Samuel Contesti has decided to retire (Gazzetta dello Sport article)

[Sylvia]

Thanks to YukiNieve for finding/posting the link to this Italian news article:
http://www.gazzetta.it/Sport_Inverna...40602542.shtml
Best wishes to him in his new coaching career and the on the anticipated arrival of a second child with his wife, Geraldine, in October! Their first son, Ennio, was born in June 2009. (ETA aside: I didn't know that! July 2009 article: http://www.goldenskate.com/2009/07/sweet-revenge/)

ETA: I see this article link was also posted in the Grand Prix Assignments thread (where discussion of "who will get his GPs" is happening):

Please someone tell me that its April's fools day

http://www.gazzetta.it/Sport_Inverna...40602542.shtml

[Mevrouw]

He had reached the point of the shoe and the shoe has run out. Samuel Contesti, the best individual male Italian athlete (Azurri) of the last five seasons (including a European silver in Helsinki 2009 and five national titles), is hanging the blades up on the wall. Seventh at European Championships in Sheffield in January, 10th at the World Championships in Nice in March and once again on the national team at the World Team in Tokyo in April, his decision is a surprise, but only to a certain point. "I am at peace with the decision- he says - there weren't any more conditions to make me continue. Needless to argue. Besides I couldn't keep going until I was 90 ...". Contesti, born and raised in France, is Italian by marriage: the father of his wife Geraldine, his coach and choreographer, is a native of Tolmezzo. In 2007, after he "broke" with the federation on the other side of the Alps, he chose the Italian tricolor. Since January 2007, he has been living in Courmayeur, where he has been warmly received and accepted.

**
The REASONS - The resort of Val d'Aosta is now no longer able to offer what it has always offered and Samuel, with his family (in October, after Ennio, they are expecting a second child), must seek new shores. There was a broken promise of a new course in Castiglione delle Stiviere (Mantua). There is a meeting with federal leadership that came to nothing. "There is above all - he says - the necessity of a fixed base. I'll teach. I want to give back to the sport so that gave me so much. I'll begin with two stages: in early July in Megeve and in early August in Pinerolo. I am proud to have given Italy the possibility of having two representatives in European and World Cup 2013 ".

Thank you, Samuel. And au revoir.

[Marta24]

Wow, I didn't expect that. I am really going to miss seeing him, his programs were always a lot of fun and he is the only one to get Italy 2 spots at the big competitions.

[SamuraiK]

He was always entertaining.. Not the best skater, but you coul feel he enjoyed every second of his performances even when he was having a bad time with the jumps.. Loved his 2008-2009 season.

Bye Bye Samuel.

[Eislauffan]

Sounds like he would have continued but wasn't happy with the conditions provided. Also, he probably wants to focus more on his growing family and I think he has achieved the best he could in the sport. Thank you, Samuel, for your interesting programs and your career.

[SamuraiK]

This also means we'll have both Parkinson and Bacchini at Euros and Worlds ! Which also means Italy won't be at World Team Trophy this season.

[npavel]

Sounds like he would have continued but wasn't happy with the conditions provided. Also, he probably wants to focus more on his growing family and I think he has achieved the best he could in the sport. Thank you, Samuel, for your interesting programs and your career.

If I remember right, they are redoing the ice ring he used to train and so there is no ice there for the whole next season. He should got some other place to train, but ...
sad, I hoped he would be around until a few more years and there was a possibility for Italy on team trophy next year too

[pingu]

Thank you for the translation, Mevrouw

[Marta24]

If I remember right, they are redoing the ice ring he used to train and so there is no ice there for the whole next season. He should got some other place to train, but ...
sad, I hoped he would be around until a few more years and there was a possibility for Italy on team trophy next year too

Yes, it's really sad and what's worse is that the next Worlds will decide the Olympic spots. But it seems like he had no other choice.

[barbk]

Too bad -- D told me it was really a lovely rink. (Actually, a whole athletic facility.)

But congratulations to him on the birth of his second child, and nice for Italy to have a coach with such great experience.

[pinky166]

About time haha. Although I assumed he was going to stick around until Sochi considering he had a very dissappointing Olympics in 2010 and it's so close and he doesn't really have competition in Italy. But I guess he is 28 (29?) so he's been around awhile now.

[Lansi]

too bad

[Katarzyna]

Thank you for the link and the info, Sylvia!

Sounds like he would have continued but wasn't happy with the conditions provided.

What a sad reason to retire. I'm very sad about his decision to retire as well. Guess bearing responsiblity for a family doesn't make competing easier. I'll miss Samuel. Sure he didn't have the best jumps or skating skills of the guys, but he was always entertaining and had programmes that were interesting to watch. I really liked him.

However, good luck and all the best to him for his future career as a coach and for his family. Good to see that Ennio will have a little brother or sister soon.

Maybe he can occasionally also skate at shows as a pro?

[Ziggy]

Nice to see he is going to stay involved with the sport and give back with coaching.

And it also means that finally Parkinson is going to get the chance to compete at ISU championships. Good luck to him!

[kwanfan1818]

Best wishes to him and his growing family and in his new career.

[spikydurian]

All the best to Contesti. You may not be a constant podium occupier, but your skating were always entertaining and fun to watch. Preparing for competition takes a lot of time and it is understandable that now you have a second child in your family, it's time to hang up the skates and seek a path where you can spend more time with your family. Family is important.

[blue_idealist]

I'm sorta sad about this. I found him entertaining. Two programs of his I like were his "Whammer Jammer" from the 2010 season and his "La Vie En Rose" program this past season.

[IceIceBaby]

I am sad that he has to retire! He was a true showman!

[paskatefan]

I'll miss him as a competitor. Always found him entertaining. Wishing him the best with his growing family and glad he'll stay involved in the sport by coaching.

[Jaana]

I´ll miss him, he was very entertaining, but great to hear that he´ll start coaching. Good luck to him and his family!