# Fumie Suguri

Fumie Suguri (村主 章枝, Suguri Fumie, born December 31, 1980) is a Japanese former competitive figure skater. She is a three-time World medalist, a three-time Four Continents champion, the 2003 Grand Prix Final champion, and a five-time Japanese national champion.

## Personal life

Suguri was born in Chiba, Chiba, Japan. Her younger sister, Chika, is also a figure skater. Their father was a pilot for JAL and due to his job, the family moved to Anchorage, Alaska when Suguri was three. She is bilingual in Japanese and English.
Suguri graduated from Waseda University, after finishing school life of Seisen junior and senior high school. She has a degree in social sciences
In November 2014, Suguri came out as bisexual.
In October 2022, Kaitlyn Weaver communicated on Twitter that Suguri is not in fact bisexual, but supports the LGBT community. Suguri's coming out was reported in error.

## Career

Suguri began skating at age 5 in Alaska. When she returned to Japan, she began formal training under coach Nobuo Sato, a ten-time Japanese national champion.
In 1994, while visiting the practice rink for the 1994 World Championships, Suguri was taught the triple Lutz jump by Michelle Kwan, who was competing in the event.

### 1996–97 to 2001–02

Suguri became Japan's national champion for the first time in 1997. Her second national title came in the 2000–01 season. She went on to win gold at the 2001 Four Continents, becoming the first Japanese woman to win the competition.
In 2001–02, Suguri won her third national title and competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics, where she placed 5th. A month later, she won the bronze medal at the 2002 World Championships behind Michelle Kwan and Irina Slutskaya. Her bronze medal at Worlds was the first medal for a Japanese woman at the World Championships since Yuka Sato won the title in 1994.

### 2002–03 to 2005–06

In the 2002–03 season, Suguri won her fourth national title. She was awarded gold at Four Continents and repeated as the bronze medalist at the World Championships, this time behind Kwan and Elena Sokolova.
In 2003–04, Suguri won gold at the NHK Trophy and bronze at Cup of China, thus qualifying for the Grand Prix Final. She stood atop the podium at the Final after defeating Sasha Cohen to become the first Japanese woman to take gold at the competition. Suguri left Sato after the 2004 World Championships after she lost two competitions to Miki Ando, who was also coached by Sato at the time. She moved to Chicago in the United States to train with Oleg Vasiliev in the autumn of 2004.
In the 2004–05 season, Suguri placed fourth at both of her Grand Prix assignments. After placing third at the Japanese Championships, she won her third Four Continents title. She finished fifth at the World Championships. After the Japan Skating Federation refused to let her continue working with Vasiliev, Suguri returned to Sato and soon after Ando left him.
In the 2005–06 season, Suguri won her fifth national title, competing against Mao Asada and Shizuka Arakawa. She placed fourth at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, and concluded her season with a silver medal at the 2006 World Championships, having finished second to Kimmie Meissner. She became the first Japanese woman to earn three World Championship medals.

### 2006–07 to 2009–10

In the 2006–07 season, Suguri finished fourth at the Japanese championships behind younger competitors Mao Asada, Miki Ando and Yukari Nakano, and missed a spot to the World Championships held in her home country. She competed at the Four Continents Championships but withdrew due to injury after falling on two jumps in her short program. At the end of the season, Suguri left Sato again as she felt overshadowed by Nakano, who was also training with Sato at the time.
For the 2007–08 season, Suguri decided to train in Russia with Alexander Zhulin, who had choreographed her programs in the previous season. Due to Zhulin's marital problems, she had to spend most of her time with Igor Pashkevich. At the Japanese National Championships, Suguri placed third after her short program, but she stumbled in the free program, finishing fourth overall, and, again, she missed a spot on the World Championship team.
During the 2008–09 season, Suguri chose to train with coach Nikolai Morozov in Hackensack, New Jersey. There, she was able to improve her jumping ability. Her first competition of the season was Skate Canada where she placed second behind Joannie Rochette. Her next competition was Cup of Russia, where she led after the short program, then placed third in the free skate, and finished third, overall. At the 2008/2009 Japanese Championships she was 5th after the short program due to a fall on a triple flip. In her long program she landed five triples and scored 121.27 points, winning the long program and placing second overall behind Mao Asada. Suguri made the World team for the first time in three years. She placed 6th at the 2009 Four Continents and 8th at the 2009 World Championships.
Suguri left Morozov in the summer of 2009 to train with Alexei Mishin in Russia, saying she wanted to work on triple/triple combinations and the triple axel. Mishin neglected Suguri and she spent most of her time with Igor Pashkevich. She finished 7th at the 2010 Japanese National Championships.

