Kavaguti & Smirnov in 2010. |
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Yuko Kavaguti | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alternative names | Yuko Kawaguchi | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country represented | Russia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former country(ies) represented | Japan United States |
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| Born | November 20, 1981 Funabashi, Chiba |
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| Residence | St. Petersburg | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.57 m (5 ft 2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Partner | Alexander Smirnov | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former partner | Alexander Markuntsov (JPN) Devin Patrick (USA) Josh Martin (USA) |
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| Coach | Tamara Moskvina | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former coach | Nikolai Velikov Igor Moskvin |
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| Choreographer | Tatiana Druchinina Peter Tchernyshev |
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| Skating club | Yubileyny Sport Club | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Began skating | 1986 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World standing | 3 (As of 16 June 2011[update])[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Season's bests | 2 (2011–2012)[2] 4 (2010–2011)[3] 3 (2009–2010)[4] 4 (2008–2009)[5] |
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| ISU personal best scores | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Combined total | 213.15 2010 Europeans |
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| Short program | 74.16 2010 Winter Olympics |
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| Free skate | 139.23 2010 Europeans |
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Medal record
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Yuko Kavaguti (also: Kawaguchi, Japanese: Kawaguchi Yūko (川口 悠子), Russian: Юко Кавагути, born November 20, 1981 in Funabashi, Chiba, Japan) is a Japanese-Russian pair skater, who has represented Japan, the USA, and Russia in international competition. She competes with Alexander Smirnov, representing Russia. They are the 2010 European champions, 2009 and 2010 World bronze medalists, 2011 Grand Prix Final bronze medalists, and 2008-2010 Russian champions. They have won a total of four European medals. On the Grand Prix series, they have won eleven medals, including gold medals at 2008 Skate Canada International, 2010 Cup of Russia, 2011 Cup of China and 2011 NHK Trophy.
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In addition to her native Japanese, she is also fluent in Russian and English.[6] From 2003, she studied and majored in international relations at St. Petersburg State University,[7] completing her degree in June 2007.[6][8] Kavaguti has expressed interest in a career in international diplomacy following her skating career.[9][10] In December 2008,[11] she acquired Russian citizenship to qualify for a spot on that nation's Olympic team. Japan does not allow dual nationality, so she was obliged to give up her Japanese citizenship and can only reapply to get it back after ten years.[6][12] When her family name was transliterated from Japanese to Russian and then into Latin characters, "Kawaguchi" became "Kavaguti".
Kavaguti began skating at the age of five because her mother was a fan of ice dancing.[13] She originally competed as a singles skater for Japan, then switched to pairs after being inspired by the Russian pair skater Elena Berezhnaya at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.[14] Kavaguti decided to write to her coach Tamara Moskvina and due to Kavaguti's persistence, the renowned coach eventually agreed to train her.[14] Kavaguti moved to Hackensack, New Jersey where Moskvina was coaching at the time.[14]
In March 1999, Kavaguti teamed up with Alexander Markuntsov to compete for Japan.[6] They were the first Japanese pair team to medal at an ISU championships when they took silver at the World Junior Championships in 2001.[6] Kavaguti and Markuntsov split in 2003.[6] Kavaguti said, "We had a good working relationship but it was very difficult for Alexander to acquire Japanese citizenship, thus we couldn't represent Japan in the Olympics so after a while we decided to break up."[14]
In 2003, Kawaguchi followed her coach as Moskvina moved back to Saint Petersburg, Russia where she enrolled at a university in addition to skating.[6] She began skating with the American skater Josh Martin but in May 2004, he was hit by a car as he rollerbladed to practice, suffering cuts and a broken elbow, and decided to return to the U.S.[6] Kawaguchi then skated with another American, Devin Patrick. "He taught me the quad throw (salchow). He did really good throws, but some of the other elements didn't work as well," Kawaguchi stated.[6] They competed at the Japanese championships and U.S. Championships, placing 15th, and decided to go their separate ways. "He wanted to live in the U.S., but I didn't want to leave Tamara Nikolaevna (Moskvina). I just couldn't give up my studies, leave my coach, and go to America."[6] She worried that she might not find another partner, but was determined to at least complete her degree.[6]
Kavaguti teamed up with Alexander Smirnov to compete for Russia in May 2006.[15] She accepted to skate for another country due to the difficulty in finding a good partner.[14] Smirnov said, "We often trained at the same rink and I could see how hard she works. I thought I was a hard worker but after watching her I was really amazed by her work level."[14] They train at the Yubileyny Sports Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia. They initially worked with Nikolai Velikov but Kavaguti had been training with Tamara Moskvina since 1998 and preferred to stay with her.[15] They began training with Moskvina in August 2006.
