Peter Allen Oppegard (born August 23, 1959 in Knoxville, Tennessee)[1] is an American retired pair skater and coach. With his partner Jill Watson, he is the 1988 Olympic bronze medalist and a three-time U.S. national champion.

Peter Oppegard
Oppegard at 2016 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships
Personal information
Country represented	United States
Born	(1959-08-23) August 23, 1959 (age 63) Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
Residence	California
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Former partner	Jill Watson, Vicki Heasley
Skating club	LAFSC (Los Angeles Figure Skating Club)
Retired	1988
Medal record Pairs' figure skating Representing the  United States Olympic Games 1988 Calgary Pairs World Championships 1987 Cincinnati Pairs

Oppegard initially paired with Vicki Heasley. He began competing with Watson in 1985. In their career, Watson and Oppegard won three national titles, a world bronze medal, an Olympic bronze medal, and various other medals. During Watson and Oppegard's free skate at the 1988 Olympics, a photographer dropped his camera bag onto the ice and an usher walked onto the ice to pick it up while the pair was performing an overhead lift.[2]

Oppegard later skated with Cindy Landry for a short time.

His skaters have won 10 national singles and pairs titles. The Professional Skaters Association and US Figure Skating has named Oppegard "Choreographer of the Year" and "Coach of the Year".

Jill Watson and Peter Oppegard were inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2004.

He coached at the East West Ice Palace in southern California until 2018.[3]

In May 2022, Oppegard was suspended by the U.S. Center for SafeSport for misconduct.[4]

Personal life

Oppegard is married to Karen Kwan, sister of world champion figure skater Michelle Kwan, and they have 2 daughters, Olivia Colett Oppegard and Sophia Oppegard. As of 2021, they are estranged.[3]

Abuse allegations and suspension

In February 2021, USA Today reported that Oppegard had been under investigation by the United States Center for SafeSport since July 2020 for allegations of physical abuse, including throwing coffee and hot water at skaters he coached at the East West Ice Palace. American pairs skater Jessica Pfund also alleged that Oppegard bit her on the upper right arm during a training session in 2013, when Pfund was 15 years old.[3] In May 2022, Oppegard was suspended by the U.S. Center for SafeSport for "physical & emotional" misconduct.[4]

Results

With Watson

References

External links

• Watson and Oppegard competition results
• Landry and Oppegard competition results
• Heasley and Oppegard competition results
• Watson and Oppegard at pairsonice.com
• Coaching biography
• U. S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame at the Library of Congress Web Archives (archived 2002-02-23)

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[ru] Оппегард, Питер