### 2010–11 to present

In March 2011, Suguri stated that she would continue competing the next season, and possibly until 2014. She began working as a regular employee in the Sports Marketing Division at Sunny Side Up and gained a sponsorship at a medical company, Yoshindo.
Suguri was unsuccessful in her effort to reach the 2011–12 Japanese Nationals, finishing 12th in her qualifying competition. She was dealing with an ankle injury. Suguri announced her competitive retirement on November 13, 2014. In 2016, she competed in her first adult skating event.

## Programs

| Season | Short program | Free skating | Exhibition |
| 2013–14 | Puss in Boots by Henry Jackman choreo. by Lori Nichol | Piano sonata No.14 in C sharp minor Moonlight Op.27/2 by Ludwig van Beethoven choreo. by Lori Nichol | |
| 2010–11 | Adagio in G minor by Remo Giazotto, Tomaso Albinoni choreo. by Lori Nichol | Song of Scheherazade by David Arkenstone Bagoa's Dance (from Alexander) by Vangelis choreo. by Vakhtang Murvanidze | |
| 2009–10 | Air on the G String Toccata and Fugue by Johann Sebastian Bach choreo. by Vakhtang Murvanidze | Spartacus by Aram Khachaturian choreo. by Vakhtang Murvanidze | Padam Padam by Édith Piaf choreo. by Nikolai Morozov |
| 2008–09 | Fanfan by Nicolas Jollere choreo. by Nikolai Morozov | Otonal by Raúl di Blasio choreo. by Nikolai Morozov | Ein Wiener Walzer by Adiemus choreo. by Alexander Zhulin |
| 2007–08 | Take Five by Dave Brubeck choreo. by Alexander Zhulin | Oblivion Tango (Calambre) by Ástor Piazzolla choreo. by Alexander Zhulin | Cell Block Tango (from Chicago) by John Kander choreo. by Alexander Zhulin Claire de Lune from Suite bergamasque by Claude Debussy choreo. by Alexander Zhulin |
| 2006–07 | Boléro by Maurice Ravel choreo. by Lori Nichol | Song of the Spirit Lacus Pereverantiae Fantasia (original song) (from Adiemus) by Karl Jenkins choreo. by Alexander Zhulin | Carmen by Georges Bizet choreo. by Noriko Sato The Chronicles of Narnia by Harry Gregson-Williams, David Arnold choreo. by Alexander Zhulin The Girl from Ipanema by Antonio Carlos Jobim choreo. by Alexander Zhulin |
| 2005–06 | Cancion Triste Toca Orilla by Jesse Cook, Alejandra Nuñez choreo. by Lori Nichol | Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor by Sergei Rachmaninoff choreo. by Lori Nichol | Oblivion by Ástor Piazzolla choreo. by Lori Nichol Séisouso (from Quidam) by Cirque du Soleil choreo. by Lori Nichol |
| 2004–05 | The Pink Panther by Henry Mancini choreo. by Lori Nichol | Tango Para Percusión by Lalo Schifrin Carmen Fantasie by Franz Waxman Carmen by Georges Bizet choreo. by Lori Nichol | Adagio by Lara Fabian choreo. by Noriko Sato Séisouso (from Quidam) by Cirque du Soleil choreo. by Noriko Sato |
| 2003–04 | Sympathy for the Devil Paint It, Black by The Rolling Stones performed by Angèle Dubeau & La Pietà choreo. by Lori Nichol | Symphony No. 40 Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart choreo. by Lori Nichol | At the Shore by Susan Osborn choreo. by Lori Nichol |
| 2002–03 | Larghetto from Piano Concerto No. 2 by Frédéric Chopin choreo. by Lori Nichol | Swan Lake Russian Dance (from Swan Lake) by Pyotr Tchaikovsky choreo. by Lori Nichol | Sanctus (based on Pachelbel's Canon) by Libera choreo. by Lori Nichol |
| 2001–02 | Ellens Gesang III Ave Maria, song for voice and piano, D. 839 Op. 52/6 by Franz Schubert choreo. by Lori Nichol | Piano sonata No.14 in C sharp minor Moonlight Op.27/2 by Ludwig van Beethoven choreo. by Lori Nichol | Don't Cry for Me, Argentina (from Evita) by Madonna choreo. by Lori Nichol |
| 2000–01 | Rustle of Spring, Op. 32 No. 3 by Christian Sinding choreo. by Lori Nichol | Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity (from The Planets) by Gustav Holst choreo. by Lori Nichol | Ave Maria by Vladimir Vavilov performed by Charlotte Church choreo. by Lori Nichol |
| 1999–2000 | Blue Londo A La Turk by Dave Brubeck | Flute Concerto The Fog is Lifting by Carl Nielsen | Do You Know Where You're Going To (Theme from Mahogany) by Mariah Carey The Storm performed by Vanessa-Mae Ave Maria composed by Vladimir Vavilov performed by Charlotte Church |
| 1998–99 | De profundis Wanderer Fantasy by Franz Liszt | Here The Deities Approve by Henry Purcell Toccata and Fugue Air on the G String Cello Suites by Johann Sebastian Bach | Frozen by Madonna |
| 1997–98 | Restoration by James Newton Howard | The Seasons by Alexander Glazunov | |
| 1996–97 | Warm Air Toccata and Fugue performed by Vanessa-Mae | Violin concerto Liebesleid La Sylphide by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Fritz Kreisler, Herman Severin Løvenskiold | |
| 1995–96 | | West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein | |

