Has Yukina Ota retired from competition? | Golden Skate

Has Yukina Ota retired from competition?

Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Does anyone know if melt-your-heart Yukina Ota is planning to return to competition next season? Is she touring as a pro?

Yukina was the 2003 Jr. World Champion and won 2004 Four Continents. She was really going places. Her equisite presentation out-Michelled Michelle, her balletic grace out-Sasha-ed Sasha, and her Ina Bauer rivalled Shizuka. Then she had a series of injuries and did not compete much if at all in 2005-2006.

Any news?

http://skate.jp/blog/archives/images/yukina_ota_010320a.jpg
 

slutskayafan21

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 28, 2005
I thought she had already announced her retirement, around September of this coming year. I can try and dig up an old article, but you seem to be acknowledging she retired, and are hoping she is coming back. I dont see what would make her decide to come back though. She was having trouble doing even simple triple jumps when her body changed. Phaneuf is going through the same thing, and I would not be surprised to see her retire soon too, sadly.
 

Kasey

Medalist
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
I thought there were rumors last season that Ota was switching to pairs. But I don't think there was ever any confirmation of that.
 

dancindiva03

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
Kasey said:
I thought there were rumors last season that Ota was switching to pairs. But I don't think there was ever any confirmation of that.
I thought she was going into ice dancing?
 

orchid

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
Asian-news Oct 2005

Yukina Ota Leaves the Competitive Sphere
Posted By: Judy Tseng
Figure Skating

Skater Yukina Ota, who will turn 19 next month, has given up competitive figure skating and will no longer be one of the extraordinary Japanese figure skaters vying for spots at the 2006 Olympics. Because her right ankle injury from last year has not completely recovered, she has withdrawn from the NHK Trophy competition and will probably withdraw from other slated competitions.

Ota is the 2004 Four Continents ladies champion and 2003 World Junior Figure Skating champion. Last season, she was hampered by a knee injury and did not compete at the world championships.

Ota is known for her fluid movement and flexibility on the ice. She attends Doshisha University and may be performing with the Ice Theatre of New York this fall. The Ice Theatre of New York, formed in 1984 by Moira North, is "dedicated to developing figure skating as a performing art through its performances and educational programs.

The Company continues to forge ahead, creating a most unique environment in which professional artists from various backgrounds collaborate with dance choreographers, musicians, writers, and visual artists to create and perform new and innovative works for ice."

btw: this is old news
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
If she skates at Ice Theatre, I will definitely go see her. She has to be one of the top skaters never to reach the top.

Joe
 

Vampie

Spectator
Joined
Mar 6, 2006
She showed up on Japanese Ice show in early April. Her jumps were not strong, but she has improved other elements (I just watched vids). She has not yet announced her retirement, and I do believe she remain eligible. She is practicing ice dance just to improve artistry.
 

Sylvia

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 25, 2003
orchid said:
Yukina Ota Leaves the Competitive Sphere
Posted By: Judy Tseng
...
btw: this is old news

Direct link to the article above:
http://www.asian-athlete.com/DaScoopsFormDisplay.aspx?ID=2616
At the bottom of the page is this follow-up notice:
"Update: Yukina Ota is only taking this season off and may very well be back competing next fall. We apologize for any confusion."

As far as I know, Ota never announced her retirement from eligible skating and she took off the 2005-06 season due to injury and tested some dances. I believe she skated in an televised exhibition in Japan fairly recently (edited to add: see Vampie's post above) but I haven't heard if she is recovered enough from her foot injury to make a competitive comeback in 2006-07.

Ota performed in the October 2005 Ice Theatre of New York shows -- photos are linked from:
http://www.icetheatre.org/perform_pastperform.htm
 

floskate

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 18, 2003
Sylvia said:
Direct link to the article above:
http://www.asian-athlete.com/DaScoopsFormDisplay.aspx?ID=2616
At the bottom of the page is this follow-up notice:
"Update: Yukina Ota is only taking this season off and may very well be back competing next fall. We apologize for any confusion."

As far as I know, Ota never announced her retirement from eligible skating and she took off the 2005-06 season due to injury and tested some dances. I believe she skated in an televised exhibition in Japan fairly recently (edited to add: see Vampie's post above) but I haven't heard if she is recovered enough from her foot injury to make a competitive comeback in 2006-07.

Ota performed in the October 2005 Ice Theatre of New York shows -- photos are linked from:
http://www.icetheatre.org/perform_pastperform.htm

She did 3sal and 3toe in the diamond Ice Gala last month - stepping off the sal IIRC. Also she was a bit slow but that's to be expected. I really hope she can get all her jumps back and compete again. Does anyone know if she's changed coaches? It might help with the jump technique and frankly her old coach who used to scream like a maniac every time she landed something rather freaked me out :eek:
 

shine

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Floskate, is there online video of the Diamond Ice Gala that can be downloaded? Or did you just read reports of it? Thanks.

editted: never mind, I found the video. This girl cannot retire!! She's just too talented to never compete again!! I also think she's improved her spins and basic skating quite a lot.
 
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