Childhood & Early Life
Tessa Jane McCormick Virtue was born on May 17, 1989, in London, Ontario, Canada, to Kate and Jim Virtue. She has three elder siblings.
Tessa was educated at the 'Holy Names High School.' She joined the 'National Ballet School' to learn ice skating when she was 9. She graduated in psychology from the 'University of Windsor' (2007) and also attended 'The University of Western Ontario.'
In addition to ice skating, Tessa was also trained in ballet, contemporary dance, gymnastics, track, and other sports and activities.
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir were first paired up by Scott’s aunt, Carol, when Tessa was 7 and attended Carol’s skating lessons.
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Career
Tessa Virtue began her career as a professional ice dancer, teaming up with Scott. They won the 2001 'Canadian Championships.' Subsequently, the duo won the bronze medal at the 2002 'Canadian Championships' and earned the seventh spot in the junior division of the 2003 'Canadian Championships.'
In 2004, they were trained under Igor Shpilband and Marina Zueva at the 'Arctic Edge Ice Arena' in Canton, Michigan. That year, they participated in the 2004 'Canadian Championships' for the first time and won the ‘Junior’ title, while finishing 11th in the 2004 'World Junior Championships.'
Tessa and Scott won the 2004–2005 'ISU Junior Grand Prix' in China and a silver medal in the 'Junior Grand Prix Final.' They secured the fourth spot in their debut 'Canadian Championships' in 2005 and won the silver at the 2005 'World Junior Championships.'
The two won the 2005–2006 'ISU Junior Grand Prix' event and the 'Junior Grand Prix Final' for the season. They secured the third position at the 2006 'Canadian Championships' and won the bronze medal at the 2006 'Four Continents.'
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir were the first Canadian ice dancers to win the 'World Junior Championships' title, in 2006. They also won the silver in their 'Grand Prix' debut event, the 2006 'Skate Canada International.'
The two received the silver and the bronze at the 2007 'Canadian Championships' and 'Four Continents,' respectively. They made a record-setting debut at the 'World Championships,' finishing at the sixth spot.
That season, Tessa and Scott won the 2007 'Skate Canada International,' secured the second spot at the 2007 'NHK Trophy,' and ranked fourth at the 'Grand Prix Final.'
The 2008 'Canadian Championship' was the duo's first national title. They won a gold medal at the 2008 'Four Continents Championships' and a silver medal at the 2008 'World Championships' in Sweden.
By the fall of 2008, Tessa's chronic exertional compartment syndrome slowed down the duo's career. She underwent surgery in October and hence did not participate in the 'Grand Prix' events that year.
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They made a comeback with wins at the 2009 'Canadian Championships,' the 2009 'TrophéeÉricBompard,' and the 2009 'Skate Canada International.' They also won silver medals at the 2009 'Four Continents Championships' and the 'Grand Prix Final' and a bronze at the 2009 'World Championships.'
After winning the 2010 'Winter Olympics,' Tessa and Scott became the first Canadian (as well as the first North American) and the youngest duo to win an 'Olympic' ice-dance event. In March 2010, they registered their first world championship title.
In October 2010, Tessa and Scott published the book titled 'Tessa and Scott: Our Journey from Childhood Dream to Gold,' co-written by Steve Milton.
The duo withdrew from the 2010 'Skate Canada International' due to Tessa's surgery. They resumed with the 2011 'Four Continents' but had to quit midway, as Tessa had not fully recovered and her leg muscle was hurting.
They won the silver at the 2011 'World Championships,' after which Tessa decided to opt for other methods to treat her medical condition.
After winning both of their 'Grand Prix' events, Tessa Virtue and Scott received the silver at the 'Grand Prix Final.' Later, a scoring error in the free dance segment was acknowledged. Had the scores been calculated correctly, the two would have been the winners. The ‘ISU,’ however, did not change the score.
In 2012, Tessa and Scott won their fourth national title, the 'World Championships,' the 'Skate Canada International' title, and the silver at the 'Grand Prix Final.'
In 2013, the duo won their fifth national title, the 'Finlandia Trophy,' the 'Skate Canada International' title, the 'TrophéeÉricBompard,' and the silver at the 'World Championships.' He secured a world-record score at the 'Grand Prix Final.'
Tessa and Scott began the year 2014 with their show 'W Network,' featuring their 'Olympics' training. At the 'Canadian National Championships,' Tessa and Scott announced that they could be retiring after the 2014 'Winter Olympics' in Sochi, Russia, and that they would not participate in the 2014 'World Championships.' They secured the second position at the ‘Olympics’ twice and then went on a break.
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In 2015, Tessa launched her jewelry collection in collaboration with 'Hillberg & Berk.' With Scott, she won the 2016 'Skate Canada International,' set a record score at the 2016 'NHK Trophy' competition in Japan, and scored the highest points at a 'Grand Prix' event.
In 2017, they won their seventh national title and their third 'Four Continents' title (in South Korea). That year, they also made a new record at the 'World Championships' in Helsinki, won gold medals at the 'Skate Canada International' championship and the 'NHK Trophy,' and won their first gold at the 'Grand Prix Final' (in Marseille, France).
In January 2018, Tessa launched her collaborative sunglass collection called 'The BonLook X Tessa Virtue' collection. She was also chosen as the brand ambassador for 'Nivea.' That year, she and Scott co-produced and performed on their ice-skating show, 'The Thank You Canada Tour.'
The duo added one more national title to their name. They also won the 2018 'Winter Olympics' in Pyeongchang.
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir announced their retirement from competitive ice dancing in September 2019. That year, they co-produced the 'Rock the Rink' tour.
Facts About Tessa Virtue
Tessa Virtue is known for her love of animals, particularly her pet dog, Lola, whom she often shares adorable photos of on social media.
In addition to her skating talents, Tessa is also a talented writer and has contributed articles to various publications sharing her experiences and insights.
Tessa has a passion for fashion and is known for her stylish and elegant wardrobe choices both on and off the ice.
She has a sweet tooth and enjoys indulging in desserts, with chocolate being one of her favorite treats.
Tessa is fluent in both English and French, showcasing her dedication to learning new languages and embracing different cultures.
