Kristi Tsuya Yamaguchi is the beautiful, talented pro figure skater that is not nearly as
popular amongst her countrymen as she should be. She wins virtually every competition that she
enters! Her skating idol was Dorothy Hamill and she was the first American to win at the Olympics
since Dorothy, ending what seemed like a never ending drought of 16 years. During her rise through
the ranks, this talented young skater competed in pairs, with Rudy Galindo who is now also skating
singles now, as well as women's singles disciplines.
While bouncing between singles and pairs, she was both successful and determined until 1989. It was
during this year her singels coach, Christy Ness, moved to Edmonton. Kristi was now like a tennis ball, bouncing between Edmonton and
California in her quest to continue training in both disciplines. Finnaly, the travel and pressure
from the USFSA to just pick one all became too much for Kristi. Later that year, when her pairs coach,
Jim Hulick, died, the choice was easy.
Kristi had no second thoughts about going pro and the same year
she turned pro, she signed with "Discover Card Stars On Ice" Although she is still young, only 26, she
was never tempted by reinstatement and has accomplished all that she needs or wants to as an amateur
singles skater. She could be probably be persuaded to return to amateur competition, but only as a pairs
skater. As much as it suprises everyone, no one has taken her up on this offer.
Other Links of Interest:
Kristi Yamaguchi Home Page
Photo Gallery
Figure Skating
Skateweb
Email: dshepherd@kih.net
