Franca Bianconi

Franca Bianconi
Bianconi in 2011
Full name	Franca Anna Bianconi Manni
Born	(1962-03-03) 3 March 1962 (age 63) Milan, Italy
Figure skating career
Country	Italy
Began skating	1968
Retired	1981

Franca Anna Bianconi Manni ^[1] (born 3 March 1962) is an Italian figure skating coach and former competitor. She competed at the 1980 Winter Olympics.

Personal life

Bianconi was born on 3 March 1962 in Milan, Italy. ^{[1] [2]} She is the mother of Italian ice dancer Victoria Manni. ^[3]

Career

Bianconi began skating at age six in Milan. ^[4] During her career, she was coached mainly by Franca Invernizzi in Milan and also spent time in Colorado training under Carlo Fassi and in Lake Placid under Tommy Litz. ^[4]

Bianconi debuted at the European and World Championships in 1977. She was selected to represent Italy at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, and finished 19th. ^[2] She retired from competition in 1981 and became a coach. ^[4]

Following her competitive career, Bianconi become a figure skating coach and is based at S.S.D. S.r.l. Icelab in Bergamo. ^[1]

Her current students include:

• Matteo Rizzo (since he was six years old) ^[5]
• Rebecca Ghilardi / Filippo Ambrosini (the 2023 European silver medalists) ^[6]
• Annika Hocke / Robert Kunkel (the 2023 European bronze medalists) ^[7]

Her former students include:

• Paola Tosi ^[4]
• Antonio Moffa ^[4]
• Valentina Marchei (as a singles skater) ^[8]
• Roberta Rodeghiero ^[9]
• Stefania Berton / Ondřej Hotárek (the 2013 European bronze medalists) ^[10]
• Valentina Marchei / Ondřej Hotárek ^[11]
• Kristen Spours ^[12]
• Victoria Manni ^[13]

Competitive highlights

International
Event	76–77	77–78	78–79	79–80	80–81
Winter Olympics				19th
World Championships	19th		24th
European Championships	18th	18th	23rd		17th
National
Italian Championships

References

1. "725 - S.S.D. S.r.l. Icelab: Allenatori" [S.S.D. S.r.l. Icelab: Coaches](PDF) (in Italian). Federazione Italiana Sport del Ghiaccio / ice-lab.it. 18 January 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 August 2016.
2. "Franca Bianconi". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 2014-02-27.
3. Rhodes, Jerry (1 August 2006). "22 Italian skaters training at UD". University of Delaware . Archived from the original on 13 July 2007.
4. Sciarrillo, Laura (10 August 2013). "Pattinatrice e allenatrice: Franca Bianconi racconta la sua carriera". artonice.it (in Italian).
   • Translation: "Skater and coach: Franca Bianconi tells us about her career". 8 September 2013.
5. Golinsky, Reut (2 November 2017). "Catching up with Franca Bianconi". Absolute Skating.
6. "Rebecca Ghilardi / Filippo Ambrosini". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
7. "Annika Hocke / Robert Kunkel". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 24 September 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
8. "Valentina MARCHEI: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014.
9. "Roberta RODEGHIERO: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014.
10. "Stefania BERTON / Ondrej HOTAREK: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014.
11. "Valentina Marchei / Ondrej Hotarek". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
12. "Kristen Spours". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 31 August 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
13. "Victoria Manni". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Retrieved 14 August 2023.