Nikolas Wamsteeker (born October 28, 1996) is a Canadian ice dancer. With his skating partner, Haley Sales, he is the 2020 Bavarian Open bronze medallist and 2018 Lake Placid Ice Dance International bronze medallist. The two placed 9th at the 2018 Four Continents Championships.
Personal life
Wamsteeker was born on October 28, 1996, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He grew up in Langley, British Columbia.
Skating career Early years
Wamsteeker began learning to skate in 2000. He competed with Jessica Jiang early in his career. The two advanced to the novice level in the 2011–2012 season but missed the 2012 Canadian Championships due to injury. After a year away from skating, Wamsteeker teamed up with Jazlyn Tabachniuk in 2013. They placed 6th in the novice ranks at the 2014 Canadian Championships.
Partnership with Sales Wamsteeker teamed up with Haley Sales in March 2014. They decided to train under Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe in Burnaby, British Columbia. The two placed ninth in the junior event at the 2015 Canadian Championships. The following season, they competed at one ISU Junior Grand Prix event, finishing sixth in Austria, and ranked fourth at the 2016 Canadian Championships.
Sales/Wamsteeker made their senior international debut at the Lake Placid Ice Dance International in late July 2016. They finished seventh in Lake Placid, ninth at the 2016 CS Autumn Classic International, and fifth at the 2017 Canadian Championships.
Competing in their second senior season, Sales/Wamsteeker placed tenth at the 2017 CS Nebelhorn Trophy and 6th at the 2018 Canadian Championships. They were selected to represent Canada at the 2018 Four Continents Championships in Taipei, Taiwan; the duo finished ninth after placing eighth in the short dance and tenth in the free.
They won a bronze medal at the Lake Placid International Dance trophy and then placed fourth at the 2018 U.S. Classic. They made their Grand Prix debut at the 2018 Skate Canada International, where they placed ninth. At the 2019 Canadian Championships, they placed a career-best fourth, a placement the replicated the following year despite a fall by Sales in the rhythm dance.
Sales/Wamsteeker were assigned to the 2020 Skate Canada International, but the event was cancelled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. They placed fourth at the virtually-held 2021 Skate Canada Challenge, while the 2021 Canadian Championships were subsequently cancelled.
In June 2021, Sales/Wamsteeker announced that they would be moving to train at the Ice Academy of Montreal's campus in London, Ontario, coached by two-time Olympic champion Scott Moir.
In February 2023, Wamsteeker announced his retirement from competitive ice dance and his decision to become a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Programs With Sales Season Rhythm dance Free dance Exhibition2022–2023 Quizás, quizás, quizás Ohayoo Ohio A Volta Da Gafieira All I Ask of You Phantasia La Percussion (104 BPM Workout Remix) Quizás, quizás, quizás Batucada Brasileira 2021–2022 Lost Cause Bad Guy Scared to Be Lonely Scared to Be Lonely (Joe Mason Remix) 2019–2021 Dancing Queen Mamma Mia Mamma Mia (Glee version) S'Apre per te il mio cuor Bacchanale 2018–2019 Compilation 27 Volver Que Faita Que Me Haces - Forever Tango Seduces Me Ne Me Quitte Pas 2017–2018 La Belleza Cuentame que te paso Robin and Marian Robin and Marian Suite Planting the Fields The Ride to Sherwood/The Ride to Nottingham 2016–2017 Feeling Good Somebody to Love Love of My Life Somebody to Love 2015–2016 Steppin' Out with My Baby Old-Fashioned Walk Spartacus 2014–2015 Suerte Do You Only Wanna Dance Sweet Charity Big Spender A Good Impression If My Friends Could See Me Now
With Tabachniuk Season Free dance 2013–2014 My Fair Lady
Competitive highlights GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix
Ice dancing with Sales International Event 14–15 15–16 16–17 17–18 18–19 19–20 20–21 21–22 22–23 23–24 Four Continents 9th 7th Skate Canada 9th 10th C 10th Wilson Trophy 9th Autumn Classic 9th 6th Nebelhorn 10th 11th U.S. Classic 4th 5th Bavarian Open 3rd Lake Placid IDI 7th 8th 3rd 5th International: Junior Austria 6th Lake Placid IDI 4th National Canadian Champ. 9th J 4th J 5th 6th 4th 4th C 6th 5th 8th SC Challenge 9th J 3rd J 3rd 1st 2nd 4th 2nd WD 3rd TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew; C = Event cancelled Levels: J = Junior
References
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