Anna Valesi
Anna Valesi is an Italian pair skater. With her current partner, Martin Bidař, she is the 2025 Czech National champion. With her former partner, Manuel Piazza, she is the 2024 Italian national bronze medalist and has won seven senior international medals, including silver at the 2022 Bavarian Open.
Career
Early years
Valesi began learning to skate in 2006. As a singles skater, she competed internationally in the junior ranks from March 2018 through March 2019.Skating in partnership with Filippo Clerici, she took silver in the pairs event at the Italian Junior Championships in April 2021.
Partnership with Manuel Piazza for Italy
2021–22 season: Debut of Valesi/Piazza
In the 2021–22 season, Valesi began competing in the senior ranks with Manuel Piazza. Making their international debut, Valesi/Piazza took bronze at the Tayside Trophy in November 2021. The following month, they placed fourth at the Italian Championships.In January 2022, Valesi/Piazza were awarded silver medals at two events – the Icelab International Cup and Bavarian Open.
2022–23 season
In September 2022, Valesi/Piazza won bronze at the Lombardia Trophy and placed seventh at the 2022 CS Nebelhorn Trophy. In October, they were invited to their first Grand Prix of Figure Skating|Grand Prix] event, the 2022 Skate America, where they finished fifth. They were seventh at the 2022 Grand Prix of Espoo.2023–24 season: End of Valesi/Piazza
Beginning the international season at the John Nicks Pairs Challenge, where they won the silver. They next competed at the 2023 CS Nebelhorn Trophy, Valesi/Piazza finished ninth. They next competed at the 2023 Diamond Spin, where they won the bronze.On the 2023-24 [ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating|Grand Prix], they came sixth at their lone initial assignment, the 2023 Grand Prix de France. They were subsequently invited to the 2023 Cup of China, following the withdrawal of Americans Chan/Howe. They were sixth at that event as well.
Valesi/Piazza continued to the 2024 Italian Figure Skating Championships, where they won the bronze medal. They were assigned to the 2024 Bavarian Open, but withdrew prior to the competition. It June, it was confirmed that the pair had split.
Partnership with Martin Bidař for the Czech Republic
2024–25 season: Debut of Valesi/Bidař
In January 2025, it was announced that Valesi had teamed up with Czech pair skater, Martin Bidař, and that they would represent the Czech Republic. Valesi/Bidař made their debut as a pair at the 2025 Merano Ice Trophy in mid-February, where they won the silver medal.2025–26 season
Valesi/Bidař opened their season by winning bronze at the 2025 Lombardia Trophy. They then went on to finish seventh at the ISU Skate to Milano, winning silver at the 2025 Tayside Trophy, and winning gold at the 2025 Cup of Innsbruck.In December, Valesi/Bidař finished fifth at the 2025 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb and winning silver at the 2026 Four National Championships. The following month, they competed at the 2026 European Championships in Sheffield, England, United Kingdom. The pair placed twelfth in the short program and seventh in the free skate, moving up to ninth place overall. "I don’t know what to say right now and how I’m feeling," shared Valesi following their free skate. "I am feeling super emotional. Like me and Martin, we know how much work we put into it, how much we believed in it, and always tried to have a good feeling between each other. So today was like amazing overall. The public, the feeling between us, the coaches, the support from everybody, we feel very, very good." Bidař added, "For me, it’s a really important part is that even in a hard time, we really stay together. We are very happy that it paid off today and we really enjoyed it from the morning on the whole day."