Germany because at the time, she was unable to perform specific elements that were required of her. As a result, Sauter had to sit out of competitions for a whole year as is required when figure skaters switch countries. In March 2013, she made her first international appearance for Romania. She competed at three consecutive World Junior Championships, from 2014 to 2016, but never made the cut for the free skate.

### 2018–19 season

Sauter began the season at the 2018 Crystal Skate of Romania, winning the silver medal, fourteenth at the 2018 CS Alpen Trophy, and fifth at the 2018 Warsaw Cup.
At the 2019 European Championships in Minsk, Belarus, Sauter qualified to the final segment of an ISU Championship for the first time in her career. She went on to finish fourteenth overall.
Making her World Championship debut at the 2019 edition in Saitama, Japan, Sauter placed twenty-ninth in the short program and didn't advance to the free skate.

### 2019–20 season and 2020–21 season

Sauter left longtime coach, Marius Negrea after deciding to move to from Ravensburg to Landshut, where her newlywed husband was living. She did not compete during the 2019–20 season, which she later cited was due to a lack of motivation, having achieved her dream of finishing in the top 30 at a World Championships the previous season as well as an ankle injury that kept her off the ice for six weeks. She also missed the 2020–21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic preventing her from getting any ice time to train.
In October 2020, Sauter decided to return to coach, Marius Negrea and worked virtually with him until August 2021 when the ice rink in Ravensburg re-opened. Prior to that, Sauter trained in Atlanta, Georgia from April to July, where her husband's parents live, and worked with Negrea virtually.

### 2021–22 season

Making her return to competition at the 2021 CS Lombardia Trophy, Sauter finished thirteenth. She went on to place twentieth at the 2021 CS Nebelhorn Trophy, and third at the 2021 Trophée Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur.
At the 2022 Romanian Championships, Sauter won her sixth national title. She then finished fourth at both the 2021 Skate Celje and the 2021 Santa Claus Cup.
Although assigned to compete at the 2022 European Championships, Sauter had to withdraw from the event after testing positive for COVID-19. She then went on to win bronze at both 2022 Skate Helena and the 2022 Dragon Trophy.
Competing at the World Championships for the second time in her career, in Montpellier, France, Sauter qualified for the free skate after placing nineteenth in the short program. She came eighteenth in the free skate, moving up to eighteenth place overall.

### 2022–23 season

Sauter began the season by finishing eighth at the 2022 Trophée Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur and winning silver at the 2022 Crystal Skate of Romania. She was invited to her first Grand Prix event, the 2022 MK John Wilson Trophy, where she placed tenth. She then won silver medals at the 2023 Bosphorus Cup and 2023 EduSport Trophy. At the EduSport Trophy, Sauter landed her first ever triple lutz in competition at the age of twenty-five.
At the 2023 European Championships in Espoo, Finland, Sauter achieved a top ten finish for Romania, which for the first time would allow two Romanian woman to enter the next year. She then went on to win a gold medal at the 2023 Bellu Memorial.
Sauter set up a GoFundMe page to pay for the travel expenses to go to the 2023 World Championships in Saitama, Japan. At the World Championships, Sauter placed twenty-second in the short program and twentieth in the free skate, finishing twentieth overall.

### 2023–24 season

In her first competition of the season, Sauter was sixth at the 2023 CS Nepela Memorial. She appeared at three other minor internationals, including a second consecutive silver medal at the EduSport Trophy. Sauter was ill before the 2024 European Championships and was only able to resume training two weeks beforehand. She came ninth overall. This was the best result ever for a Romanian women's representative at the European Championships. Sauter said of her result that "It feels pretty good to have made the Top 10 again." and that she was pleased to be competing at the Championships with another Romanian woman.
At the 2024 World Championships, Sauter came in twenty-seventh place with mistakes on two of her jumping passes in the short program, and she did not make the free skate.

### 2024–25 season

Sauter began to struggle with panic attacks during the summer. She began the season by competing on the 2024–25 ISU Challenger Series, finishing sixth at the 2024 CS Budapest Trophy and seventeenth at the 2024 CS Warsaw Cup. Between the two events, Sauter won the 2024 Crystal Skate of Romania.
In December, Sauter decided to part ways with longtime coach, Marius Negrea, and make Roxana Hartmann, who had previously mainly worked as her choreographer, her new head coach. In addition, Sauter also began working with Christopher Boyadji. The following month, she competed at the 2025 European Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, where she placed seventh. This was the best-ever placement for a Romanian woman at the European Championships.
Weeks before the 2025 World Championships, Sauter set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for her and her coaches' travel expenses.

## Programs

| Season | Short program | Free skating |
| 2024–2025 | Una noche más by Yasmin Levy choreo. by Roxana Hartmann, Julia Sauter | That Home by The Cinematic Orchestra Rain, in Your Black Eyes by Ezio Bosso To Build a Home by The Cinematic Orchestra choreo. by Roxana Hartmann Inspiration by Florian Christl & The Modern String Quintet choreo. by Dasa Grm |
| 2023–2024 | Oh My God by Adele choreo. by Roxana Hartmann, Julia Sauter | Inspiration by Florian Christl & The Modern String Quintet choreo. by Dasa Grm |
| 2022–2023 | In This Shirt by The Irrepressibles choreo. by Roxana Hartmann | Unsteady by X-Ambassadors, Erich Lee choreo. by Roxana Hartmann |
| 2021–2022 | I Can't Go On Without You by Kaleo choreo. by Roxana Hartmann | Unsteady by X-Ambassadors, Erich Lee choreo. by Roxana Hartmann |
| 2018–2019 | Earned It by The Weeknd performed Madilyn Bailey choreo. by Roxana Hartmann | Jumping Jack by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Circles performed by Greta Svabo Bech Booty Swing by Parov Stelar choreo. by Roxana Hartmann |
| 2017–2018 | Burlesque You Haven't Seen the Last of Me performed by Cher Show Me How You Burlesque performed by Christina Aguilera choreo. by Roxana Hartmann | Jumping Jack by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Circles performed by Greta Svabo Bech Booty Swing by Parov Stelar choreo. by Roxana Hartmann |
| 2015–2017 | What a Wonderful World performed by Celine Dion choreo. by Amani Fancy, Roxana Hartmann | Adiós Nonino by Astor Piazzolla Esperanza by Maxime Rodriguez El Conquistador by Maxime Rodriguez choreo. by Amani Fancy, Roxana Hartmann |
| 2014–2015 | Feeling Good performed by Michael Bublé choreo. by Amani Fancy | Beethoven's 5 Secrets by OneRepublic, The Piano Guys choreo. by Roxana Hartmann |
| 2013–2014 | Dancing with the Muse by Chris Spheeris choreo. by Roxana Hartmann | Beethoven's 5 Secrets by OneRepublic, The Piano Guys choreo. by Roxana Hartmann |

## Competitive highlights

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

### For Romania

International :
| Event | 12–13 | 13–14 | 14–15 | 15–16 | 16–17 | 17–18 | 18–19 | 21–22 | 22–23 | 23–24 | 24–25 |
| Worlds | | | | | | | 29th | 18th | 20th | 27th | |
| Europeans | | | 35th | 27th | 25th | 29th | 14th | WD | 10th | 9th | 7th |
| GP Wilson Trophy | | | | | | | | | 10th | | |
| CS Budapest Trophy | | | | | | | | | | | 6th |
| CS Golden Spin | | | | | | | | | WD | | |
| CS Inge Solar | | | | | | | 14th | | | | |
| CS Lombardia Trophy | | | | | | | | 13th | | | |
| CS Nebelhorn Trophy | | | 11th | | | WD | | 20th | | | |
| CS Nepela Memorial | | | | | | | | | WD | 6th | |
| CS Warsaw Cup | | | | | | | | | | | 17th |
| Balkan Games | | | | | | 1st | | | | | |
| Bavarian Open | | | 10th | | 11th | | | | WD | | |
| Bellu Memorial | | | | | | | | | 1st | | |
| Bosphorus Cup | | | | | | | | | 2nd | | |
| Challenge Cup | | | | | | | WD | | | | |
| Coupe Printemps | | | | | | 5th | | | | | |
| Cup of Nice | | | | 18th | | | | 3rd | 8th | | |
| Crystal Skate | | 12th | 1st | | 1st | | 2nd | | 2nd | | 1st |
| Dragon Trophy | | | | | 6th | | | 3rd | 2nd | WD | |
| EduSport Trophy | | | | | | WD | | | 2nd | 2nd | |
| Egna Trophy | | | | | | 3rd | | | | | |
| Golden Bear | | | | | 18th | | | | | | |
| Merano Cup | | | | | 9th | | | WD | | | |
| Santa Claus Cup | | | 3rd | | 3rd | | | 9th | | | |
| Skate Celje | | | | | | | | 4th | | | |
| Skate Helena | | | | | | | | 3rd | | | |
| Sofia Trophy | | | | | | | | | | | 3rd |
| Tallinn Trophy | | | | | | | | | | 4th | |
| Tirnavia Ice Cup | | | | | | | | | | 1st | |
| Warsaw Cup | | | | | | | 5th | | | | |
| International: Junior ||||||||||||
| Junior Worlds | | 34th | 25th | 32nd | | | | | | | |
| JGP Croatia | | | 21st | | | | | | | | |
| Bavarian Open | | 9th | | | | | | | | | |
| Coupe Printemps | 4th | | | | | | | | | | |
| Crystal Skate | | | | 1st | | | | | | | |
| Dragon Trophy | | | | 1st | | | | | | | |
| Toruń Cup | | | | 7th | | | | | | | |
| National ||||||||||||
| Romania | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |

