Amanda

Evora

Figure Skating

Evora began skating after she discovered her sister's ice skates at the age of 6 and decided to give them a try. When she was 18, she left her family's home in Texas to further her skating career.

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Early in her pairs career, Evora skated with Michael Adler. They won the bronze medal at the 2002 Eastern Sectional Championships on the junior level and placed 8th on the junior level at the 2002 United States Figure Skating Championships.

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Evora and Ladwig teamed up in 2002. The 2005/2006 season was their first on the Grand Prix. They placed 9th at the 2005 Skate America and 8th at the 2005 Skate Canada International. They were the bronze medalists at the 2007 Nebelhorn Trophy and finished as high as fourth in GP events.

2009–10 was a breakthrough season for Evora and Ladwig. They finished 2nd at the US National Championships, their best finish yet at the event, which led to their selection for the US Olympic team. At the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, they beat their previous personal best by a sizable margin, and finished tenth, making them the top US pair at the Olympics. They later competed at 2010 Worlds for the first time in their career, and finished in ninth place.

Evora served on the 2008–09 Athletes Advisory Committee.

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During 2010–2011 season, the pair was assigned to compete at 2010 Cup of China where they finished fifth  and later earned their first Grand Prix medal, a bronze, at 2010 Cup of Russia.

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Evora and Ladwig were noted for their longevity as a pair, which is rare in U.S. pair skating. Their partnership ended when Evora retired from competitive skating on April 10, 2012.

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In June 2012, Evora was invited by United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to attend a luncheon in honor of Benigno S. Aquino III, the President of the Philippines.

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"I chose to attend college and get a degree as a back-up plan to my figure skating career." Amanda graduated University of South Florida Sarasota Manatee with a degree in Business Administration – Management and Marketing.  "With my recent summer graduation from  USFSM, I now work for Specialty Products Holding Corp. as the Office Administrator. When I made it to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, it gave me plenty of opportunities.  I learned that I would always be a role model to the community due to my humble successes.  I was very honored when USFSM with the U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau invited to tell my story with other prestigious and successful women in the area. This event inspired me to continue giving back to the community as a motivational speaker as I have done a handful of events since then." Amanda was awrded the 2017 Young Alumna Award USF.

Amanda and retired NHLer Scott Thornton triumphed, winning the fourth season of CBC-TV's Battle of the Blades. As part of their win, Evora and Thornton chose the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation to receive a $100,000 donation.

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In January 2016, Evora returned to the U.S. Nationals as part of the coaching team for Tarah Kayne and Daniel O'Shea who won the Gold medal in the pairs competition. Amanda currently serves as a PSA/USFS Professional Coach/Choreographer coaching skaters including U.S. medalists and international athletes.

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