Florian Just (born 28 February 1982 in Nürnberg) is a German former competitive pair skater. With Mari Vartmann, he won four senior international medals and finished seventh at two European Championships. He also won four international medals with Katharina Gierok.
Career
Early career Florian Just began ice skating at the age of five at EC Nürnberg while also practicing artistic roller skating. He appeared on the Junior Grand Prix (JGP) circuit as a single skater. During the 1999 JGP series, he won gold in Zagreb, Croatia, and placed fourth at his second assignment, in Ostrava, Czech Republic. He qualified for the JGP Final, where he finished seventh. He is the only German skater to reach the final in men's singles.
Just was coached by Sieglinde Ruppel and Steffi Ruttkies. He moved to Munich because of the better training available at the Münchener EV. He continued competing in men's singles for five more years before switching to pair skating in Berlin. His first partner was Mariana Kautz.
Partnership with Vartmann In January 2004, Just teamed up with Mari-Doris Vartmann. They were coached originally by Julia Gnilozubova. In autumn 2004 they switched to Knut Schubert. They practiced in Dortmund and also in Berlin.
Vartmann/Just became three-time German national medalists and appeared at four ISU Championships, finishing 18th at the 2006 Worlds in Calgary, Alberta, Canada; 7th at the 2007 Europeans in Warsaw, Poland; 18th at the 2007 Worlds in Tokyo, Japan; and 7th at the 2008 Europeans in Zagreb, Croatia. They parted ways just after the 2009 NRW Trophy.
Partnership with Gierok In spring 2010, Just teamed up with Katharina Gierok. Karel Fajfr served as the pair's coach. Gierok/Just won silver at the 2010 NRW Trophy and bronze at the 2010 Warsaw Cup. At 2011 German Nationals, they won the bronze medal and were selected to compete at the European Championships. They finished 11th in their debut at the event. Gierok and Just parted ways at the end of the 2011–12 season.
Just was a member of the club Essener Jugend-Eiskunstlauf Verein and a sport-soldier in the Bundeswehr.
Programs
With Gierok Season Short program Free skating 2011–12 Ratatouille The Holiday 2010–11 Dark Angel
With Vartmann Season Short program Free skating Exhibition 2007–08 Shine On You Crazy Diamond Memoirs of a Geisha 2006–07 Nyah The Promise 2005–06 Libertango Once Upon a Time in America You're the One That I Want
Single skating Season Short dance Free dance 2000–01 Etape The Mask of Zorro
Competitive highlights GP: Grand Prix; JGP: Junior Grand Prix
Pairs career with Gierok International Event 2010–11 2011–12 European Champ. 11th Bavarian Open 2nd Golden Spin 2nd NRW Trophy 2nd 5th Warsaw Cup 3rd National German Champ. 3rd
Pairs career with Vartmann International Event 05–06 06–07 07–08 08–09 09–10 Worlds 18th 18th Europeans 7th 7th Cup of China WD NHK Trophy 8th Cup of Nice 3rd 4th Finlandia Trophy 3rd Nebelhorn Trophy 6th WD NRW Trophy 2nd 3rd National German Champ. 4th 4th 2nd 2nd 3rd WD = Withdrew
Singles career International Event Junior Worlds 20th Final 7th Croatia 1st Czech Rep. 4th Mexico 9th Golden Bear 2nd J National German Champ. 3rd N 9th J 16th J 14th 11th 5th 9th 6th Levels: N = Novice; J = Junior
References
External links
Vartmann-Just-Homepage