Jessica Pfund

Jessica Pfund (born January 9, 1998) is a retired Swiss-American pair skater who represents Switzerland. With skating partner Joshua Santillan, she is the 2015 Autumn Classic International bronze medalist and has competed at two Grand Prix events. They are the 2022 Swiss national champions. On May 3, 2023 the Disciplinary Chamber of Swiss Sport banned Jessica Pfund for four years for the presence and use of banned substances and ordered her to pay a fine.

Jessica Pfund
Pfund and Santillan at the 2016 Cup of China
Born	(1998-01-09) January 9, 1998 (age 26) Los Gatos, California
Hometown	Palmetto, California
Height	1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Figure skating career
Country	Switzerland (2021–22)  United States (2015–20)
Discipline	Pair skating
Skating club	Southwest Florida Figure Skating Club
Began skating	2003
Retired	March 18, 2022
Swiss Championships 2022 Lucerne Pairs

Career

Early career

Pfund began learning to skate in 2003.^[1] As a single skater, she won the juvenile bronze medal at the 2009 U.S. Junior Championships and placed 12th on the novice level at the 2011 U.S. Championships.

In the 2011–12 season, Pfund began competing in pair skating with AJ Reiss. In 2012, they appeared at two Junior Grand Prix events, placing 5th in Lake Placid, New York, and 7th in Chemnitz, Germany. Competing on the senior level, they placed tenth at the 2014 U.S. Championships. They were coached by Peter Oppegard in Artesia, California.^[2]

Partnership with Santillan

Pfund teamed up with Joshua Santillan in May 2015,^[3] following tryouts in Florida and Colorado Springs, Colorado.^[4] They decided to be coached by Lyndon Johnston in Ellenton, Florida, and, early in their partnership, also trained with Jim Peterson and Amanda Evora.^[5] Making their international debut, the pair won the bronze medal at the 2015 Autumn Classic International. Appearing as late replacements for Gretchen Donlan / Nathan Bartholomay,^[5] they finished 8th at their first Grand Prix event, the 2015 Skate America.

Pfund underwent surgery in mid-2016 due to two torn ligaments in her right foot and returned to the ice three months later.^[6] She and Santillan finished 8th at the 2016 Cup of China. Following the event, she had an amniotic stem cell injection to treat tendinitis in her anterior tendon and a bone cement injection for a chronic bruise in her talus bone.^[6] In January 2017, Santillan had a strained rotator cuff in his right shoulder.^[6] The pair placed 5th at the 2017 U.S. Championships.

In October 2020, Pfund and Santillan announced their intention to represent Switzerland in competition, but were told by the U.S. Figure Skating Federation that they would have to wait a year to be released.^[7] In July 2021, they announced they were allowed to represent Switzerland for the 2021-2022 season.^[8]

On March 18, 2022, they announced their retirement from competitive skating.^[9]

In the context of a competition control during the Elite Swiss Championships 2021 Pfund tested positive for the prohibited substances amphetamine, cocaine, and its metabolites. After notification by Swiss Sport Integrity, the athlete was unable to present an exception permit for therapeutic use (ATZ) of the medication containing amphetamine. As of May 3, 2023 athlete has been sentenced by the Swiss Sports Disciplinary Chamber (DK) to a four-year suspension for the presence and use of prohibited substances in competition. The suspension is effective from January 6, 2022, the start of the provisional suspension, and is valid for all sports and any functions in sport worldwide. In addition, Pfund must pay control, analysis and procedure costs, compensation to Swiss Sport Integrity, and a fine in the total amount of CHF 4,210.^[10][11]

Programs

With Santillan

Season	Short program	Free skating
2018–2020	Creep by Radiohead performed by Brian Justin Crum	Interstellar by Hans Zimmer
2017–2018	You Raise Me Up performed by Josh Groban	Gone with the Wind by Max Steiner
2016–2017 ^[1]^[4]	Purple Rain by Prince, The Revolution, Stacy Francis choreo. by Emilie Connors	Don't Cry for Me Argentina (from Evita) by Andrew Lloyd Webber choreo. by Lyndon Johnston
2015–2016 ^[12]^[5]	Gravity by Sara Bareilles choreo. by Amanda Evora	Prince Igor by Alexander Borodin choreo. by Jim Peterson

With Reiss

Season	Short program	Free skating
2012–2013 ^[2]	Bolero for Violin and Orchestra by Vanessa-Mae	Tristan & Iseult arranged by Maxime Rodriguez
2011–2012 ^[13]	Fantasy on Dark Eyes by Sergio Assad, Odair Assad, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg	Treasure Island by Clifton Parker

Competitive highlights

GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

Pairs with Santillan

For Switzerland

International^[14]
Event	2021–22
CS Autumn Classic	6th
Cranberry Cup	8th
National
Swiss Champ.	1st

For the United States

International^[14]
Event	2015–16	2016–17	2017–18	2018–19	2019–20
GP Cup of China		8th
GP Skate America	8th
CS Finlandia Trophy				9th
CS Lombardia Trophy		4th
CS Ondrej Nepela			4th
CS Warsaw Cup			5th
Autumn Classic	3rd
National^[3]
U.S. Championships	7th	5th	8th	WD	8th
U.S. Pairs Final					2nd
WD = Withdrew

Pairs with Reiss

International^[15]
Event	2011–12	2012–13	2013–14
JGP Germany		7th
JGP United States		5th
Challenge Cup	1st J
National^[13]
U.S. Championships	5th J	6th J	10th

References

1. . International Skating Union. Archived from the original on February 1, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
2. "Jessica PFUND / AJ REISS: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. from the original on February 26, 2013.
3. "Jessica Pfund and Joshua Santillan". IceNetwork.com. from the original on February 1, 2017.
4. Lewis, Amber (January 14, 2017). "Kansas City part of the big picture for Pfund and Santillan". Ice Musings.
5. Thayer, Jacquelyn (December 14, 2015). "Achievement Comes at a Cost for Pfund and Santillan". Two for the Ice.
6. Wilson, David (January 17, 2017). "Joshua Santillan and Jessica Pfund try to take a leap at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships". Bradenton Herald. from the original on February 1, 2017.
7. Pfund, Jessica; Santillan, Joshua (October 22, 2020). "2021 Season Update". Joshica.net.
8. Pfund, Jessica; Santillan, Joshua (July 22, 2021). "Don't Call It A Comeback". Joshica.net.
9. Jessica Pufnd, Joshua Santillan (March 18, 2022). "Final Blog". Joshica.net.
10. "Eiskunstläuferin wegen Dopings für vier Jahre gesperrt | SSI". www.sportintegrity.ch (in German). 3 May 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
11. "Figure skater suspended for four years | SSI". www.sportintegrity.ch. 3 May 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
12. . International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 27, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
13. "Jessica Pfund & AJ Reiss". IceNetwork.com. from the original on August 12, 2016.
    • . Archived from the original on February 2, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
14. "Competition Results: Jessica PFUND / Joshua SANTILLAN". International Skating Union.
15. "Competition Results: Jessica PFUND / AJ REISS". International Skating Union. from the original on February 1, 2017.

External links

• Jessica Pfund / Joshua Santillan at the International Skating Union