Karen Venhuizen (born 4 April 1984) is a Dutch former competitive figure skater. She is the 2003 Triglav Trophy champion, the 2007 International Challenge Cup champion, and a nine-time (2000–08) Dutch national champion. She qualified for the free skate at seven ISU Championships – two World and five European Championships. Her best placement, 14th, came at the 2008 Europeans.
Personal life Venhuizen was born 4 April 1984 in Zoetermeer, Netherlands. From 2001 to 2003, she suffered from anorexia nervosa. After the 2008 European Championships, she was diagnosed with Guillain–Barré syndrome.
Career Venhuizen started skating at the age of five. In the 1999–2000 season, she debuted on the ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) series and then won her first senior national title, earning assignments to her first ISU Championships. In February 2000, she reached the free skate and finished 21st overall at the European Championships in Vienna after placing tenth in her qualifying group, 23rd in the short, and 21st in the free. In March, she competed at the 2000 World Junior Championships in Oberstdorf; she advanced out of her qualifying group but was eliminated after the short program.
Venhuizen made her final junior-level appearances at the start of the 2000–01 season before repeating as the Dutch national senior champion. She qualified for the final segment at both the 2001 European Championships in Bratislava and at the 2001 World Championships in Vancouver.
Venhuizen won gold medals at the 2003 Triglav Trophy in Slovenia and at the 2007 International Challenge Cup in The Hague. Her best ISU Championship result, 14th, came at the 2008 Europeans in Zagreb, Croatia. It was also the highest placement by a Dutch figure skater since Dianne de Leeuw became the European champion in 1976.
Programs Season Short program Free skating 2007–2008 Music of the Night West Side Story 2006–2007 Seven Years in Tibet Harlem Nocturne Blues Fosse Fever 2005–2006 The Promise Blues in the Night In a Sentimental Mood 2004–2005 The Man with the Golden Arm Roger Rabbit Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Gladiator Symphony Sur Glace 2003–2004 The Giving Bolero Fantasy East of Eden 2002–2003 Mary and Steve's Tango Fire and Ice East of Eden 2001–2002 The Phantom of the Opera Jesus Christ Superstar Don't Cry for Me Argentina 2000–2001 Violin Fantasie on Puccini's Turandot Variations of Andrew Lloyd Webber 1999–2000 Ever After unknown
Results GP: Grand Prix; JGP: Junior Grand Prix
International Event 01–02 02–03 03–04 04–05 05–06 06–07 07–08 08–09 Worlds 22nd 34th 24th Europeans 21st 21st 28th 29th 22nd 20th 26th 14th NHK Trophy 10th Challenge Cup 1st Crystal Skate 4th Cup of Nice 4th 4th Finlandia Trophy 8th Golden Spin 14th 10th 11th Nebelhorn Trophy 16th Nepela Memorial 7th 8th NRW Trophy 13th Schäfer Memorial 16th 12th Triglav Trophy 1st International: Junior Junior Worlds 29th Netherlands 13th Poland 14th Slovenia 13th Ukraine 7th Golden Bear 4th J National Dutch Champ. 4th 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st WD: Withdrew
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