### For Germany

International: Junior :
| Event | 2010–11 | 2011–12 |
| Bavarian Open | 15th | |
| Santa Claus Cup | 10th | |
| National |||
| German Youth Champ. | 15th J | 21st J |

## Detailed results

ISU personal best scores in the +5/-5 GOE System :
| Segment | Type | Score | Event |
| Total | TSS | 170.31 | 2022 World Championships |
| Short program | TSS | 62.98 | 2024 CS Budapest Trophy |
| Short program | TES | 34.71 | 2024 CS Budapest Trophy |
| Short program | PCS | 28.27 | 2024 CS Budapest Trophy |
| Free skating | TSS | 112.24 | 2022 World Championships |
| Free skating | TES | 57.27 | 2023 World Championships |
| Free skating | PCS | 55.54 | 2023 CS Nepela Memorial |

### Senior level

Results in the 2024–25 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Oct 11–13, 2024 | 2024 CS Budapest Trophy | 6 | 62.98 | 11 | 94.77 | 6 | 157.75 |
| Oct 23–27, 2024 | 2024 Crystal Skate of Romania | 1 | 52.92 | 2 | 88.49 | 1 | 141.41 |
| Oct 23–27, 2024 | 2024 Romanian Championships | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| Nov 20–24, 2024 | 2024 CS Warsaw Cup | 17 | 46.03 | 17 | 89.12 | 17 | 133.81 |
| Jan 7–12, 2025 | 2025 Sofia Trophy | 2 | 63.46 | 4 | 112.59 | 3 | 176.05 |
| Jan 28 – Feb 2, 2025 | 2025 European Championships | 8 | 61.96 | 10 | 110.68 | 7 | 172.64 |
* ↑ In some years, the Romanian Championships are contested as part of the Crystal Skate of Romania.
2023–2024 season :
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| 18–24 March 2024 | 2024 World Championships | 27 52.52 | - | 27 52.52 |
| 10–14 January 2024 | 2024 European Championships | 10 58.59 | 9 109.81 | 9 168.40 |
| 21–24 November 2023 | 2023 Tallinn Trophy | 4 59.50 | 4 107.88 | 4 167.38 |
| 27–29 October 2023 | 2023 Tirnavia Ice Cup | 1 64.18 | 2 111.56 | 1 175.74 |
| 28–30 September 2023 | 2023 CS Nepela Memorial | 6 55.55 | 6 108.09 | 6 163.64 |
| 2022–2023 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| 22–26 March 2023 | 2023 World Championships | 22 56.02 | 20 109.60 | 20 165.62 |
| 22–26 February 2023 | 2023 Bellu Memorial | 1 64.28 | 1 107.60 | 1 171.88 |
| 9–12 February 2023 | 2023 Dragon Trophy | 2 59.13 | 2 108.45 | 2 167.58 |
| 25–29 January 2023 | 2023 European Championships | 11 56.58 | 12 103.84 | 10 160.42 |
| 11–15 January 2023 | 2023 EduSport Trophy | 3 53.70 | 2 115.04 | 2 168.74 |
| 29 November–3 December 2022 | 2022 Bosphorus Cup | 2 56.15 | 3 108.94 | 2 165.09 |
| 11–13 November 2022 | 2022 MK John Wilson Trophy | 12 52.38 | 9 104.08 | 10 156.46 |
| 26–30 October 2022 | 2022 Crystal Skate of Romania | 3 53.76 | 2 104.33 | 2 158.09 |
| 19–22 October 2022 | 2022 Trophée Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur | 11 45.28 | 5 98.25 | 8 143.53 |
| 2021–2022 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| 21–27 March 2022 | 2022 World Championships | 19 58.07 | 18 112.24 | 18 170.31 |
| 19–23 January 2022 | 2022 Skate Helena | 3 49.05 | 3 106.44 | 3 155.49 |
| 11–13 January 2022 | 2022 Dragon Trophy | 3 57.74 | 3 102.76 | 3 160.50 |
| 6–12 December 2021 | 2021 Santa Claus Cup | 3 53.19 | 13 74.84 | 9 128.03 |
| 19–21 November 2021 | 2021 Skate Celje | 6 40.06 | 3 96.30 | 4 136.36 |
| 28–29 October 2021 | 2022 Romanian Championships | 1 53.76 | 1 104.33 | 1 158.09 |
| 20–24 October 2021 | 2021 Trophée Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur | 5 50.55 | 3 106.75 | 3 157.30 |
| 22–25 September 2021 | 2021 CS Nebelhorn Trophy | 20 48.79 | 21 87.70 | 20 136.49 |
| 10–12 September 2021 | 2021 CS Lombardia Trophy | 11 52.08 | 12 94.76 | 13 146.84 |
| 2018–19 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| 18–24 March 2019 | 2019 World Championships | 29 53.11 | – | 29 53.11 |
| 21–27 January 2019 | 2019 European Championships | 14 54.29 | 15 98.86 | 14 153.15 |
| 23–25 November 2018 | 2018 Warsaw Cup | 15 39.15 | 3 92.54 | 5 131.69 |
| 11–18 November 2018 | 2018 CS Alpen Trophy | 16 48.74 | 17 84.26 | 14 133.00 |
| 25–28 October 2018 | 2018 Crystal Skate of Romania | 3 51.77 | 2 93.59 | 2 145.36 |
| 2017–18 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| 4–8 April 2018 | 2018 Egna Spring Trophy | 5 47.80 | 2 99.85 | 3 147.65 |
| 29–30 March 2018 | 2018 Balkan Games | 1 45.50 | 1 95.02 | 1 140.52 |
| 16–18 March 2018 | 2018 Coupe du Printemps | 8 50.15 | 5 86.21 | 5 136.36 |
| 15–21 January 2018 | 2018 European Championships | 29 44.57 | – | 29 44.57 |
| 2016–17 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| 14–19 February 2017 | 2017 Bavarian Open | 12 45.27 | 13 82.70 | 11 127.97 |
| 9–12 February 2017 | 2017 Dragon Trophy | 3 46.96 | 6 75.92 | 6 122.88 |
| 25–29 January 2017 | 2017 European Championships | 25 45.59 | – | 25 45.59 |
| 6–11 December 2016 | 2016 Santa Claus Cup | 3 43.37 | 4 83.13 | 3 126.55 |
| 10–13 November 2016 | 2016 Merano Cup | 10 36.98 | 9 73.78 | 8 110.76 |
| 3–6 November 2016 | 2016 Crystal Skate of Romania | 1 42.27 | 1 84.56 | 1 126.83 |
| 27–30 October 2016 | 2016 Golden Bear of Zagreb | 15 45.20 | 20 76.78 | 18 121.98 |

