Wikipedia

Niccolò Macii

Niccolò Macii (born 18 October 1995) is an Italian pair skater. With his skating partner, Sara Conti, he is the 2023 World bronze medalist, the 2023 European champion, a two-time ISU Grand Prix Final medalist, five-time ISU Grand Prix medalist, and the 2023 Italian national champion. They are the first (and to date, only) Italian pair to medal at the World Championships and to win gold at the European Championships.

Niccolò Macii
Conti and Macii at the 2024 World Championships
Other namesNicco
Born (1995-10-18) 18 October 1995 (age 29)
Milan, Italy
Height1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Figure skating career
Country Italy
DisciplinePair skating
PartnerSara Conti (since 2019)
Anastasiia Revenko
(2016–17)
Bianca Manacorda (2011–16)
CoachBarbara Luoni
Skating clubIceLab Sesto San Giovanni
Began skating2006
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2023 Saitama Pairs
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2023 Espoo Pairs
Grand Prix Final
Silver medal – second place 2023–24 Beijing Pairs
Bronze medal – third place 2022–23 Turin Pairs
Italian Championships
Gold medal – first place 2023 Brunico Pairs
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Turin Pairs
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Bergamo Pairs
Bronze medal – third place 2021 Egna Pairs
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Turin Pairs

With his former skating partner, Bianca Manacorda, he won silver at an ISU Challenger Series event, the 2014 Lombardia Trophy. They also competed at three World Junior Championships and a European Championships.

Personal life

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Macii was born on October 18, 1995, in Milan, Italy.[1] He is able to fluently speak English.[2]

He began dating his pair partner, Sara Conti, in 2018 before amicably splitting in 2023.[3][4][5][6]

Career

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Early career

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Macii began figure skating in 2006. Macii's first pair partner was Sonia Manfredi.[7]

He ultimately teamed up with Bianca Manacorda prior to the 2011–12 figure skating season.

On the junior level, Manacorda/Macii won the 2014 Bavarian Open as well as the 2014 Italian Junior Championships. They also competed at three World Junior Championships (2012, 2014, 2015), finishing as high as sixth.[8]

On the senior level, Manacorda/Macii won silver at the 2014 CS Lombardia Trophy, bronze at the 2016 Italian Championships, and bronze at the 2016 Bavarian Open. Additionally, they competed at the 2016 European Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia, where they placed twelfth.[8] Their partnership dissolved following the 2015–16 figure skating season.

Following his split with Manacorda, Macii briefly skated pairs with Anastasiia Revenko and Damiana Alessandra Celi, before ultimately teaming up with singles skater, Sara Conti, in 2019.[1][9]

Partnership with Conti

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2019–20 season

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Conti/Macii debuted at the 2019 IceLab International Cup, where they placed fifth. They went on to compete at the 2019 CS Warsaw Cup and the 2019 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb, finishing fifteenth and thirteenth, respectively.[10]

At the 2020 Italian Championships, Conti/Macii won the bronze medal. They then finished the season with a sixth-place finish at the 2020 Bavarian Open.[10]

2020–21 season

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Conti/Macii won their second consecutive bronze medal at the 2021 Italian Championships.[10] They went on to compete at the 2021 International Challenge Cup but they ultimately withdrew after the short program.[11]

2021–22 season

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Conti/Macii began their season with a fifth-place finish at the 2021 CS Lombardia Trophy. They went on to place tenth at the 2021 CS Nebelhorn Trophy as well as win silver at the 2021 Cup of Nice.[10]

Conti/Macii debuted Grand Prix series at the 2021 Gran Premio d'Italia, where they finished seventh. They then competed at the 2021 CS Warsaw Cup, where they finished seventh.[10]

At the 2022 Italian Championships, Conti/Macii won their third bronze medal.[10] Selected to compete at the 2022 European Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, Conti/Macii placed tenth in the short program and sixth in the free skate, placing seventh overall.[10]

2022–23 season

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For the new season, the pair upgraded their twist lift to a triple for the first time.[12] Conti/Macii started their season two appearances on the Challenger circuit, winning a gold medal at the 2022 CS Lombardia Trophy and placing fourth at the 2022 CS Nebelhorn Trophy. They also won gold at the 2022 Tayside Trophy.[10]

