Armin Mahbanoozadeh

Armin Mahbanoozadeh is hoping to make it two in a row. Last season, Mahbanoozadeh won the novice men’s title at the U.S. Championships. This year he will be competing on the junior level.

Mahbanoozadeh is coming into St. Paul on a roll. He competed internationally as a junior this fall, winning his first Junior Grand Prix event in Lake Placid and placing third at his second, in Croatia. He earned a trip to the Junior Grand Prix Final in Poland, where he came away with the bronze medal.

"Adrenalin has pretty much always been a good thing for me. I feel I have much more energy in competition than I do in practice. Stamina isn't an issue for me at all in competition, which is good," Mahbanoozadeh said in September. That could bode very well against his competitiors in Minnesota but he is still looking to land the elusive triple axel.

Mahbanoozadeh is a diamond award winner from the Michael Weiss Foundation.

He is a junior at Langley High School where he excels academically. Mahbanoozadeh would like to attend college and eventually attend graduate school once he is finished with competitive skating.

His hobbies include reading, playing the piano, surfing the web, playing cards, and listening to his Zune. He also has a passion for Wushu, which is a Chinese martial art and his most prized possession is his 2007 nationals sweater.

For more information on Mahbanoozadeh, visit figureskatersonline.com/arminmahbanoozadeh/.

— Devon Stein

Figure Skaters Online's Guide to the 2008 U.S. Championships is
written and produced by Figure Skaters Online in cooperation with the athletes and staff.

Photographs are courtesy of Leah Adams unless otherwise noted.
Photo of Johnny Weir is courtesy of Daphne Backman.