# Emi Hirai

Emi Hirai (Japanese: 平井 絵己; born October 14, 1986) is a Japanese former ice dancer. With skating partner Marien de la Asuncion, she is a four-time Japanese national silver medalist and has competed at four Four Continents Championships.

## Personal life

Hirai was born on October 14, 1986, in Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan. She is a graduate of Kansai University.

## Career

Hirai began skating in 1995. Following a partnership with Ayato Yuzawa in the 2008–09 season, she competed with Taiyo Mizutani in 2009–10 and 2010–11.
Hirai teamed up with French ice dancer Marien de la Asuncion in 2011. They took the silver medal at the 2011–12 Japan Championships. Making their international debut, they placed 14th at the 2012 Nebelhorn Trophy and 11th at the 2013 Four Continents Championships.
Hirai and de la Asuncion have appeared at two Grand Prix events, placing 8th at the 2014 NHK Trophy and 2015 NHK Trophy.
Hirai and de la Asuncion announced their retirement on May 8, 2017, on de la Asuncion's Twitter page.

## Programs

With de la Asuncion
| Season | Short dance | Free dance | Exhibition |
| 2016–17 | Blues: I Just Want to Love by Etta James Swing: Puttin' On the Ritz by Irving Berlin | Kiss by Prince Purple Rain by Prince U Got the Look by Prince | I Just Want to Love by Etta James Puttin' On the Ritz by Irving Berlin |
| 2015–16 | Waltz: Il Terzo Fuochista by Tiziana Tosca Donati Polka: Everything Is Illuminated (from "Odessa" soundtrack) Waltz: Il Terzo Fuochista by Tiziana Tosca Donati | Fantasy on Puccini's Turandot by Vanessa-Mae Nessun dorma performed by Luciano Pavarotti Fantasy on Puccini's Turandot by Vanessa-Mae | |
| 2014–15 | Garcia Lorca Farrucas by Pepe Romero | Peter Gunn Theme performed by The Blues Brothers Riot in Cell Block Number 9 by The Blues Brothers Shake a Tail Feather by The Blues Brothers | |
| 2013–14 | Quickstep: Love Bug by Rick Guard Slow fox: Creep Quickstep: Love Bug by Rick Guard | James Bond music Skyfall by Thomas Newman Breadcrumbs Silhouette GoldenEye by Éric Serra James Bond Theme | |
| 2012–13 | Polka: Feuerfest, op. 269 by Josef Strauss Waltz: The Blue Danube, op 314 by Johann Strauss II March: Radetzky March by Johann Strauss I | Solace by Vanessa-Mae Tango de los exilados by Walter Taieb, Vanessa-Mae | |

## Competitive highlights

GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

### With de la Asuncion

International :
| Event | 11–12 | 12–13 | 13–14 | 14–15 | 15–16 | 16–17 |
| Four Continents | | 11th | 11th | 8th | 12th | 12th |
| GP NHK Trophy | | | | 8th | 8th | 9th |
| CS Finlandia | | | | | | 9th |
| CS Golden Spin | | | | | 4th | |
| Cup of Nice | | | | 6th | | |
| Golden Spin | | | 9th | | | |
| Ice Challenge | | | 10th | | | |
| Nebelhorn Trophy | | 14th | | | | |
| Toruń Cup | | | | | 5th | |
| Trophy of Lyon | | 7th | | | | |
| National |||||||
| Japan Champ. | 2nd | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd |
| TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew |||||||

### With Yuzawa and Mizutani

International :
| Event | 2008–09 (with Yuzawa) | 2009–10 (with Mizutani) | 2010–11 (with Mizutani) |
| Winter Universiade | 16th | | |
| Mont Blanc Trophy | | 11th | |
| National ||||
| Japan Championships | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd |

### Ladies' Singles

National :
| Event | 99–00 | 01–02 | 02–03 | 03–04 | 04–05 | 05–06 | 06–07 | 07–08 |
| Japan Champ. | | | | | | 15th | 14th | 14th |
| Japan Junior | | 18th | 14th | 17th | 12th | | | |
| Japan Novice | 19th A | | | | | | | |
| Level: A = Novice A ||||||||||