Austrian pair skater
Livio Mayr (born 21 December 1997) is an Austrian pair skater. With his current skating partner, Sophia Schaller, he is the 2023 Trophée Métropole Nice bronze medalist and a two-time Austrian national champion (2023, 2024).
Personal life
Mayr was born on 21 December 1997 in Salzburg, Austria.
Career
Early years
Mayr began learning how to skate in 2006. He began representing Austria internationally as a junior-level single skater in 2012. He competed in singles for five seasons, placing third at the Austrian Junior National Championships in 2014, 2016, and 2017, before opting to transition to pair skating.
2018–19 season: Debut of Dana/Mayr
Mayr teamed up with his first pairs partner, American skater Sara Jane Dana, in advance of the 2018–19 season. They competed at two Junior Grand Prix events during their partnership, finishing 12th in Austria and 15th in the Czech Republic, as well as one international junior B event, the 2018 Golden Spin of Zagreb, where they placed fourth. Dana/Mayr won the silver medal in the junior pairs event behind Heidrun Pipal / Erik Pipal at the 2019 Austrian Championships before ultimately dissolving their partnership.
2019–20 season: Debut of Boys-Eddy/Mayr
Mayr next partnered with Canadian pairs skater Olivia Boys-Eddy, advancing to the senior level. Boys-Eddy/Mayr competed internationally three times during the 2019–20 season, finishing 8th at the 2019 Volvo Open Cup, 9th at the 2020 Bavarian Open, and 13th at the 2020 Challenge Cup. They placed second at the 2020 Austrian Championships behind Miriam Ziegler / Severin Kiefer, but also chose to end their partnership in early 2020.
2020–21 and 2021–22 season: Partnership with Choinard
Mayr teamed up with Canadian skater Chloe Choinard in the spring of 2020. Their partnership was immediately plagued by challenges as Canada went into precautionary lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic the day after their first day of training together. Misfortune continued into 2021 as Choinard tore her meniscus during a training session in preparation for their competitive debut in September, effectively ending their season before it began.[1] The team chose to part ways months later, with Mayr seeking a new partner and Choinard transitioning to synchronized skating.
2022–23 season: Debut of Schaller/Mayr
Mayr teamed up with longtime Salzburg Skating Club-mate, Sophia Schaller, in May 2022 after a tryout session in Paris.[2][3] He was initially interested in teaming up with Schaller in 2018 when he was first beginning his pairs career, but at the time, Schaller chose to prioritize her future in singles. The skaters would attribute their ease adapting to skating together to their long-standing relationship, having known one another since childhood and trained at the same rink for many years.[1] Schaller/Mayr chose to train under Violette Ivanoff, former Austrian champion Severin Kiefer, and Kiefer's sister Julia in Salzburg. It was also announced that the duo would also make trips to Oakville, Ontario, Canada to work with Canadian pair coaches, Bruno Marcotte and Brian Shales.[4]
The pair started the season by finishing fourth at the 2022 Tayside Trophy, fourth at the 2022 Trophée Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur, and fourth at the 2022 Ice Challenge. They would then compete on the 2022–23 ISU Challenger Series, finishing eleventh at the 2022 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb.[5]
In December, Schaller/Mayr won their first national title at the 2022–23 Austrian Championships. They were then selected to compete at the 2023 European Championships in Espoo, Finland, where they finished in twelfth place. The pair would then conclude their season by finishing fifth at the 2023 Bavarian Open and ninth at the 2023 International Challenge Cup.[5]
2023–24 season
Schaller/Mayr started the season with an eighth-place finish at the 2023 John Nicks Pairs Challenge. Going on to compete on the 2023–24 ISU Challenger Series, the pair would place seventh at the 2023 CS Autumn Classic International. They would subsequently win a bronze medal at the 2023 Trophée Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur and place ninth at the 2023 Warsaw Cup.[5]
In December, Schaller/Mayr would win gold at the 2023–24 Austrian Championships for a second consecutive time.[5]
Going on to compete at the 2024 European Championships in Kaunas, Lithuania, the pair would finish in eighteenth place. They would then go on to place fifth at the 2024 International Challenge Cup.[5]
Making their World Championship debut as a team at the 2024 World Championships in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the pair would finish twenty-second.[5]
2024–25 season
Schaller/Mayr began the season by competing on the 2024–25 ISU Challenger Series, finishing fifteenth at the 2024 CS John Nicks International Pairs Competition and ninth at the 2024 CS Nebelhorn Trophy.[5]
Programs
Pair skating with Sophia Schaller
With Choinard
With Dana
Competitive highlights
Pair skating with Sophia Schaller
Pairs with Boys-Eddy
Pairs with Dana
Men's singles
Detailed results
Pair skating with Sophia Schaller
References
External links