Given two assignments on the Grand Prix, Conti/Macii won the bronze medal at 2022 Skate Canada International, their first Grand Prix medal, which he called "like a dream." They finished second in the free skate, and came within 0.30 points of silver medalists Chan/Howe.[13] At their second assignment, the 2022 MK John Wilson Trophy, Conti/Macci won the silver medal despite having to abort their final lift in the free skate. He said afterward "the last lift angers us, because we can do it so easily," while adding they were "happy with our result."[14] These placements ultimately earned them a berth at the 2022–23 Grand Prix Final, held on home ice in Turin.[15] At the Final, Conti/Macii placed fourth in the short program, 2.24 points back of Canadians Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps in third.[15] With a new personal best of 119.72 in the free skate they rose to third overall, taking the bronze medal over the Canadians by less than three points. Macci remarked afterward that "let's say we're still somehow outsiders who are getting almost too many results. But we're extremely happy about this result that we didn't expect it at all."[12]

Shortly after the Final, the duo won their first national title at the 2023 Italian Championships.[10] At the 2023 European Championships in Espoo, Finland, Conti/Macii won the short program and placed second in the free skate, ultimately winning the gold medal. They became the first Italian pair team to ever win a European title.[16][17] Conti/Macii then went on to compete at the 2023 International Challenge Cup, where they won the gold medal.[10]

At the 2023 World Championships in Saitama, Japan, Conti/Macii placed third in both the short program and free skate, ultimately winning the bronze medal. Conti/Macii became the first Italian pair team to ever medal at a World Championships, which she said made them "very proud of what we were able to achieve in a patriotic kind of way."[18] Conti/Macii then joined Team Italy at the 2023 World Team Trophy, where they placed fourth in the short program and third in the free skate. Team Italy finished fourth overall.[19][20]

2023–24 season

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Conti and Macii performing their short program at the 2024 World Championships

During the off-season, Conti/Macii selected the song, "Intermezzo sinfonico," which was Macii's grandparents' wedding song and served as a tribute to his late grandfather, who had passed away in 2022.[3][21]<

They would begin the season by winning the gold medal at the 2023 CS Lombardia Trophy.[10] On the Grand Prix, they entered the 2023 Grand Prix de France as the title favourites, but placed narrowly second in the short program after Conti stepped out of their throw landing.[22] In the free skate, Conti had another throw stepout, as well as one on her jump sequence attempt. The team placed second in that segment as well, finishing with the silver medal, 5.21 points behind gold medalists Pereira/Michaud of Canada. Conti said afterward that they were "so happy with our free skating," stating "we are a top couple and we have to stay here. We want to improve our program and will be ready for our next Grand Prix. We know we can do much better."[23] At their second event, the 2023 Grand Prix of Espoo, they repeated the short program throw error from France and came second again in the segment. They were third in the free skate after Macii fell on a jump, but remained second overall.[24]

Competing at the 2023–24 Grand Prix Final in Beijing, Conti/Macii skated a clean short program to place third in the segment. They won the free skate, but finished second overall, 0.55 points behind gold medalists Hase/Volodin of Germany. Conti declared of the result that they were "so happy. Finally. Our season starts right now! The two months before were preparation, now we have arrived!"[25]

Conti suffered from a bad flu in the days before the Italian championships, and as a result the team withdrew.[26] They next appeared at the 2024 European Championships, where struggles in both programs saw them come sixth.[27] Conti/Macii next won gold at the International Challenge Cup for the second consecutive year.[10]

Prior to the 2024 World Championships, Conti/Macii made the decision to go back to their "Oblivion (Una sombra más)" short program that they had used the previous three seasons.[28] Going on to compete at those championships in Montreal, Conti/Macii came third in the short program with a clean skate and a season's best score of 72.88. They were 0.65 points back of Japan's Miura/Kihara in second, and 0.78 ahead of Hase/Volodin in fourth. Conti effused that "finally, we had a really good short program!" They struggled with numerous errors in the free skate, coming sixth in that segment and dropping to sixth place overall. Conti called it "disappointing, but it's a competition."[29]

2024–25 season

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Going into the season, Conti/Macii selected the song, "Papa, Can You Hear Me?", for their free program in dedication of Conti's late father.[30]