Their first Grand Prix competition was the Cup of Russia where they won the bronze medal. They also competed at the Coupe de Nice in France and won gold. Kavaguti dislocated her shoulder after a fall on a quad throw in 2006 and occasionally suffered recurring problems for several years after.[16] During practice on December 25, 2006, Kavaguti broke her ankle,[6] forcing the couple to withdraw from the 2007 Russian Championship and the 2007 European Championship. They competed at the 2007 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. This was their first worlds as a pair. They came in 4th after the short program, and placed 10th in the long program and 9th overall.
Kavaguti and Smirnov competed in the Cup of Russia where they once again took the bronze medal. They won a bronze medal at Skate Canada. At the Cup de Nice they place 1st in both the short and long program and won the gold for the second year in a row. At their first Grand Prix Final they placed 6th in the short program after having a two point deduction for an illegal element. In the finals they got a one point deduction for a fall on the throw quad salchow and came in 5th place overall.
The pair won their first Russian Championship in 2008 by winning the short and long program. They won by 10.43 points over Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov in spite of a three point deduction for stopping the program due to injury. Kavaguti fell and dislocated her shoulder after a throw quadruple salchow. She attempted to continue the program despite the pain, however Smirnov, seeing that she had trouble raising her arm, stopped the program. After the two-minute pause permitted by the rules, the pair completed the program and won their first national title, having completed two triple toeloops, a triple twist, and a throw triple loop.[17]
Their first European Championships were held in Zagreb, Croatia in January 2008. During the long program they landed the throw quad Salchow but a fall on a triple jump and planned double Axel that was turned into a single was only enough for a bronze medal. The 2008 World Championship was held in Gothenburg, Sweden. Kavaguti and Smirnov received a personal best short program score of 71.42 which placed them in third place. They landed a throw quad Salchow and several elements received a level four but they dropped to fourth place only 1.45 points out of third.
Kavaguti and Smirnov once again won their third gold at the Coupe de Nice. At Skate Canada they won their first international competition at an ISU Grand Prix competition. They then competed at the Cup of Russia where they were 2nd after the short program and 1st in the free skate. They finished 2nd overall. The pair went their 2nd Grand Prix Final where they placed 6th in the short program and 5th in the free skate. They once again finished in 5th place.
Kavaguti and Smirnov defended their title at the 2009 Russian National Championships. In spite of being in second place going into the free skate they easily beat the second place team of Mukhortova and Trankov by over 15 points. At the 2009 European Championship the pair who was in 3rd place after the short improved on last year’s placement with a silver medal.
At the 2009 World Championships in Los Angeles, California, Kavaguti and Smirnov were in second place after the short program. In the free skate Kavaguti fell hard on her cheek after a throw quad salchow, she got up seconds later and the pair continued to skate. They earned their first world bronze medal losing the silver to Dan Zhang and Hao Zhang by 0.13. They were selected to compete on behalf of Russia in the ISU’s first ever World Team Trophy in Japan. The pair was 2nd in the short program and free skate and finished 2nd overall. The Russian team finished in 5th place.
Kavaguti and Smirnov were chosen to compete at the NHK Trophy in Japan. After the short program they were in 1st place ahead of Qing Pang and Jian Tong. In the free skate Kavaguti once again fell on the quad throw once again dislocating her shoulder. The program was stopped for a two minute medical break and the pair decided to continue. Even though they had a three point deduction for the fall and ‘Interruption in Excess’ because of the medical break, they won the silver.
