Representing the People's Republic of California...

[essence_of_soy]

Can you think of any skaters from the United States who represent other countries?

So far I can think of Melissa Bulanhagui who will be skating for the Philippines.

[berthesghost]

Dianne deleuu - from ca to nd

Cathy and Chris reed - from nj to jp

Those are the only successful ones I can think of.

The reeds sister skates pairs for ukrain.
Sydney Vogel skipped ship, to Germany iirc.
Trifun zagfunavichific switched to arzabaphanouffan or somewhere.

[Wyliefan]

Piper Gilles, in Canada.

[Rochelle]

Kaitlyn Weaver competes in dance for Canada as well.

Define "from America"? Those that were born her? Or those that moved here very early in childhood and consider an American city their home town?

Watching 4CC this past weekend, it seemed a near majority of those not in the top 12 were from the United States. Primarily California, but elsewhere as well.

[Sylvia]

Can you think of any skaters from the United States who represent other countries?

You run a web site for Brooklee Han - does she count? http://www.aussieskates.com/brooklee/

She was born in America, competed in the US Figure Skating qualifying system through the Intermediate National level, and started representing Australia at the Junior level in 2010-11. She splits her training time between Connecticut and Melbourne, but the interview on her site doesn't specify how much time she spends training in Australia each year. I assume at least one of her parents is Australian-born or has citizenship?

Han seems typical of many skaters who are representing countries in which they do not live or spend the majority of their time. Many of the skaters competing at Four Continents who were born and/or live in the USA or Canada but represent another country at least have a direct family/ancestral connection to the countries they represent.

[euterpe]

Bryna Oi recently competed at Japanese Nationals in dance.

[essence_of_soy]

You run a web site for Brooklee Han - does she count? http://www.aussieskates.com/brooklee/

She was born in America, competed in the US Figure Skating qualifying system through the Intermediate National level, and started representing Australia at the Junior level in 2010-11. She splits her training time between Connecticut and Melbourne, but the interview on her site doesn't specify how much time she spends training in Australia each year. I assume at least one of her parents is Australian-born or has citizenship?

Han seems typical of many skaters who are representing countries in which they do not live or spend the majority of their time. Many of the skaters competing at Four Continents who were born and/or live in the USA or Canada but represent another country at least have a direct family/ancestral connection to the countries they represent.

Also, I believe Cheltzie Lee's mother is American, but Lee was born in Australia and has lived there for her entire life. She's trained from time to time with the coach, Cathy Kasey in the U.S, specifically to learn new jumps.

The dance champions, O'Brien and Merriman train most of the year in Michigan with Anjelika Krylova and Pasquale Camerlengo, too. They've made tremendous improvements in their technical content this year.

Another example is Ksenia Makarova skating first for the U.S (her birth place)., then Russia (her parents' birth place).

It really is a global sport, that's for sure.

[berthesghost]

What about Sylvia Fontana?

[essence_of_soy]

What about Sylvia Fontana?

Don't know much about Fontana, but I believe Susan Driano was from the US and skated for Italy in the 1970s.

[Nomad]

What about Sylvia Fontana?

She was born in the US to Italian parents and grew up in Rome. I wouldn't include her since she actually lived in the country she represented.

[RFOS]

Another example is Ksenia Makarova skating first for the U.S (her birth place)., then Russia (her parents' birth place).

Ksenia Makarova was born in Russa (St. Petersburg). http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00011176.htm

In a quick scan through, the following skaters from 4CC were born in the U.S. but represented other countries:

Men
Christopher Caluza (PHI)
Maverick Eguia (PHI)

Ladies
Victoria Muniz (PUR)
Melinda Wang (TPE)
Melanie Swang (THA)
Crystal Kiang (TPE)
Mericien Venzon (PHI)
Chaochih Liu (TPE)
Brittany Lau (SIN)

Dance
Kaitlyn Weaver (CAN)
Corenne Bruhns (MEX)
Cortney Mansour (KAZ)

From Euros:

Ladies
Karina Johnson (DEN)
Chelsea Rose Chiappa (HUN)
Georgia Glastris (GRE)

Pairs
Danielle Montalbano (ISR)

Vanessa James was born in Canada, but competed in the U.S. for a while, then for Great Britain, and now France.