They would begin the season by winning gold at the 2024 CS Lombardia Trophy and at the 2024 Tayside Trophy. Going on to compete on the 2024–25 Grand Prix circuit, they would win the silver medal at the 2024 Grand Prix de France behind Hase/Volodin.[31]

Programs

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With Conti

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Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2024–2025
[32]
2023–2024
[33][28][34]
  • Oblivion (Una sombra más)
    by Astor Piazzolla
    performed by Mina and Gianni Ferrio
    choreo. by Raffaella Cazzaniga
2022–2023
[1]
  • Oblivion (Una sombra más)
    by Astor Piazzolla
    performed by Mina and Gianni Ferrio
    choreo. by Raffaella Cazzaniga
2021–2022
[35]
2020–2021
[36]
2019–2020
[37][38]

With Manacorda

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Season Short program Free skating
2015–16
[8]
  • Wild Side
    by Roberto Cacciapaglia
    choreo. by Andrea Gilardi
2014–15
[39]
2013–14
[40]
  • Micmacs a tire-larigot
    by Raphael Beau, Max Steiner
    choreo. by Andrea Gilardi
2012–13
[41]
2011–12
[7]

Competitive highlights

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Pair skating with Sara Conti

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Competition placements at senior level [31]
Season 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
World Championships 3rd 6th
European Championships 7th 1st 6th
Grand Prix Final 3rd 2nd
Italian Championships 3rd 3rd 3rd 1st
World Team Trophy 4th
(3rd)
GP Cup of China TBD
GP Finland 2nd
GP France 2nd 2nd
GP Italy 7th
GP Skate Canada 3rd
GP Wilson Trophy 2nd
CS Golden Spin of Zagreb 13th TBD
CS Lombardia Trophy 5th 1st 1st 1st
GP Nebelhorn Trophy 10th 4th
GP Warsaw Cup 15th 7th
Bavarian Open 6th
Challenge Cup WD 1st 1st
IceLab Cup 5th
Tayside Trophy 1st 1st 1st
Trophée Métropole Nice 2nd

With Manacorda

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International[42]
Event 11–12 12–13 13–14 14–15 15–16
Europeans 12th
CS Golden Spin 9th
CS Lombardia 2nd
CS Warsaw Cup 5th
Cup of Nice 4th
Merano Cup 6th
International: Junior[42]
Junior Worlds 18th 12th 6th
JGP Belarus 7th
JGP Croatia 14th 8th
JGP Estonia 7th 9th
Bavarian Open 3rd 1st 3rd
DS Cup 1st
NRW Trophy 5th
Toruń Cup 4th
Warsaw Cup 7th 6th
National[42]
Italian Champ. 2nd J 1st J 3rd
J = Junior level

Detailed results

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Pair skating with Sara Conti