### Junior level

2015–16 season :
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| 14–20 March 2016 | 2016 World Junior Championships | Junior | 32 39.67 | – | 32 39.67 |
| 4–7 February 2016 | 2016 Dragon Trophy | Junior | 1 45.18 | 1 77.07 | 1 122.25 |
| 25–31 January 2016 | 2016 European Championships | Senior | 27 41.79 | – | 27 41.79 |
| 6–10 January 2016 | 2016 Mentor Toruń Cup | Junior | 6 42.54 | 11 65.38 | 7 107.92 |
| 4–7 November 2015 | 2015 Crystal Skate of Romania | Junior | 2 36.34 | 1 66.85 | 1 103.19 |
| 14–18 October 2015 | 2015 International Cup of Nice | Senior | 13 39.63 | 18 52.00 | 18 91.63 |
| 2014–15 season ||||||
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| 2–8 March 2015 | 2015 World Junior Championships | Junior | 25 45.00 | – | 25 45.00 |
| 11–15 February 2015 | 2015 Bavarian Open | Senior | 13 39.71 | 10 77.63 | 10 117.34 |
| 26 January–1 February 2015 | 2015 European Championships | Senior | 35 36.70 | – | 35 36.70 |
| 1–7 December 2014 | 2014 Santa Claus Cup | Senior | 3 44.64 | 3 76.60 | 3 121.24 |
| 23–26 October 2014 | 2014 Crystal Skate of Romania | Senior | 3 34.17 | 1 77.29 | 1 111.46 |
| 8–11 October 2014 | 2014 JGP Croatia | Junior | 23 34.32 | 18 68.41 | 21 102.73 |
| 24–27 September 2014 | 2014 CS Nebelhorn Trophy | Senior | 15 38.27 | 11 73.49 | 11 111.76 |
| 2013–14 season ||||||
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| 10–16 March 2014 | 2014 World Junior Championships | Junior | 34 36.87 | – | 34 36.87 |
| 29 January–2 February 2014 | 2014 Bavarian Open | Junior | 9 39.23 | 9 70.59 | 9 109.82 |
| 24–27 October 2013 | 2013 Crystal Skate of Romania | Senior | 14 28.74 | 9 73.52 | 12 102.26 |
| 2012–13 season ||||||
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| 22–24 March 2013 | 2013 Coupe du Printemps | Junior | 6 36.68 | 4 74.65 | 4 111.33 |