Yukari Nakano

Yukari Nakano
Nakano at the 2008 Skate America.
Personal information
Full name	Yukari Nakano
Country represented	Japan
Born	August 25, 1985 (1985-08-25) Kōnan, Aichi
Home town	Yokohama
Height	1.56 m (5 ft 1 in)
Former coach	Nobuo Sato Machiko Yamada Mihoko Higuchi Naoko Ozuka
Former choreographer	Marina Zoueva Kumiko Sato Kenji Miyamoto David Wilson　 Lea Ann Miller Mihoko Higuchi
Skating club	Shinyokohama Skate Center
Retired	March 2010
ISU personal best scores
Combined total	177.40 2008 Worlds
Short program	62.08 2008-2009 GPF
Free skate	116.30 2008 Worlds
Medal record Competitor for Japan Ladies' Figure skating Four Continents Championships Silver 2006 Colorado Springs Ladies' singles Bronze 2003 Beijing Ladies' singles Grand Prix Final Bronze 2005–06 Tokyo Ladies' singles Asian Winter Games Gold 2007 Changchun Ladies' singles Bronze 2003 Aomori Ladies' singles World Junior Championships Silver 2002 Hamar Ladies' singles Junior Grand Prix Final Bronze 2000–2001 Ayr Ladies' singles

Yukari Nakano (中野 友加里, Nakano Yukari, born August 25, 1985 in Kōnan, Aichi, Japan) is a former competitive figure skater for Japan.

She is the 2007 Asian Winter Games champion, the 2006 Four Continents silver medalist, 2003 Four Continents bronze medalist, the 2005-2006 Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, and a three-time (2007, 2008, 2010) Japanese bronze medalist.

She is one of the five ladies skaters to perform a triple axel in international competition.

Personal life

Nakano was born on August 25, 1985 in Konan City.

In 2004, Nakano entered Waseda University in Tokyo, where she attended the Graduate School of Human Sciences. Shortly after her retirement from figure skating in March 2010, she received her Master's Degree and is currently working for Fuji Television Network, Incorporated.

Career

She started skating in 1991 at the Grand Prix Tokai Figure Skating Club, where Machiko Yamada was coaching. Nakano met Midori Ito there, who inspired her to take her skating seriously.

Nakano showed promise on the junior scene. She won two Junior Grand Prix events and earned the silver medal at the 2002 World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

At her first senior international event, the 2002 Skate America, she became the third female skater in the history of the sport to land a triple axel in an ISU sanctioned competition, and the first to have done so in ten years. She went on to land a triple axel–double toe loop combinations at the 2002 Japanese Nationals, the West Japan Championships 2002, and the Kanto Gakusei Freeskating Championships 2004.

Nakano performs a donut spin at the 2007 Cup of Russia Ladies Free Skate competition.

After two disappointing seasons of 2003-2004 and 2004–2005, Nakano made a strong comeback in the 2005-2006 season. She won the NHK Trophy and took the bronze medal at the Grand Prix Final. She landed triple Axels in five consecutive competitions in 2005 (Yamanashi Kokutai 2005, Kanto Gakusei Freeskating Championships, Tokyo Figure Skating Championships, Skate Canada International, and Asian Figure Skating Championships). At the 2005 Skate Canada, she became the first woman to land an triple axel under the ISU Judging System in ISU Senior level competition. She placed 5th at the 2005-2006 Nationals, missing a berth on the Olympic team. After that, she demonstrated consistency and composure, winning medals at every Grand Prix event she entered. At the World Championships she finished 5th in 2006, 5th in 2007 and 4th in 2008; some commentators have been critical of her unexpectedly low fourth-place finish at the 2008 Worlds in Goteborg, Sweden, where the appreciative audience gave her a standing ovation.

In the 2008-2009 season, Nakano won the silver medal at the 2008 Skate America and the bronze at the 2008 NHK Trophy. She qualified for the 2008–2009 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, where she placed fifth. At the 2008–2009 Japan Figure Skating Championships, Nakano led after the short program but faltered during her long program. Three of her jumps were downgraded. As a result, she placed 6th in the long program and finished 5th overall. She did not qualify for the 2009 World Team.

