Ok, so I'm starting to get tired of the stories of these teams splitting up just as they are starting to gain senior national and international success and recognition. U.S. ice dancing bronze medalists Madison Chock and Greg Zuerlein, who made amazing strides this season with their Cabaret program, have split. They won the 2009 junior world championships. Zuerlein is retiring from competitive skating and Chock is looking for a new partner.
The team formed in 2007 and trained under coaches Igor Shpilband, Marina Zoueva, Johnny Johns and Adrienne Lenda in Canton, Mich. They had a breakthrough season in 2008-09, winning all five events they entered, including the International Skating Union (ISU) Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, AT&T U.S. Figure Skating Championships (junior) and World Junior Figure Skating Championships.
Last season, their second on the senior level, Chock and Zuerlein collected bronze medals at their two events in the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series-Skate Canada and Trophée Eric Bompard-before also earning the bronze at the 2011 AT&T U.S. Figure Skating Championships. They finished the season by placing ninth in their first appearance at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships.
I can't read another one of these break-up statements. Zuerlein is also going to continue giving skating lessons. Sad.