In the aftermath of finishing 10th in the 2015 U.S. Figure Skating Championships’ junior pairs division, Joy Weinberg and Michael Lueck split.
Weinberg, who had been training with Lueck in Minnesota for two seasons, returned home to Northbrook. She graduated high school by taking online classes. She also had tryouts with other male skaters in search of a new partner for the 2015-16 season.
One of the skaters she worked with during that time was Maximiliano Fernandez. He and his partner, Cirinia Gillett, split following a fifth-place finish at junior nationals in 2015.
The partnership between Weinberg and Fernandez — one that blossomed quickly and captured a junior national championship in January — felt right immediately.
“Out of all the partners I tried out with, Max was definitely the most motivated and talented,” said Weinberg, 19. “Also, we just got along really well. We’re pretty much the same age. He’s only one year older than me. It just felt really smooth, skating with him.”
Weinberg and Fernandez began training with each other on Mother’s Day in 2015. Their coach is Jim Peterson, who’s among the best pairs skating coaches in the United States.
Weinberg and Fernandez’s styles meshed well on the ice. Their timing fell into place as they trained in Ellenton, Fla.
They also got along.
“Joy and I connected very well,” said Fernandez, 20. “Our chemistry, with both of us being a little bit older — and being able to talk to each other in a calm, mature (manner) … helped quite a lot.”
Together, Weinberg and Fernandez reached new heights in their 2015-16 season.
They made their international debut in 2015. They ended their first season together with a 10th-place finish at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships in Debrecen, Hungary, last month. But the shining example of how much they progressed as a pair came when they won the junior pairs national championship at the 2016 U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Wednesday, Jan. 20.
Weinberg and Fernandez entered the final day of competition in second place. They were less than a point behind Highland Park native Jacob Simon and Buffalo Grove native Lindsay Weinstein when they took the ice for their free skate at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. Weinberg and Fernandez were the first pair in the final group to perform.
They earned a 90.44 in the free skate for a total of 139.24 points, and then had to wait as the final three pairs competed.
Simon and Weinstein finished with 138.90 points and took second.
“When we found out, we just freaked out,” Weinberg said. “We were all hugging and so excited.”
Weinberg and Fernandez are now technically in their offseason, but they have both already returned to training in Ellenton, Fla. They have decided to move up to the senior level for the 2016-17 season.
Having success as senior skaters will require Weinberg and Fernandez to add a more difficult throw and some tougher jumps to their repertoire — and make sure the difficult elements they were already doing are cleaner and more consistent, Weinberg said. Weinberg added that she and Fernandez will also focus on increasing their speed and artistry in the offseason to help them better connect to the judges and audience. They will continue to work with trainer Matt Eaton on several different aspects of their fitness.
Both Weinberg and Fernandez said they are very optimistic that they will continue to improve as a pair, especially by spending more and more time on the ice together.
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“To be together for such little time, (this year) was really good,” Fernandez said. “I think (next year) is going to be even better.”
Eric Van Dril is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @VanDrilSports