Nakano was assigned to the 2009 Trophée Eric Bompard and to the 2009 NHK Trophy for the 2009-2010 Grand Prix Series. She won the bronze medal at the 2009 Trophée Eric Bompard and finished fourth at the 2009 NHK Trophy. Although she won the bronze medal at the 2009-2010 Japan Figure Skating Championships, she was not assigned to the 2010 Olympic team; fourth place finisher Miki Ando was awarded the first Olympic spot due to her highest placement as a Japanese female skater in the 2009-2010 Grand Prix Final along with Gold and Silver Japanese medalists Mao Asada and Akiko Suzuki.

Nakano retired from competitive skating in March 2010 due to an injury to her left shoulder.

Triple axel and signature moves

In her regional competition at the beginning of the 2007-2008 season, Nakano landed her first clean triple axel in two years. She consistently attempted the triple axel that season, being credited with it at the 2007 Skate Canada International, 2007 Cup of Russia, and the 2007-2008 Grand Prix Final.

Nakano's signature move is the donut spin. She is also known for her leg wrap when she jumps.

Programs

Nakano performs her free skate to Capriccio Espagnol at the 2008 World Figure Skating Championships.

Nakano performs her exhibition to Aria at the 2007 Cup of Russia.

Season	Short Program	Long Program	Exhibition
2009–10	The Phantom of the Opera by Julian Lloyd Webber and Sarah Chang choreographed by Marina Zoueva	The Firebird by Igor Stravinsky choreographed by Marina Zoueva	Harem by Sarah Brightman choreographed by Kenji Miyamoto Sparkling Diamonds from Moulin Rouge! by Nicole Kidman choreographed by Kumiko Sato
2008–09	Romance from The Gadfly Op.97a by Dmitrii Dmitrievich Shostakovich choreographed by Marina Zoueva	Giselle by Adolphe Charles Adam choreographed by Marina Zoueva	Somewhere from West Side Story by Barbra Streisand choreographed by Marina Zoueva Bolero from Moulin Rouge! by Steve Sharples performed by Craig Armstrong choreographed by Marina Zoueva and Yukari Nakano
2007–08	Fantaisie-Impromptu by Frédéric Chopin performed by Yundi Li choreographed by Kumiko Sato	Capriccio Espagnol by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov choreographed by Marina Zoueva	Aria Le Cygne from Le Carnaval des Animaux by Camille Saint-Saëns performed by Giorgia Fumanti choreographed by Kumiko Sato Corteo Ritornare from Cirque du Soleil choreographed by Kenji Miyamoto
2006–07	Memoirs of a Geisha by John Williams choreographed by Marina Zoueva	Cinderella by Sergei Prokofiev choreographed by Marina Zoueva	Claudine by Tonci Huljic performed by Maksim Mrvica choreographed by Kumiko Sato Memoirs of a Geisha by John Williams choreographed by Marina Zoueva
2005–06	Bolero from Moulin Rouge! by Steve Sharples performed by Craig Armstrong choreographed by Marina Zoueva	Don Quixote by Leon Minkus choreographed by Marina Zoueva	Amazing Grace by Hayley Westenra choreographed by Kumiko Sato
2004–05	Bacchanalia from Faust by Charles Gounod choreographed by Marina Zoueva	The Beatles Medley by Peter Nero choreographed by Marina Zoueva	Cell Block Tango from Chicago by John Kander choreographed by Marina Zoueva
2003–04	Prayer for Taylor from Freedom by Michael W. Smith choreographed by David Wilson	Etude No. 12 in C minor "Revolutionary" Op. 10-12 by Frédéric Chopin choreographed by Mihoko Higuchi	Nocturne from Songs from a Secret Garden by Rolf Lovland choreographed by Mihoko Higuchi
2002–03	Prayer for Taylor from Freedom by Michael W. Smith choreographed by David Wilson	Oui, pour ce soir... je suis Titania, Mignon by Ambroise Thomas choreographed by David Wilson	Nocturne from Songs from a Secret Garden by Rolf Lovland choreographed by Mihoko Higuchi
2001–02	Perhaps Love by John Denver performed by James Galway choreographed by David Wilson	Carnival Overture Op. 92 by Antonin Dvořák choreographed by Lea Ann Miller	Happy Valley by Vanessa-Mae choreographed by Mihoko Higuchi
2000–01	Perhaps Love by John Denver performed by James Galway choreographed by David Wilson	Times Square choreographed by David Wilson	Happy Valley by Vanessa-Mae choreographed by Mihoko Higuchi
1999–00	Flute Battle by Cusco choreographed by David Wilson	Le Grand Tango by Ástor Piazzola choreographed by David Wilson