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ISU personal best scores in the +5/-5 GOE System [31]
Segment Type Score Event
Total TSS 206.43 2023 World Championships
Short program TSS 74.67 2024 CS Lombardia Trophy
TES 40.47 2023 World Championships
PCS 34.32 2024 CS Lombardia Trophy
Free skating TSS 135.58 2023–24 Grand Prix Final
TES 69.77 2023–24 Grand Prix Final
PCS 68.48 2024 CS Lombardia Trophy
  • Small medals for the short program and free skating are only awarded at ISU Championships.
  • Medals at team events are awarded for the team results only. Individual placements at team events are listed in parentheses.
Results in the 2024–25 season [31]
Date Event SP FS Total
P Score P Score P Score
Sep 12–15, 2024   2024 CS Lombardia Trophy 1 74.67 2 128.35 1 203.02
Oct 12–13, 2024   2024 Tayside Trophy 1 64.04 1 134.55 1 198.59
Nov 1–3, 2024   2024 Grand Prix de France 2 70.79 2 132.60 2 203.39
2023–2024 season
Date Event SP FS Total
March 18–24, 2024 2024 World Championships 3
72.88 		6
124.46 		6
197.34
February 22–25, 2024 2024 Challenge Cup 1
64.37 		1
133.45 		1
197.82
January 8–14, 2024 2024 European Championships 7
61.52 		4
125.73 		6
187.25
December 7–10, 2023 2023–24 Grand Prix Final 3
70.30 		1
135.58 		2
205.88
November 17–19, 2023 2023 Grand Prix of Espoo 2
65.00 		3
123.60 		2
188.60
November 3–5, 2023 2023 Grand Prix de France 2
65.31 		2
124.15 		2
189.46
October 14–15, 2023 2023 Tayside Trophy 1
65.40 		1
131.61 		1
197.01
September 8–10, 2023 2023 CS Lombardia Trophy 1
70.16 		1
130.19 		1
200.35
2022–23 season
Date Event SP FS Total
April 13–16, 2023 2023 World Team Trophy 4
69.84 		3
130.22 		4T/3P
200.06
March 22–26, 2023 2023 World Championships 3
73.24 		3
134.84 		3
208.08
February 23–26, 2023 2023 International Challenge Cup 1
63.69 		1
124.71 		1
188.40
January 25–29, 2023 2023 European Championships 1
70.45 		2
124.68 		1
195.13
December 15–18, 2022 2023 Italian Championships 1
70.76 		1
131.99 		1
202.75
December 8–11, 2022 2022–23 Grand Prix Final 4
67.30 		3
119.72 		3
187.02
November 11–13, 2022 2022 MK John Wilson Trophy 2
68.69 		2
115.50 		2
184.19
October 28–30, 2022 2022 Skate Canada International 3
66.66 		2
119.52 		3
186.18
October 15–16, 2022 2022 Tayside Trophy 1
60.90 		1
118.23 		1
179.13
September 21–24, 2022 2022 CS Nebelhorn Trophy 4
64.85 		4
113.02 		4
177.87
September 16–19, 2022 2022 CS Lombardia Trophy 1
62.81 		1
107.38 		1
170.19
2021–22 season
Date Event SP FS Total
January 10–16, 2022 2022 European Championships 10
56.28 		6
112.62 		7
168.90
December 4–5, 2021 2022 Italian Championships 3
58.95 		3
110.41 		3
169.36
November 17–20, 2021 2021 CS Warsaw Cup 9
59.68 		7
108.36 		7
168.04
November 5–7, 2021 2021 Gran Premio d'Italia 6
54.55 		7
98.17 		7
152.72
October 20–24, 2021 2021 Cup of Nice 2
51.53 		2
102.03 		2
153.56
September 22–25, 2021 2021 CS Nebelhorn Trophy 9
53.96 		11
89.48 		10
143.44
September 9–12, 2021 2021 Lombardia Trophy 4
57.54 		6
92.68 		5
150.22
2020–21 season
Date Event SP FS Total
February 26–28, 2021 2021 Challenge Cup 7
49.28 		WD WD
December 12–13, 2020 2021 Italian Championships 2
55.89 		3
92.01 		3
147.90
2019–20 season
Date Event SP FS Total
February 3–9, 2020 2020 Bavarian Open 7
49.62 		5
93.29 		6
142.91
December 12–15, 2019 2020 Italian Championships 3
46.61 		3
82.99 		3
129.60
December 4–7, 2019 2019 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb 17
45.43 		13
90.77 		13
136.20
November 14–17, 2019 2019 CS Warsaw Cup 16
43.32 		15
85.31 		15
128.63
November 1–3, 2019 2019 IceLab International Cup 5
41.40 		4
88.07 		5
129.47

