Claire Davis Personal information Birth date: 5/15/90 Hometown: Littleton, CO Height: 5' Weight: 93 lbs. School: Heritage High School - where Claire maintains a 4.2 GPA! Claire is a member of the Colorado Skating Club in Littleton, Colorado. Her partner skates for the Broadmoor Skating Club. Web site: Claire's Sponsors: Click to view Claire's Photo Gallery

Claire began skating when a friend from kindergarten asked her to go to a public session after school. He was a hockey player who had been skating since age 3 and she had no problem keeping up with him. Claire wanted to skate "like the big girls" that she saw at the rink so we signed her up for "Learn to Skate" lessons. At age 8 she landed her first axel and began to skate on a more consistent basis. 

At age 10 she switched to a new coach, Dalilah Sappenfield, as Claire always wanted to try pairs and she was the only one teaching that discipline in Colorado. Dalilah began her transformation on Claire to pairs skating.  She was lucky when Nathan and his former partner decided to stop skating together and Claire asked for a tryout. Claire and Nathan hit it off right away. He was strong and patient with her lack of experience, and she was tiny and daring. It involved a lot of travel for Claire who had only been training at our local rink. She had to travel to Colorado Springs (140 miles round trip) to train with Nathan 3 or 4x a week.

 After 2 1/2 months of skating together they placed 2nd at the Southwestern Regional securing their spot for Junior Nationals. Junior Nationals was in Arizona that year and they placed 3rd in the Nation after only 4months of training. That following summer they were invited to skate at North America Challenge Skate - they had moved up a level and still placed 2nd. They were on a roll and improving fast. Their coaches really pushed them and they consistently rose to the occasion.

At Midwesterns they placed 2nd and this secured their competition at their first Nationals. They were thrilled and worked harder than they ever had to make their routines consistent and more difficult. Nationals were in Portland in January 2005 and they placed first in the short program and first in the long - clinching their first title as U.S. National Novice Pair Champions.

Due of their performance at Nationals they were sent on their first International competition in Jesencie, Slovenia. Again, they had to compete at a new level, this time as Juniors. The Triglav Trophy event was a wonderful experience. They placed 2nd in the Short and 1st in the Long - for a first place finish overall.

Now they are beginning their first season as Juniors and anxiously await their Junior Grand Prix event in September. As juniors their elements are more difficult and intricate and they have much to learn and experience. It should be another great season for Claire and Nathan.