Competitive highlights

Event	1997-98	1998-99	1999-00	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
World Championships									5th	5th	4th
Four Continents Championships						3rd	6th	11th	2nd
World Junior Championships			7th	4th	2nd
Japanese Championships			8th		5th	6th	7th	6th	5th	3rd	3rd	5th	3rd
Japanese Junior Championships		11th		1st	2nd
Japanese Novice Championships	9th	1st
Grand Prix Final									3rd		5th	5th
NHK Trophy									1st	3rd		3rd	4th
Trophée Eric Bompard						6th							3rd
Skate America						7th	8th					2nd
Skate Canada International								11th	3rd		2nd
Cup of Russia							8th				2nd
Cup of China								11th		2nd
Winter Universiade												1st
Asian Winter Games						3rd				1st
Asian Championships								1st	1st
Junior Grand Prix Final			5th	3rd	5th
Junior Grand Prix, Japan			2nd		2nd
Junior Grand Prix, Bulgaria					3rd
Junior Grand Prix, China				1st
Junior Grand Prix, Mexico				1st
Junior Grand Prix, Canada			4th
Triglav Trophy		1st N.

• N = Novice level

Detailed results

Post-2002

2009–2010 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
December 25–27, 2009	2009-2010 Japanese National Championships	2 68.90	3 126.83	3 195.73
November 5–8, 2009	2009 NHK Trophy	3 54.92	5 97.43	4 152.35
October 15–18, 2009	2009 Trophée Eric Bompard	2 59.64	3 106.06	3 165.70
2008–2009 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
February 18–28, 2009	2009 Winter Universiade	4 52.70	1 101.93	1 154.63
December 25–27, 2008	2008–2009 Japan Figure Skating Championships	1 67.26	6 105.34	5 172.60
December 10–14, 2008	2008–2009 ISU Grand Prix Final	3 62.08	6 99.85	5 161.93
November 27–30, 2008	2008 NHK Trophy	5 54.82	3 112.60	3 167.42
October 23–26, 2008	2008 Skate America	3 57.46	2 115.07	2 172.53
2007–2008 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
March 17–23, 2008	2008 World Figure Skating Championships	3 61.10	4 116.30	4 177.40
December 26–28, 2007	2007–2008 Japan Figure Skating Championships	4 61.16	3 123.15	3 184.31
December 13–16, 2007	2007–2008 ISU Grand Prix Final	4 59.78	5 113.18	5 172.96
November 22–25, 2007	2007 Cup of Russia	2 60.50	3 112.27	2 172.77
November 1–4, 2007	2007 Skate Canada International	4 55.94	2 113.49	2 169.43
2006–2007 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
March 19–26, 2007	2007 World Figure Skating Championships	7 60.62	6 108.30	5 168.92
January 28 - February 4, 2007	2007 Asian Winter Games	2 57.36	1 105.02	1 162.38
December 27–29, 2006	2006–2007 Japan Figure Skating Championships	3 63.34	2 116.38	3 179.72
November 30 - December 3, 2006	2006 NHK Trophy	3 56.86	3 104.07	3 160.93
November 9–12, 2006	2006 Cup of China	2 54.90	2 96.37	2 151.27