## Competitive highlights

GP: Champions Series / Grand Prix

### 2011–12 to 2014–15

National :
| Event | 11–12 | 12–13 | 13–14 | 14–15 |
| Eastern Sect. | 12th | 11th | 11th | 8th |
| Tokyo Reg. | | 5th | 6th | 8th |

### 1992–93 to 2010–11

International :
| Event | 92–93 | 93–94 | 94–95 | 95–96 | 96–97 | 97–98 | 98–99 | 99–00 | 00–01 | 01–02 | 02–03 | 03–04 | 04–05 | 05–06 | 06–07 | 07–08 | 08–09 | 09–10 | 10–11 |
| Olympics | | | | | | | | | | 5th | | | | 4th | | | | | |
| Worlds | | | | | 18th | | 20th | | 7th | 3rd | 3rd | 7th | 5th | 2nd | | | 8th | | |
| Four Continents | | | | | | | 5th | 4th | 1st | | 1st | | 1st | | WD | 10th | 6th | | |
| GP Final | | | | | | | 5th | | | | 6th | 1st | | | 4th | | | | |
| GP Bofrost Cup | | | | | | | | | | | 2nd | | | | | | | | |
| GP Cup of China | | | | | | | | | | | | 3rd | | | | 4th | | 7th | |
| GP Cup of Russia | | | | | 7th | | | | | | | | | | | 5th | 3rd | | |
| GP Lalique/Bompard | | | | | | | | 7th | | | | | 4th | | | | | | 8th |
| GP NHK Trophy | | | | | 6th | 5th | 3rd | 8th | 5th | 7th | 4th | 1st | | 2nd | 2nd | | | | |
| GP Skate America | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4th | |
| GP Skate Canada | | | | | | | 2nd | | 3rd | 4th | 2nd | | 4th | 8th | 2nd | | 2nd | | 9th |
| Goodwill Games | | | | | | | | | | 3rd | | | | | | | | | |
| Finlandia Trophy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 7th | |
| Nebelhorn Trophy | | | | | 4th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Asian Games | | | | 3rd | | | 3rd | | | | 2nd | | | | 2nd | | | | |
| International: Junior ||||||||||||||||||||
| Junior Worlds | | | | 4th | 4th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Blue Swords | | | | 3rd | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gardena | | 7th | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| National ||||||||||||||||||||
| Japan Champ. | | | | 4th | 1st | 2nd | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 4th | 4th | 2nd | 7th | 7th |
| Japan Junior | 19th | 9th | 10th | 2nd | 2nd | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| WD: Withdrew ||||||||||||||||||||

