Utako Wakamatsu

Japanese name
Kanji 若松 詩子
Kana わかまつ うたこ
Utako Wakamatsu

Wakamatsu/Fecteau at the 2004 NHK Trophy
Personal information
Country represented Canada (pairs)
Japan (singles)
Born September 1, 1981
Aomori, Japan
Height 1.52 m (5 ft 0 in)
Former partner Jean-Sébastien Fecteau
Former coach Richard Gauthier, Manon Perron, Hiroshi Nagakubo
Former choreographer Julie Marcotte, Julie Brault, Robert Daw
Former skating club St. Leonard FSC
Tohoku Fukushi University
Former training locations St. Leonard, Quebec
Miyagi Prefecture
Began skating 1989
Retired April 24, 2007
ISU personal best scores
Combined total 163.88
2003 Skate America
Short program 57.19
2005 Worlds
Free skate 107.00
2003 Skate America

Utako Wakamatsu (若松 詩子 Wakamatsu Utako, born September 1, 1981) is a Japanese former competitive figure skater. From 2002 to 2007, she skated with Jean-Sébastien Fecteau as a pair skater for Canada, winning the silver medal at the 2006 Four Continents Championships. Earlier in her career, she competed in single skating for Japan.

Career

Until 2002, Wakamatsu competed in single skating for Japan. She competed on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series, winning a bronze medal in 1999 in the Czech Republic, and at one senior Grand Prix event, the 2001 Skate America. She placed as high as fifth on the senior level at the Japan Championships.

In April 2002, Wakamatsu teamed up with Jean-Sébastien Fecteau to compete in pair skating for Canada.[1] In 2003, they won gold medals at the Finlandia Trophy and Nebelhorn Trophy and made their Grand Prix debut.

In the 2004–05 season, Wakamatsu/Fecteau won silver at the 2005 Canadian Championships and were sent to the 2005 World Championships where they placed eighth.

In the 2005–06 season, the pair won bronze at a Grand Prix event, the 2005 NHK Trophy. They also took bronze at the 2006 Canadian Championships and were sent to the 2006 Four Continents Championships where they won the silver medal.

Wakamatsu announced her retirement from competitive skating on April 24, 2007.[1]

Personal life

Wakamatsu studied social welfare at Tohoku Fukushi University in Sendai.[1]

Programs

With Fecteau

Season Short program Free skating
2006–2007
[2][3]
  • Batwannis Beek
  • White Darbouka
    by K. Hovannes
  • Indian Touch
    by Pierre Cosso
  • Here Comes Santa
2005–2006
[4][5]
2004–2005
[6][7]
  • The Swan
    (from The Carnival of the Animals)
    by Camille Saint-Saëns
  • Picking Up Brides
    (from The Last Emperor)
    by Ryuichi Sakamoto
  • Rain (I Want a Divorce)
    (from The Last Emperor)
  • Farewell My Concubine
    by Zhao Jiping
2003–2004
[8][9]
  • Kirwani
    (from the album Chill out in Paris)
    by David Visan

Single skating

Season Short program Free skating
2001–2002
[10]

Competitive highlights

Pairs career with Fecteau for Canada

Results[2][4][6][8]
International
Event 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07
Worlds 8th
Four Continents 2nd
GP Cup of Russia 5th
GP NHK Trophy 5th 5th 3rd 4th
GP Skate America 4th
GP Skate Canada WD 6th
Finlandia Trophy 1st
Nebelhorn Trophy 1st
National
Canadian Champ. 4th 2nd 3rd 4th
GP = Grand Prix; WD = Withdrew

Singles career for Japan

Results[10]
International
Event 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02
GP Skate America 9th
Universiade 5th
International: Junior
JGP China 4th
JGP Czech Rep. 3rd
JGP France 6th
JGP Germany 10th
JGP Japan 8th
JGP Ukraine 6th 4th
Triglav Trophy 2nd J. 3rd J.
National
Japan Champ. 6th 5th 6th
Japan Junior 5th 4th 4th 4th 4th
GP = Grand Prix; JGP = Junior Grand Prix; J. = Junior level

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Wakamatsu and Fecteau retire from eligible figure skating competition". Skate Canada. April 24, 2007. Archived from the original on May 26, 2007.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Utako WAKAMATSU / Jean-Sebastien FECTEAU: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 28, 2007.
  3. ↑ "Utako Wakamatsu / Jean-Sébastien Fecteau: 2006/2007". Skate Canada. Archived from the original on March 10, 2007.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Utako WAKAMATSU / Jean-Sebastien FECTEAU: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 2, 2006.
  5. ↑ "Utako Wakamatsu / Jean-Sébastien Fecteau: 2005/2006". Skate Canada. Archived from the original on November 10, 2005.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Utako WAKAMATSU / Jean-Sebastien FECTEAU: 2004/2005". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 4, 2005.
  7. ↑ "Utako Wakamatsu / Jean-Sébastien Fecteau: 2004/2005". Skate Canada. Archived from the original on March 16, 2005.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Utako WAKAMATSU / Jean-Sebastien FECTEAU: 2003/2004". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 17, 2004.
  9. ↑ "Utako Wakamatsu / Jean-Sébastien Fecteau: 2003/2004". Skate Canada. Archived from the original on June 8, 2004.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Utako WAKAMATSU: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on August 18, 2002.

External links

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