Barbara Fusar-Poli

Early in her career, Fusar-Poli competed with Matteo Bonfa and then Alberto Reani. After Reani retired, she asked Maurizio Margaglio to skate with her.[1] She and Margaglio began skating on the senior level in 1994-95, and enjoyed some success in the first years of their career, including winning several Grand Prix medals. In 1999-2000, they won their first medals at the European and World Championships, finishing in second place at both events. It was the first time Italy won a medal at Worlds. In their free dance that season, they used a mix of Celtic music, including selections from Lord of the Dance, the 1995 movie Bravehart, and a slow vocal section by Lorena McKennit. According to figure skating writer and historian Ellyn Kestnbaum, even though the program was theatrical, many of the steps they performed "was an attempt to translate Irish dance to the ice".[2] Kestnbaum also described their free dance as "a narrative of conflict and resolution that showcased aggressive athleticism from both partners".[2]

The following season was very successful for the duo, who won every event they entered and became the first Italians to win a World title in any discipline.[3] They were not as successful in 2001-02, dropping to second at the Europeans and finishing third at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Their medal at the Olympics was not without some controversy, after Margaglio fell during the free dance portion.[4] The result was protested by the Lithuanian team, who had finished fifth, but the protest was denied.[5] Fusar-Poli/Margaglio did not compete at the 2002 World Championships and would not return to eligible skating until the 2005-06 season.

With the 2006 Winter Olympics being held in Turin, Fusar-Poli/Margaglio decided to return and compete in their home country.[6] They did not skate in any international events prior to the Olympics, but did win the Italian National Championships. The Olympics were their first international event under the new scoring system adopted by the ISU, but, Fusar-Poli/Margaglio nonetheless held a narrow lead after the compulsory dance portion of the event, ahead of two-time world champions Tatiana Navka / Roman Kostomarov. This result was described in some news stories at the time as "shocking".[7][8] In the original dance, Fusar-Poli/Margaglio were performing a rotational lift with only seconds left in their program when Margaglio lost his balance, dropped Fusar-Poli, and fell to the ice himself. Following this conclusion to the program, Fusar-Poli stood glaring at her partner for approximately thirty seconds before the couple took their bows and left the ice.[9] They dropped to seventh overall, but moved up to sixth place after a clean free dance, and told the media that the incident at the end of the original dance had reflected their anger at the mistake rather than at each other.[10][11][12] Several years later, Fusar-Poli said that there were Swarovski crystals on the ice from the costumes of earlier competitors, but that the fall was a result of their own mistake and not the ice conditions.[13] The Olympics were Fusar-Poli/Margaglio's final competitive event together, but they continued to perform in shows.

Fusar-Poli (center) with longtime students Marco Fabbri (left) and Charlène Guignard (right) at the 2018 Skate America

Fusar-Poli has coached Charlene Guignard / Marco Fabbri,[14] Tanja Kolbe / Stefano Caruso,[15] and junior ice dancers.[16] She is based mainly in Milan at the Agorà ice rink. In 2012, she started to collaborate with Igor Shpilband in Novi, Michigan.[17][18] After Caruso ended his competitive career in 2014, he and Fusar-Poli began a coaching partnership.[19]

Fusar-Poli has also worked as a reporter for Italian TV and Eurosport coverage of skating events.[13]

Fusar-Poli was born on 6 February 1972 in Sesto San Giovanni, Italy.[20] She married her long-time boyfriend, Olympic short track competitor Diego Cattani, in June 2000. Their daughter, Giorgia, was born in 2004,[6] and their son, Christian, four years later.[19]

With Margaglio

GP: Champions Series / Grand Prix

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Barbara Fusar-Poli.

• Barbara Fusar Poli / Maurizio Margaglio at the International Skating Union
• Barbara Fusar Poli at Olympedia
• Barbara Fusar Poli at Olympics.com
• Barbara Fusar Poli at the Comitato Olimpico Nazionale Italiano (in Italian)
• Official Fusar Poli & Margaglio website at the Wayback Machine (archived 19 February 2006)
• Fusar Poli and Margaglio at the Wayback Machine (archived 16 August 2011)