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Sara CONTI / Niccolo MACII: 2022/2023". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 1 November 2022.
  2. ^ "To Our Angels with Sara CONTI and Niccolo MACII (ITA)". YouTube. YouTube. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  3. ^ a b Goh, ZK. "Sara Conti and Niccolò Macii's teamwork and friendship still firm ahead of Milano Cortina 2026 despite off-ice split". Olympics.com. Olympics.com. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  4. ^ Conti, Sara. "Valentine's Day". Instagram. Instagram. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  5. ^ Conti, Sara. "Valentine's Day 2023". Instagram. Instagram. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  6. ^ Macii, Niccolo. "Our First Christmas". Instagram. Instagram. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Bianca MANACORDA / Niccolo MACII: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 March 2012.
  8. ^ a b c "Bianca MANACORDA / Niccolo MACII: 2015/2016". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 17 March 2016.
  9. ^ Macii, Niccolo. "New Partner". Instagram. Instagram. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Competition Results: Sara CONTI / Niccolo MACII". International Skating Union.
  11. ^ "2021 Challenge Cup Results". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  12. ^ a b "Miura/Kihara make Japan's first ISU Grand Prix Pairs medal a gold". International Skating Union. December 9, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  13. ^ Slater, Paula (October 29, 2022). "Miura and Kihara win historic pairs Gold for Japan". Golden Skate. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  14. ^ Slater, Paula (November 12, 2022). "USA's Knierim and Frazier gold again in Sheffield". Golden Skate. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  15. ^ a b "Miura/Kihara (JPN) take Pairs Short over Knierim/Frazier (USA) at ISU Grand Prix Final". International Skating Union. December 8, 2022. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  16. ^ "Conti/Macii (ITA) skate to the top of the Pairs Short program at ISU European Championships in Espoo". International Skating Union. January 25, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  17. ^ "Conti/Macii make history with first European Pairs title for Italy". International Skating Union. January 26, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  18. ^ Slater, Paula (March 23, 2023). "Miura and Kihara grand-slam their way into history". Golden Skate. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  19. ^ Mitsuoka, Maria-Lauria (April 14, 2023). "Team USA maintains lead in Tokyo; Korea and Japan follow". Golden Skate. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  20. ^ Mitsuoka, Maria-Lauria (April 16, 2023). "Team USA takes fifth World Team Trophy". Golden Skate. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  21. ^ "CONTI / MACII (ITA) - Pairs Short Program - Grand Prix de France 2023". YouTube. International Skating Union. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  22. ^ "Pereira/Michaud (CAN) topple European Champions Conti/Macii (ITA) in Pairs Short in France". International Skating Union. November 3, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  23. ^ "Pereira/Michaud (CAN) claim first ISU Grand Prix crown at Grand Prix de France". International Skating Union. October 21, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  24. ^ Slater, Paula (November 18, 2023). "Hase and Volodin golden in Grand Prix debut". Golden Skate. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  25. ^ Slater, Paula (December 8, 2023). "Hase and Volodin seize Grand Prix Final gold". Golden Skate. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  26. ^ Conti, Sara (December 20, 2023). "Io e Nik siamo molto tristi di comunicare che non prenderemo parte ai Campionati Italiani che si terranno a Pinerolo nei prossimi giorni" (Instagram). Archived from the original on January 28, 2024.
  27. ^ Slater, Paula (January 11, 2024). "Beccari and Guarise clinch unexpected gold at 2024 Europeans". Golden Skate. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  28. ^ a b "Sara CONTI / Niccolo MACII: 2023/2024 (2nd SP)". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 6 April 2024.
  29. ^ Slater, Paula (March 22, 2024). "Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps golden in Montreal". Golden Skate. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  30. ^ Tone, Florentina. "Raffaella Cazzaniga on Sara Conti and Niccolò Macii: "Their biggest quality – their skating skills"". Absolute Skating. Absolute Skating. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  31. ^ a b c d "ITA-Sara CONTI / Niccolo MACII". SkatingScores.
  32. ^ "Sara CONTI / Niccolo MACII: 2024/2025". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 6 November 2024.
  33. ^ "Sara CONTI / Niccolo MACII: 2023/2024 (1st SP)". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 11 September 2023.
  34. ^ "2023/24 Free Program". Twitter. Twitter. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  35. ^ "Sara CONTI / Niccolo MACII: 2021/2022". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 31 December 2021.
  36. ^ "Sara CONTI / Niccolo MACII: 2020/2021". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 16 March 2021.
  37. ^ "Sara CONTI / Niccolo MACII ITA SP Warsaw Cup 2019". YouTube. YouTube. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  38. ^ "Sara CONTI / Niccolo MACII ITA Free Skate 2019 Warsaw Cup". YouTube. YouTube. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  39. ^ "Bianca MANACORDA / Niccolo MACII: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015.
  40. ^ "Bianca MANACORDA / Niccolo MACII: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 21 June 2014.
  41. ^ "Bianca MANACORDA / Niccolo MACII: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 25 February 2013.
  42. ^ a b c "Competition Results: Bianca MANACORDA / Niccolo MACII". International Skating Union.
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