Dance
Siobhan Heekin-Canedy (UKR)

[Vagabond]

As has been mentioned, a lot of other skaters from the U.S. compete under foreign flags at Four Continents (and other competitions). We also seem to do pretty well at exporting female ice dancers.

Here are a few others, past and present, who haven't been mentioned. This is hardly an exhaustive list:

Susanna Driano (Italy) -- She won a bronze medal at Worlds.
Bryce Davison (Canada) -- He was born in the United States but has always skated for Canada.
Christopher Caluza (Philippines)
Alice Sue Claeys (Belgium)
Jennifer Goolsbee (Germany) -- ice dance
Kyoko Ina (Japan) -- She was born in Japan but was raised in the U.S. and learned to skate here and competed for both countries.
Daisuke Murakami (Japan) -- He too was born in Japan but was raised in the U.S. and learned to skate here and has competed for both countries.
Kristen Fraser (Azerbaijan) -- ice dance
Todd Sand (Denmark) -- He was born in the U.S., skated singles for Denmark, and then represented the U.S. in pairs, winning several medals at Worlds.
Allison Reed (Georgia) -- ice dance
Various ice dance partners of Deividas Stagniūnas (Lithuania) -- He has competed internationally with Kayla Nicole Frey, Katherine Copely, and Isabella Tobias
Maxim Zavozin (Hungary) -- He was born in Russia, came to the U.S. as a boy, represented the U.S. in ice dance at the 2006 Winter Olympics, and later represented Hungary.

[essence_of_soy]

[QUOTE=RFOS;3485781]Ksenia Makarova was born in Russa (St. Petersburg). http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00011176.htm(/QUOTE)

Thanks for the heads up.

Was it because Selezneva and Makarov coached in the States that allowed Ksenia to compete there?

[Sylvia]

Corenne Bruhns' ice dance partner, Ryan Van Natten, was also born in the USA and he previously competed at 2011 US Nationals in Senior Dance (14th). Christopher Caluza (PHI) competed at US Nationals twice - 8th in Junior in 2010 and 19th in Senior in 2011. Chaochih Liu (TPE) competed at 2007 US Nationals in Junior (11th).

ETA: allezfred's post below reminded me that Daisuke Murakami probably has had the most successful record at US Nationals/representing the US internationally in recent times -- 2004 Novice silver medalist, 2004 Triglav Trophy Novice gold medalist, 2006 Junior pewter medalist, 2006 JGP bronze medalist, 2006 Junior Worlds (11th) and 2007 Senior National men's competitor (15th) -- before he switched to Japan (where he was born).

Was it because Selezneva and Makarov coached in the States that allowed Ksenia to compete there?

Yes. Makarova qualified for US Nationals at the lower levels and her high point was 7th in Novice at 2007 US Nationals. Her wiki says she and her family moved to the US when she was 8 years old.

[allezfred]

Daisuke Takahashi (Japan) -- He too was born in Japan but was raised in the U.S. and learned to skate here and has competed for both countries.

I'm sure Daisuke Takahashi will be surprised to find out he was representing the U.S.

Perhaps you are referring to Daisuke Murakami?

[ChibiChibi]

Ladies
Victoria Muniz (PUR)
Melinda Wang (TPE)
Melanie Swang (THA)
Crystal Kiang (TPE)
Mericien Venzon (PHI)
Chaochih Liu (TPE)
Brittany Lau (SIN)

Also Sandra Kohpon (THA)

[Braulio]

Todd Sand (Denmark) -- He was born in the U.S., skated singles for Denmark, and then represented the U.S. in pairs, winning a bronze medal at Worlds.

In fact he won 3 bronze medals: 1 with Kuchiki in 1991, 2 with Meno (95-96) and one silver in 1998

Didn´t know he was born in Denmark

[dewey]

Didn't Rena Inoue complete for Japan as a singles skater?

[rvi5]

Adriana Desanctis represents Canada

[Nomad]

Tamar Katz is from Dallas but skated for Israel
Siobhan Heekin-Canedy skates for the Ukraine