2005–2006 season
Date	Event	QR	SP	FS	Total
March 19–26, 2006	2006 World Figure Skating Championships	4 27.79	6 59.62	6 108.24	5 195.65
January 23–26, 2006	2006 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships	-	3 53.53	1 107.96	2 161.49
December 23–25, 2005	2005–2006 Japan Figure Skating Championships	-	5 61.46	5 114.20	5 175.66
December 16–18, 2005	2005–2006 Grand Prix Final	-	4 56.04	3 105.78	3 161.82
December 1–4, 2005	2005 NHK Trophy	-	2 56.22	2 102.44	1 158.66
October 27–30, 2005	2005 Skate Canada International	-	4 49.84	3 99.70	3 149.54
2004–2005 season
Date	Event	QR	SP	FS	Total
February 14–20, 2005	2005 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships	-	9 45.17	12 76.57	11 121.74
January 12–22, 2005	2005 Winter Universiade	-	4	4	4
December 24–26, 2004	2004–2005 Japan Figure Skating Championships	-	7 49.08	6 98.40	6 147.48
November 11–14, 2004	2004 Cup of China	-	11 38.76	9 78.18	11 116.94
October 28–31, 2004	2004 Skate Canada International	-	11 37.58	10 76.10	11 113.68
2003–2004 season
Date	Event	QR	SP	FS	Total
January 19–25, 2004	2004 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships	-	5	6	6
December 25–27, 2003	2003–2004 Japan Figure Skating Championships	-	8	7	7
November 20–23, 2003	2003 Cup of Russia	-	7 44.68	8 83.00	8 127.68
October 23–26, 2003	2003 Skate America	-	10 44.20	7 87.90	8 132.10
2002–2003 season
Date	Event	QR	SP	FS	Total
February 10–16, 2003	2003 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships	-	3	3	3
February 1–8, 2003	2003 Asian Winter Games	-	3	3	3
December 20–22, 2002	2002–2003 Japan Figure Skating Championships	-	5	5	6
November 14–17, 2002	2002 Trophée Lalique	-	8	6	6
October 24–27, 2002	2002 Skate America	-	8	6	7

Pre-2002

2001–2002 season
Date	Event	Level	QR	SP	FS	Total
March 3–10, 2002	2002 World Junior Figure Skating Championships	Junior	2	3	2	2
December 21–23, 2001	2001–2002 Japan Figure Skating Championships	Senior	-	4	5	5
December 13–16, 2001	2001–2002 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final	Junior	-	4	4	5
November 24–25, 2001	2001–2002 Japan Junior Figure Skating Championships	Junior	-	4	2	2
November 15–18, 2001	2001–2002 ISU Junior Grand Prix, Japan	Junior	-	2	2	2
September 13–16, 2001	2001–2002 ISU Junior Grand Prix, Bulgaria	Junior	-	3	4	3
2000–2001 season
Date	Event	Level	QR	SP	FS	Total
February 25 - March 4, 2001	2001 World Junior Figure Skating Championships	Junior	5	5	4	4
December 14–17, 2000	2000–2001 ISU Junior Grand Prix Final	Junior	-	3	3	3
November 25–26, 2000	2000–2001 Japan Junior Figure Skating Championships	Junior	-	1	1	1
October 12–15, 2000	2000–2001 ISU Junior Grand Prix, China	Junior	-	5	1	1
September 14–17, 2000	2000–2001 ISU Junior Grand Prix, Mexico	Junior	-	1	2	1
1999–2000 season
Date	Event	Level	QR	SP	FS	Total
March 5–12, 2000	2000 World Junior Figure Skating Championships	Junior	3	4	9	7
December 24–26, 1999	1999–2000 Japan Figure Skating Championships	Senior	-	10	7	8
November 18–21, 1999	1999–2000 ISU Junior Grand Prix, Japan	Junior	-	5	2	2
September 29 - October 3, 1999	1999–2000 ISU Junior Grand Prix, Canada	Junior	-	4	4	4
1998–1999 season
Date	Event	Level	QR	SP	FS	Total
April 7–11, 1999	Triglav Trophy	Novice		1	1	1
October 30 - November 1, 1998	Japan Junior Figure Skating Championships	Junior		16	9	11

• QR = Qualifying round; SP = Short program; FS = Free skating.

External links

• Official site (Japanese) (English)
• Yukari Nakano at the International Skating Union