At the Cup of Russia they got 2nd place in the short program and free skate, winning the silver medal behind Pang and Tong. They once again scored enough points in the Grand Prix series to make it to the Grand Prix Finals where they placed 6th in short program and 5th in the free skate. For the third year in a row they finished in 5th place.
Kavaguti and Smirnov skated in their third Russian Championship and placed first with both programs to win their third consecutive championship over Mukhortova and Trankov by over 11 points. They skated at the 2010 European Championships in Tallinn, Estonia and were second after the short with less than one point separating the top three pairs. They skated a nearly flawless free skate with Kavaguti stepping out of the triple toe loop being the only mistake. In the middle of the program Kavaguti’s shoulder dislocated, she was able to get it back in to place and carry on with the rest of the program. They won the European Championship; receiving a score of 139.29 which was a world record free skate score.[18]
They competed in their first Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada. They were 3rd after the short program with a season’s best score of 74.16, only 2.5 points behind the 1st place team of Shen and Zhao. During the warm-up the pair was told by their coach not to attempt the quad throw. The first throw was a triple Salchow; Kavaguti put her hand down and stumbled coming out of the jump. Smirnov stepped out of the double Axel and because there was no speed to complete the second Axel, the pair did not complete the sequence. Kavaguti fell on the final throw dislocating her shoulder. The pair continued but failed to pull full levels on many of the elements. Although they were in 1st place, there were still three pairs left to skate. They placed 4th overall. They were the highest placing Russian pair skaters.
The 2010 World championships were held in Torino, Italy. Much like the World Championships in 2009, they were second after the short program and after a fall they dropped to third in the free skate; less than a point out of 2nd place. This was their second consecutive world bronze medal.
In April 2010, Kavaguti had surgery on her shoulder.[19] Smirnov was also suffering with a groin injury and received treatment in Germany.[20] After his return he sprained his ankle. The couple was off the ice for three months. They were assigned to compete at Skate Canada and Cup of Russia during the 2010-11 Grand Prix season, but due to the injuries of the pair they withdrew from Skate Canada.
They competed at their only Grand Prix competition at the 2010 Cup of Russia where they were first in the short program and won the free skate by over 17 points. This is their 5th medal at the Cup of Russia. They have won more medals at this competition than any other pair. Although they won in Russia they did not have enough points to compete at the Grand Prix Finals because of their withdrawal from Skate Canada.
At the 2011 Russian Championships they were second after the short. A mistake on the side by side jumps and an awkward lift left them almost 4.50 points out of first place. In the long program they skated last and held on to second place.
In Bern Switzerland at the 2011 European Championships, Kavaguti and Smirnov were in second place behind Savchenko and Szolkowy after the short program. In the free skate they skated last; even though they had a flawless program and won the free skate they couldn’t make up the 2.82 point deficit to win the gold and settled for silver. Both of their programs earned them season’s best scores.
The 2011 World Championships were originally scheduled to be held in Tokyo in March but due to the devastating earthquake and tsunami, the competition was moved to Moscow in late April. Kavaguti and Smirnov skated last out of 22 teams in the short program; but a fall by Smirnov on a step sequence left them in 5th place going into the free skate. During the free skate they received a score of 124.82 with a fall on a throw being the only mistake. They finished in 4th place.
For the 2011–2012 season, Kavaguti and Smirnov took up the new option to compete at three Grand Prix events. They easily won their first event at the 2011 Cup of China finishing first in both the short program and free skate to win the event with a total score of 186.74. Their next event was at the 2011 NHK Trophy in Sapporo, Japan. In the short program, Kavaguti's fall on an under-rotated triple toe loop combined with several elements receiving lower levels left the pair in 5th place with a score of 55.02. They placed first in the free skate and won the gold medal with a total score of 177.51 over reigning World Champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy. The win qualified them for the Grand Prix Final. At the 2011 Cup of Russia, the pair were second after the short program with a score of 65.17. They finished second with a total score of 197.84. It was their sixth consecutive medal at the Cup of Russia. At the Grand Prix Final, they placed fourth in the short program with a score of 61.37[21] and third in the free skate with 126.40, winning the bronze medal with a total of 187.77.[22][23] It was the pair's first-ever medal at the Grand Prix Final.
