Yuko Kavaguti (also: Kawaguchi; Japanese: Kawaguchi Yūko (川口 悠子), Russian: Юко Кавагути, born 20 November 1981) is a retired pair skater who represented Japan and Russia in international competition. In 2006, she began competing with Alexander Smirnov for Russia. They are two-time European champions (2010, 2015), two-time World bronze medalists (2009, 2010), two-time ISU Grand Prix Final bronze medalists (11–12 and 15–16), and three-time Russian national champions (2008–2010). In 2015, they became the first pair in history to complete two quadruple throw jumps in one program and the first to land a quadruple throw loop.
In addition to her native Japanese, Kavaguti is also fluent in Russian and English. From 2003, she studied and majored in international relations at St. Petersburg State University, completing her degree in June 2007. Kavaguti has expressed interest in a career in international diplomacy following her skating career. In December 2008, she acquired Russian citizenship to qualify for a spot on that nation's Olympic team. Japan does not allow dual nationality, so she was obliged to give up her Japanese citizenship and may reapply to get it back only after ten years. When her family name was transliterated from Japanese to Russian and then into Latin characters, "Kawaguchi" became "Kavaguti".
Kavaguti began skating at the age of five because her mother was a fan of ice dancing. She originally competed as a singles skater for Japan, then switched to pairs after being inspired by the Russian pair skater Elena Berezhnaya at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Kavaguti decided to write to her coach Tamara Moskvina and with persistence, the renowned coach eventually agreed to train her. Kavaguti moved to Hackensack, New Jersey where Moskvina was coaching at the time.
In March 1999, Kavaguti teamed up with Alexander Markuntsov to compete for Japan. They trained mainly in Hackensack with Moskvina and Igor Moskvin as their coaches and Tatiana Druchinina, Igor Bobrin, and Moskvina as their choreographers. They were the first Japanese pair team to medal at an ISU championships when they took silver at the World Junior Championships in 2001. Kavaguti and Markuntsov split in 2003. Kavaguti said, "We had a good working relationship but it was very difficult for Alexander to acquire Japanese citizenship, thus we couldn't represent Japan in the Olympics so after a while we decided to break up."
In 2003, Kawaguchi followed her coach as Moskvina moved back to Saint Petersburg, Russia where she enrolled at a university in addition to skating. She began skating with the American skater Josh Martin but in May 2004, he was hit by a car as he rollerbladed to practice, suffering cuts and a broken elbow, and decided to return to the U.S. Kawaguchi then skated with another American, Devin Patrick. "He taught me the quad throw (salchow). He did really good throws, but some of the other elements didn't work as well," Kawaguchi stated. They competed at the Japanese championships and U.S. Championships, placing 15th, and decided to go their separate ways. "He wanted to live in the U.S., but I didn't want to leave Tamara Nikolaevna (Moskvina). I just couldn't give up my studies, leave my coach, and go to America." She worried that she might not find another partner, but was determined to at least complete her degree.
Partnership with Alexander Smirnov
Kavaguti teamed up with Alexander Smirnov to compete for Russia in May 2006. She accepted to skate for another country due to the difficulty in finding a good partner. Smirnov said, "We often trained at the same rink and I could see how hard she works. I thought I was a hard worker but after watching her I was really amazed by her work level." They train at the Yubileyny Sports Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia. They initially worked with Nikolai Velikov but Kavaguti had been training with Tamara Moskvina since 1998 and preferred to stay with her. They began training with Moskvina in August 2006.
Their first Grand Prix competition was the Cup of Russia where they won the bronze medal. They also competed at the Coupe de Nice in France and won gold. Kavaguti dislocated her shoulder after a fall on a quad throw in 2006 and occasionally suffered recurring problems for several years after. During practice on 25 December 2006, Kavaguti broke her ankle, forcing the pair to withdraw from the 2007 Russian Championship and the 2007 European Championship. They competed at the 2007 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. This was their first worlds as a pair. They came in 4th after the short program, and placed 10th in the long program and 9th overall.
Kavaguti/Smirnov competed in the Cup of Russia where they once again took the bronze medal. They won a bronze medal at Skate Canada. At the Cup of Nice they place 1st in both the short and long program and won the gold for the second year in a row. At their first Grand Prix Final they placed 6th in the short program after having a two-point deduction for an illegal element. In the finals they got a one-point deduction for a fall on the throw quad salchow and came in 5th place overall.
The pair won their first Russian Championship in 2008 by winning the short and long program. They won by 10.43 points over Maria Mukhortova / Maxim Trankov in spite of a three-point deduction for stopping the program due to injury. Kavaguti fell and dislocated her shoulder after a throw quadruple salchow. She attempted to continue the program despite the pain, however Smirnov, seeing that she had trouble raising her arm, stopped the program. After the two-minute pause permitted by the rules, the pair completed the program and won their first national title, having completed two triple toeloops, a triple twist, and a throw triple loop.
Their first European Championships were held in Zagreb, Croatia in January 2008. During the long program they landed the throw quad Salchow but a fall on a triple jump and planned double Axel that was turned into a single was only enough for a bronze medal. The 2008 World Championship was held in Gothenburg, Sweden. Kavaguti/Smirnov received a personal best short program score of 71.42 which placed them in third place. They landed a throw quad Salchow and several elements received a level four but they dropped to fourth place only 1.45 points out of third.
Kavaguti/Smirnov once again won their third gold at the Coupe de Nice. At Skate Canada they won their first international competition at an ISU Grand Prix competition. They then competed at the Cup of Russia where they were 2nd after the short program and 1st in the free skate. They finished 2nd overall. The pair went their 2nd Grand Prix Final where they placed 6th in the short program and 5th in the free skate. They once again finished in 5th place.
Kavaguti/Smirnov defended their title at the 2009 Russian National Championships. Although second going into the free skate they easily beat the second place team of Mukhortova/Trankov by over 15 points. At the 2009 European Championship the pair who was in 3rd place after the short improved on the previous year's placement with a silver medal.
At the 2009 World Championships in Los Angeles, California, Kavaguti/Smirnov were in second place after the short program. In the free skate Kavaguti fell hard on her cheek after a throw quad salchow but got up seconds later and the pair continued to skate. They earned their first world bronze medal losing the silver to Dan Zhang / Hao Zhang by 0.13. They were selected to compete on behalf of Russia in the ISU's first ever World Team Trophy in Japan. The pair was 2nd in the short program and free skate and finished 2nd overall. The Russian team finished in 5th place.
Kavaguti/Smirnov were chosen to compete at the NHK Trophy in Japan. After the short program they were in 1st place ahead of Qing Pang / Jian Tong. In the free skate, Kavaguti once again fell on the quad throw once again dislocating her shoulder. The program was stopped for a two-minute medical break and the pair decided to continue. Despite a three-point deduction for the fall and 'Interruption in Excess' due to the medical break, they won the silver.