## Detailed results

Small medals for short program and free skating awarded only at ISU Championships.
2009–2010 season :
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Result |
| December 25–27, 2009 | 2009–10 Japan Championships | 6 58.70 | 9 102.59 | 7 161.29 |
| November 12–15, 2009 | 2009 Skate America | 4 56.04 | 5 92.95 | 4 148.99 |
| October 29 – November 1, 2009 | 2009 Cup of China | 6 55.46 | 8 90.53 | 7 145.99 |
| October 8–11, 2009 | 2009 Finlandia Trophy | 4 54.09 | 8 82.82 | 7 136.91 |
| 2008–2009 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Result |
| March 23–29, 2009 | 2009 World Championships | 9 58.40 | 9 106.18 | 8 164.58 |
| February 2–8, 2009 | 2009 Four Continents Championships | 4 60.18 | 6 107.56 | 6 167.74 |
| December 25–27, 2008 | 2008–09 Japan Championships | 5 57.32 | 1 121.27 | 2 178.59 |
| November 20–23, 2008 | 2008 Cup of Russia | 1 58.30 | 3 103.74 | 3 162.04 |
| October 30 – November 2, 2008 | 2008 Skate Canada International | 2 57.92 | 3 105.94 | 2 163.86 |
| 2007–2008 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Result |
| February 11–17, 2008 | 2008 Four Continents Championships | 9 50.24 | 9 94.82 | 10 145.06 |
| December 26–28, 2007 | 2007–08 Japan Championships | 3 63.50 | 6 98.29 | 4 161.79 |
| December 22–25, 2007 | 2007 Cup of Russia | 4 56.18 | 6 91.97 | 5 148.15 |
| December 8–11, 2007 | 2007 Cup of China | 11 44.76 | 3 92.37 | 4 137.13 |
| 2006–2007 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Result |
| February 7–10, 2007 | 2007 Four Continents Championships | 12 46.09 | WD | – |
| January 28 – February 4, 2007 | 2007 Asian Winter Games | 1 58.50 | 3 103.55 | 2 162.05 |
| December 27–29, 2006 | 2006–07 Japan Championships | 5 58.56 | 4 114.00 | 4 172.56 |
| December 14–17, 2006 | 2006–07 ISU Grand Prix Final | 5 55.14 | 3 103.64 | 4 158.78 |
| November 30 – December 3, 2006 | 2006 NHK Trophy | 2 61.92 | 2 117.39 | 2 179.31 |
| November 2–5, 2006 | 2006 Skate Canada International | 2 58.52 | 2 110.24 | 2 168.76 |
2005–2006 season :
| Date | Event | QR | SP | FS | Result |
| March 19–26, 2006 | 2006 World Championships | 2 28.47 | 2 62.12 | 2 119.15 | 2 209.74 |
| February 10–26, 2006 | 2006 Winter Olympics | – | 4 61.75 | 4 113.48 | 4 175.23 |
| December 23–25, 2005 | 2005–06 Japan Championships | – | 2 67.30 | 1 126.86 | 1 194.16 |
| December 1–4, 2005 | 2005 NHK Trophy | – | 6 52.60 | 1 105.88 | 2 158.48 |
| October 27–30, 2005 | 2005 Skate Canada International | – | 2 52.12 | 9 79.88 | 8 132.00 |
| 2004–2005 season ||||||
| Date | Event | QR | SP | FS | Result |
| March 14–20, 2005 | 2005 World Championships | 2 27.19 | 10 56.28 | 5 112.54 | 5 196.01 |
| February 14–20, 2005 | 2005 Four Continents Championships | – | 1 61.44 | 1 117.22 | 1 178.66 |
| December 24–26, 2004 | 2004–05 Japan Championships | – | 2 65.18 | 3 101.36 | 3 166.54 |
| November 19–21, 2004 | 2004 Trophée Eric Bompard | – | 3 51.40 | 5 79.90 | 4 131.30 |
| October 28–31, 2004 | 2004 Skate Canada International | – | 2 53.72 | 4 94.60 | 4 148.32 |
| 2003–2004 season ||||||
| Date | Event | QR | SP | FS | Result |
| March 22–28, 2004 | 2004 World Championships | 8 | 7 | 5 | 7 |
| December 25–26, 2003 | 2003–04 Japan Championships | – | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| December 12–14, 2003 | 2003–04 ISU Grand Prix Final | – | 1 62.02 | 1 120.06 | 1 182.08 |
| November 27–30, 2003 | 2003 NHK Trophy | – | 2 57.94 | 1 107.58 | 1 165.52 |
| November 5–9, 2003 | 2003 Cup of China | – | 1 60.28 | 5 83.39 | 3 143.67 |
| 2002–2003 season ||||||
| Date | Event | QR | SP | FS | Result |
| March 24–30, 2003 | 2003 World Championships | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| February 28 – March 2, 2003 | 2002–03 ISU Grand Prix Final | – | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| February 28 – March 2, 2003 | 2002–03 ISU Grand Prix Final | – | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| February 10–16, 2003 | 2003 Four Continents Championships | – | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| February 1–8, 2003 | 2003 Asian Winter Games | – | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| December 19–22, 2002 | 2002–03 Japan Championships | – | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| November 28 – December 1, 2002 | 2002 NHK Trophy | – | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| November 7–10, 2002 | 2002 Bofrost Cup on Ice | – | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| October 31 – November 3, 2002 | 2002 Skate Canada International | – | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 2001–2002 season ||||||