On December 20, Moskvina said they had requested to be excused from the 2012 Russian Championships to allow Smirnov to heal from a leg injury,[24] which arose before the Grand Prix Final.[23][25]
| Season | Short program | Long program | Exhibition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–2012[29] | All Alone by Joe Satriani choreographed by Peter Tchernyshev |
Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy choreographed by Peter Tchernyshev |
Dark Eyes performed by Ivan Rebroff choreographed by Igor Bobrin, Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin |
| 2010–2011 | Also sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss choreographed by Igor Bobrin and Natalia Bestemianova |
Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy choreographed by Peter Tchernyshev |
Always With Me by Youmi Kimura Love in Venice by Edvin Marton Habanera from Carmen by Georges Bizet |
| 2009–2010[30] | The Swan by Camille Saint-Saëns choreographed by Peter Tchernyshev |
The Blue Danube by Johan Strauss Valse Sentimentale by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky |
The Skaters Waltz by Johann Strauss II The Prophet/Still Got the Blues by Gary Moore |
| 2008–2009[31] | The Swan by Camille Saint-Saëns choreographed by Peter Tchernyshev |
I Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo |
The Prophet/Still Got the Blues by Gary Moore Sirtáki Soundtrack from the 1964 movie Zorba the Greek The Skaters Waltz by Johann Strauss II |
| 2007–2008 | Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso by Camille Saint-Saëns |
Love Story Soundtrack by Francis Lai choreographed by Peter Tchernyshev |
Sirtáki Soundtrack from the 1964 movie Zorba the Greek Romance Time by G. Sviridov The Prophet/Still Got the Blues by Gary Moore |
| 2006–2007 | Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso by Camille Saint-Saëns |
Piano Concerto by Camille Saint-Saëns Bachianas Brasileiras by Heitor Villa-Lobos Van Helsing Soundtrack by Alan Silvestri |
Bachianas Brasileiras by Heitor Villa-Lobos |
| Season | Short program | Long program |
|---|---|---|
| 2002–2003 | Spring Water by Sergei Rachmaninov |
Those Are The Nights Russian folk (modern) |
| Event | 2006–07 | 2007–08 | 2008–09 | 2009–10 | 2010–11 | 2011–12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympics | 4th | |||||
| World Championships | 9th | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | 4th | |
| European Championships | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | ||
| Russian Championships | WD | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | WD |
| Grand Prix Final | 5th | 5th | 5th | 3rd | ||
| Cup of Russia | 3rd | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 2nd |
| Cup of China | 1st | |||||
| NHK Trophy | 2nd | 1st | ||||
| Skate Canada | 3rd | 1st | WD | |||
| Coupe de Nice | 1st | 1st | 1st | |||
| World Team Trophy | 2nd | |||||
| WD = Withdrew | ||||||
| 2011–2012 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 8-11, 2011 | 2011-2012 Grand Prix Final | 4 61.37 |
3 126.40 |
3 187.77 |
| November 25–27, 2011 | 2011 Cup of Russia | 2 65.17 |
2 132.67 |
2 197.84 |
| November 11–13, 2011 | NHK Trophy | 5 55.02 |
1 122.49 |
1 177.51 |
| November 4–6, 2011 | 2011 Cup of China | 1 64.45 |
1 122.29 |
1 186.74 |
| 2010–2011 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| April 27 - May 1, 2011 | 2011 World Championships | 5 62.54 |
4 124.82 |
4 187.36 |
| January 24 – 30, 2011 | 2011 European Championships | 2 69.49 |
