#fsprofile

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Figure Skating Profile #9: Yulia Lipnitskaya

For one brief moment, Yulia Lipnitskaya was arguably the most famous skater in the world. Then 15 years old, Lipnitskaya became known as "The Little Girl in Red" after her Olympic rendition of her free skate program "Schindler's List". The artistically poignant performance, which touched the hearts of viewers all around the world, included even the film's own director Steven Spielberg among its fans—in a letter he had written to Lipnitskaya, Spielberg shared: "I am writing to tell you how moved I was by your gold medal performance... [...] You brought such dignity in your remembrance of the Holocaust through your soulfully inspired routine."

Aside from becoming Russia's youngest Olympic gold medalist following her results at the figure skating team event in Sochi, Lipnitskaya counts a World silver medal, a European title, and a silver GPF medal among her crowning achievements. Ultimately, however, Lipnitskaya managed a tumultuous career after her Olympic season, battling injury and anorexia until her retirement at the age of 19. She now works as a coach in Evgeni Plushenko's skating academy, Angels of Plushenko.

Featured program: "Schindler's List" from the 2014 Sochi Olympics (Team Event), FS

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Figure Skating Profile #8: Patrick Chan

If there's one thing that three-time World champion Patrick Chan is remembered for, it would be his legendary skating skills. Considered as mastery of the craft, Chan’s skating technique, characterized by excellent edgework, has often been cited as "the standard of performance" in the way it blended elegant artistry with technical brilliance, making even a simple, smooth glide on the ice look as breathtaking as an exhilarating quadruple jump.

As a testament to his outstanding ability, Chan established a storied 15-year career, wherein he became the 2014 Olympic silver medalist, a two-time Grand Prix Final champion, a three-time Four Continents champion, and a 10-time Canadian national champion. Having also set seven world records, Chan is now popularly regarded as one of the greatest Canadian male figure skaters of all time.

Featured Program: "The Beatles Medley" from the 2017 World Championships, SP

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Figure Skating Profile #7: Midori Ito

30 years after her retirement, Midori Ito's name remains firmly etched into history as one of the best figure skaters of all time. She has been popularly credited with revolutionizing women's figure skating with her then-unprecedented technical prowess, having become the first woman ever to land a triple Axel, any triple-triple jump combination, and at least five different triple jumps in competition. In 1989, she became the first figure skater in Asia to win a World Championship. She is also the 1992 Olympic silver medalist and a nine-time Japanese champion. For her achievements in the sport, she was inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2003.

Featured Program: "Piano Concerto Nos. 1 & 2" (Rachmaninoff) from the 1992 Albertville Olympics, FS

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Figure Skating Profile #6: Yuzuru Hanyu

Universally regarded as one of the greatest and most popular figure skaters of all time, Yuzuru Hanyu is the 2014 and 2018 Olympic champion, the first male single skater to win back-to-back Olympic titles in 66 years. Additionally, he is the first and only male skater to achieve a Super Slam, having won all the major senior and junior international titles, including two World titles, four consecutive Grand Prix Final (GPF) titles, a Four Continents title, a Junior Worlds title, and a Junior GPF title. He has been credited for his technical revolution of the sport, having broken 19 world records, with scores that allowed him to become the first skater to surpass the 100, 200, and 300-point barriers in the short program, free skate, and overall total, respectively. He is also the first skater to ratify a quadruple loop in international competition.

Hanyu has often been praised for being a "complete" skater for his balanced blend of technical prowess and versatile artistry. After retiring from his competitive career, he has since staged several ice shows and tours with unprecedented demand, including solo productions such as Prologue, the Repray tour, and Gift at Tokyo Dome, the last of which set a new audience record for ice shows at 35,000 spectators.

Featured Program: "Hope and Legacy" from the 2017 World Championships, FS

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Figure Skating Profile #5: Mao Asada

Few skaters can claim to have made their mark on history more than Japan's Mao Asada. Credited as one of the best female skaters of all time, Asada was renowned for the brilliance of her combined athleticism and artistry, wowing crowds around the world with her iconic triple axels, intricate step sequences, elegant spirals, and creative spins. Throughout the span of her 18-year career, Asada became the 2010 Olympic silver medalist, a three-time World champion, a three-time Four Continents champion, a four-time Grand Prix Final champion, and a six-time Japanese national champion. Asada has also been recognized for setting three world records in her senior career as well as being the first-ever singles Asian skater to win multiple World championships.

Featured Program: "Piano Concerto No. 2 (Rachmaninoff)" from the 2014 Sochi Olympics, FS

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Figure Skating Profile #4: Stéphane Lambiel

Once known as the Little Prince, Stéphane Lambiel is a celebrated Swiss figure skater who became the 2006 Olympic silver medalist, a two-time World champion, and a two-time Grand Prix Final champion. A popular favorite among fans to this day, Lambiel is best known for his masterful spins and evocative artistry, which he showcases in both his ice show performances and work as a choreographer. Since his retirement, he has founded the Skating School of Switzerland in Champery, coaching a roster of skaters that has included notable individuals such as the two-time World champion Shoma Uno and European bronze medalist Deniss Vasiljevs.

Featured Program: "Don't Stop the Music" from the 2011 Golden Skate Awards (EX)

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Figure Skater Profile #3: Carolina Kostner

Celebrated for her elegant artistry and musicality, Carolina Kostner made her mark in figure skating history as the 2014 Olympic bronze medalist, the 2012 World champion, the 2011 Grand Prix Final champion, and a five-time European champion. She is the first Italian woman to have won titles from the World Championships and European Championships. Continuing this streak of success, Kostner notably maintained her competitive career for over a decade, resulting in her becoming the most decorated singles skater of the European Championships (with a total of 11 medals) and a nine-time Italian national champion.

Featured Program: "Ne Me Quitte Pas" from the 2018 World Championships (SP)

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Figure Skater Profile #2: Javier Fernandez

During his senior debut season, Javier Fernandez first made a humble showing for Spain, placing 35th overall at the World Championships. Since then, he spent the next ten years climbing to the very top, not only earning his country its first ISU medals but also ultimately becoming the 2018 Olympic bronze medalist, a two-time World champion, a seven-time European champion, and an eight-time Spanish national champion. Known for his top-tier quadruple jumps, edge quality, and complex steps, Fernandez is the second man in history to cross the 100-point barrier in the short program, the 200-point barrier in the free skate, and the 300-point barrier in the combined total score.

Featured Program: "Man of La Mancha" from the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics (FS)