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Jessica Rose Paetsch and Jon Nuss of Colorado Springs, Colo., finished fourth at the Junior Grand Prix Final after their win at Junior Grand Prix Germany |
Jessica Rose Paetsch and Jon Nuss
Birth Date January 31, 1993 and June 22, 1987 |
| Hometown Colorado Springs, Colorado and Colorado Springs, Colorado |
| Training Town Colorado Springs, Colorado |
| Home Club Broadmoor SC and Broadmoor SC |
| Coaches Dalilah Sappenfield, Becky Bradley, Lei'Ina McLaughlin and Larry Ibarra |
| Choreographer Dalilah Sappenfield |
Jessica Rose Paetsch and Jon Nuss are ready to be national champions again. Two years removed from their 2005 U.S. Novice Pairs gold medal winning performances, and in only their third season as a team, Paetsch and Nuss want to be the nation's best junior pair.
Paetsch and Nuss were the top performing American pair on the Junior Grand Prix circuit this season. At the Junior Grand Prix Final, they narrowly missed their second consecutive appearance on the Junior Grand Prix Final podium with their fourth place performance. They claimed gold at Junior Grand Prix Germany and with uncharacteristic mistakes, finished fifth in Lake Placid.
Last season, Paetsch and Nuss were fourth in Hungary, third in Chinese Taipei and third at the final. The team capped off their season by becoming the 2007 U.S. Championship junior pairs bronze medalists but did not make the World Junior Championship team—something they would like to change in St. Paul.
Paetsch's father edits the program music for the team. The pairs short program is to Por una Cabeza by Carlos Gardel while their free skate is Capone by Ronan Hardiman. Both programs are a departure from their spunky but crowd pleasing Sing, Sing, Sing free skate from the past two seasons.
Music editing is just the beginning of the Paetsch family's musical tradition. Both her parents are musicians and music teachers who taught their daughter to play the violin when she was only two. Paetsch has since changed her focus to the cello, which she practices everyday in addition to skating.
She also likes horseback riding, playing baseball and playing volleyball for fun.
Nuss' musical involvement is limited to listening to Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Eminem, which he lists as his favorite artists, and hip-hop, his favorite type of music. He also enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, playing video games and skiing.
For more information on Paetsch and Nuss, visit figureskatersonline.com/paetsch-nuss/.
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 Jessica Rose Paetsch and Jon Nuss courtesy of Jamie M. Blanchard.