1 134.12 |
2 203.61 |
| December 26–29, 2010 | 2011 Russian Championships | 2 68.15 |
2 133.29 |
2 201.44 |
| November 19–22, 2010 | 2010 Cup of Russia | 1 61.91 |
1 120.79 |
1 182.70 |
| 2009–2010 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 22 – 28, 2010 | 2010 World Championships | 2 73.12 |
3 130.67 |
3 203.79 |
| February 14 – 27, 2010 | 2010 Olympic Winter Games | 3 74.16 |
7 120.61 |
4 194.77 |
| January 18 – 24, 2010 | 2010 European Championships | 2 73.92 |
1 139.23 |
1 213.15 |
| December 24 – 29, 2009 | 2010 Russian Championships | 1 78.01 |
1 142.60 |
1 220.61 |
| December 3 – 6, 2009 | 2009-2010 Grand Prix Final | 6 62.30 |
5 120.71 |
5 183.01 |
| November 5 – 8, 2009 | 2009 NHK Trophy | 1 68.90 |
2 124.15 |
2 193.05 |
| October 22 – 25, 2009 | 2009 Cup of Russia | 2 61.62 |
2 118.52 |
2 180.14 |
| 2008–2009 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| April 15 – 19, 2009 | 2009 World Team Trophy | 2 65.08 |
2 120.07 |
2 185.15 |
| March 22 – 29, 2009 | 2009 World Championships | 2 68.94 |
3 117.45 |
3 186.39 |
| January 20 – 25, 2009 | 2009 European Championships | 3 65.38 |
2 117.39 |
2 182.77 |
| December 24 – 28, 2008 | 2009 Russian Championships | 2 65.18 |
1 135.91 |
1 201.09 |
| December 10 – 14, 2008 | 2008-2009 Grand Prix Final | 6 55.42 |
4 112.03 |
5 167.45 |
| November 20 – 23, 2008 | 2008 Cup of Russia | 2 58.76 |
1 110.51 |
2 169.27 |
| October 30 – November 2, 2008 | 2008 Skate Canada | 1 65.02 |
2 111.95 |
1 176.97 |
| October 15 – 19, 2008 | 2008 Coupe de Nice | 2 51.07 |
1 103.33 |
1 154.40 |
| 2007–2008 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 16 – 23, 2008 | 2008 World Championships | 3 71.42 |
4 119.91 |
4 191.33 |
| January 21 – 27, 2008 | 2008 European Championships | 4 61.25 |
3 106.00 |
3 167.25 |
| January 3 – 7, 2008 | 2008 Russian Championships | 1 66.30 |
1 124.30 |
1 190.60 |
| December 13 – 16, 2007 | 2007-2008 Grand Prix Final | 6 51.74 |
5 110.01 |
5 161.75 |
| November 22 – 25, 2007 | 2007 Cup of Russia | 4 62.94 |
3 118.77 |
3 181.71 |
| November 1 – 4, 2007 | 2007 Skate Canada | 3 60.00 |
3 105.19 |
3 165.19 |
| October 18 – 21, 2007 | 2007 Coupe de Nice | 1 61.18 |
1 107.95 |
1 169.13 |
| 2006–2007 season | ||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 19 – 25, 2007 | 2007 World Championships | 4 62.07 |
10 101.55 |
9 163.62 |
| November 23 – 26, 2006 | 2006 Cup of Russia | 3 59.46 |
3 109.04 |
3 168.50 |
| November 9 – 12, 2006 | 2006 Coupe de Nice | 1 51.97 |
1 100.09 |
1 152.06 |
| Event | 2004–2005 | 2005–2006 |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Championships | 15th | |
| Japanese Championships | 1st | |
| Midwestern Sectionals | 2nd |
| Event | 2000–2001 | 2001–2002 | 2002–2003 |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Championships | 15th | 13th | 14th |
| Four Continents Championships | 8th | 9th | 7th |
| World Junior Championships | 2nd | ||
| Japanese Championships | 1st | 1st | |
| Japanese Junior Championships | 1st | ||
| NHK Trophy | WD | 5th | |
| Skate America | 6th | 5th | |
| Trophée Lalique | 6th | ||
| Junior Grand Prix Final | 3rd | ||
| Junior Grand Prix, China | 3rd | ||
| Junior Grand Prix, Mexico | 1st | ||
| WD = Withdrew | |||
| Event | 1997–1998 | 1998–1999 |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese Jr. Championships | 3rd | |
| Junior Grand Prix, Mexico | 1st | |
| Junior Grand Prix, Hungary | 8th |
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