| Date | Event | QR | SP | FS | Result |
| March 16–24, 2002 | 2002 World Championships | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| February 8–24, 2002 | 2002 Winter Olympics | – | 7 | 5 | 5 |
| December 21–23, 2001 | 2001–02 Japan Championships | – | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| November 29 – December 2, 2001 | 2001 NHK Trophy | – | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| November 1–4, 2001 | 2001 Skate Canada International | – | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| 2000–2001 season ||||||
| Date | Event | QR | SP | FS | Result |
| March 17–25, 2001 | 2001 World Championships | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| February 7–10, 2001 | 2001 Four Continents Championships | – | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| December 8–10, 2000 | 2000–01 Japan Championships | – | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| November 28 – December 3, 2000 | 2000 NHK Trophy | – | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| November 1–5, 2000 | 2000 Skate Canada International | – | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 1999–2000 season ||||||
| Date | Event | QR | SP | FS | Result |
| February 21–27, 2000 | 2000 Four Continents Championships | – | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| December 24–26, 1999 | 1999–2000 Japan Championships | – | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| December 2–5, 1999 | 1999 NHK Trophy | – | 6 | 8 | 8 |
| November 18–21, 1999 | 1999 Trophée Lalique | – | 5 | 8 | 7 |
| 1998–1999 season ||||||
| Date | Event | QR | SP | FS | Result |
| March 21–28, 1999 | 1999 World Championships | 6 | 19 | 21 | 20 |
| March 4–7, 1999 | 1998–99 ISU Grand Prix Final | – | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| February 21–28, 1999 | 1999 Four Continents Championships | – | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| January 30 – February 6, 1999 | 1999 Asian Winter Games | – | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| January 15–17, 1999 | 1998–99 Japan Championships | – | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| December 2–6, 1998 | 1998 NHK Trophy | – | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| November 5–8, 1998 | 1998 Skate Canada International | – | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 1997–1998 season ||||||
| Date | Event | QR | SP | FS | Result |
| December 12–14, 1997 | 1997–98 Japan Championships | – | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| November 27–30, 1997 | 1997 NHK Trophy | – | 7 | 5 | 5 |
1996–1997 season :
| Date | Event | Level | QR | SP | FS | Result |
| March 16–23, 1997 | 1997 World Championships | Senior | 10 | 24 | 16 | 18 |
| January 13–15, 1997 | 1996–97 Japan Championships | Senior | – | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| December 12–15, 1996 | 1996 Cup of Russia | Senior | – | 4 | 7 | 7 |
| December 5–8, 1996 | 1996 NHK Trophy | Senior | – | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| November 24 – December 1, 1996 | 1997 World Junior Championships | Junior | – | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| November 3, 1996 | 1996–97 Japan Junior Championships | Junior | – | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| August 27–30, 1996 | 1996 Nebelhorn Trophy | Senior | – | – | – | 4 |
| 1995–1996 season |||||||
| Date | Event | Level | QR | SP | FS | Result |
| February 4–11, 1996 | 1996 Asian Winter Games | Senior | – | – | – | 5 |
| January 12–14, 1996 | 1995–96 Japan Championships | Senior | – | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| November 24 – December 1, 1995 | 1996 World Junior Championships | Junior | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| November 3, 1995 | 1995–96 Japan Junior Championships | Junior | – | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| October 1995 | 1995 Blue Swords | Junior | – | – | – | 3 |
| 1994–1995 seasons |||||||
| Date | Event | Level | QR | SP | FS | Result |
| October 2, 1994 | 1994–95 Japan Junior Championships | Junior | – | 7 | 10 | 10 |
| March, 1994 | 1994 Gardena Spring Trophy | Junior | – | – | – | 7 |
| November, 1993 | 1993–94 Japan Junior Championships | Junior | – | 6 | 10 | 9 |
| November, 1992 | 1992–93 Japan Junior Championships | Junior | – | 19 | 19 | 19 |
* QR = Qualifying round