Juni Marie Benjaminsen

Juni Marie Benjaminsen (born 21 March 1999) is a Norwegian figure skater. In 2015, she advanced to the free skate at the World Junior Championships, becoming the first Norwegian ladies' skater to do so in 16 years.

Personal life

Juni Marie Benjaminsen was born on 21 March 1999 in Oslo, Norway.

Career

Benjaminsen trains at Oslo Skøiteklub during the high season, coached by Oleksandr Smokvin. During summer 2015 she trained in Oberstdorf, Germany and Richmond, Virginia, United States.

Early career

Benjaminsen won the Norwegian novice ladies' title during the 2012–13 season. The following season, she competed on the junior level, placing 10th at the 2014 Nordic Championships.

2014–15 season

Benjaminsen made her ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) debut in the 2014–15 season, placing 19th in Courchevel and 23rd in Tallinn. She placed 5th in junior ladies at the Tallinn Trophy, took the junior bronze medal at the 2015 Nordic Championships, and finished 13th at the 2015 European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF). At the 2015 World Junior Championships in Tallinn, she scored her personal best in the short program and advanced to the final, finishing 22nd overall. She was the first Norwegian in 16 years to qualify for the ladies' free skate at a World Junior Championships.

2015–16 season

Benjaminsen began her season on the JGP series, placing 16th in Latvia and 14th in Spain. Making her senior international debut, she finished 12th at an ISU Challenger Series (CS) event in November, the 2015 Tallinn Trophy.

Programs

Competitive highlights

CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix