Rena Inoue

Rena Inoue (井上 怜奈, Inoue Rena, born October 17, 1976) is a Japanese-born American retired pair skater. With partner John Baldwin, she is the 2004 and 2006 U.S. National Champion. Inoue previously competed for Japan as both a single skater and pair skater. Inoue and Baldwin are the first skaters to perform a throw triple Axel in competition.

Rena Inoue
Rena Inoue and John Baldwin
Native name	井上 怜奈
Born	(1976-10-17) October 17, 1976 (age 48) Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan
Hometown	Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Height	1.49 m (4 ft 11 in)
Figure skating career
Country	United States (since 2000)  Japan (before 2000)
Partner	John Baldwin (since 2000) Tomoaki Koyama (before 2000)
Coach	Jenni Meno Todd Sand Philipp Mills Peter Oppegard Oksana Grishuk Jill Watson
Skating club	All Year FSC
Began skating	1980
Retired	2010
Medal record Figure skating – Pairs Representing  United States Four Continents Championships 2006 Colorado Springs Pairs 2007 Colorado Springs Pairs Representing  Japan Ladies' figure skating Winter Universiade 1997 Muju Ladies' singles

Personal life

Rena Inoue was born in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo, Japan. She moved to the United States in 1996 at the urging of her father, who had been diagnosed with lung cancer. In 1998, less than two years after her father's death, Inoue was also diagnosed with lung cancer. It was detected early, and after six months of chemotherapy, she was cancer-free.^[1]

Inoue graduated from Waseda University in 1999 with a degree in education.^[2] She became a U.S. citizen in 2005.^[2] Inoue became engaged to be married to skating partner John Baldwin in January 2008.^[3] Their daughter was born November 2011.^[4]

Career

Competing for Japan

Rena Inoue began skating at age four. She competed in the disciplines of single skating and pair skating in Japan. As a single skater, Inoue is the 1994 Japanese silver medalist and 1998 bronze medalist. She represented Japan at the 1994 Winter Olympics in singles and placed 18th. She competed for Japan in singles through 1999.

As a pair skater, Inoue competed with Tomoaki Koyama. They were the 1991 and 1992 Japanese national champions. They represented Japan at the 1992 Winter Olympics and placed 14th.

Competing for the United States

While living in the United States, Inoue was paired with John Baldwin by his father, a coach. Inoue and Baldwin tried out and agreed to form the partnership. They began competing together in 2000.^[5]

They placed 11th at the 2001 U.S. Championships. The following season, they won the pewter medal at the 2002 U.S. Championships. They were sent to the 2002 Four Continents, their first international competition together, and placed 7th.

In the 2002–2003 season, Inoue / Baldwin competed on the Grand Prix circuit for the first time. Returning to Nationals, they won the bronze medal. They withdrew from the 2003 Four Continents, but placed 10th at the 2003 World Championships.

In the 2003–2004 season, they improved on their Grand Prix results and won their first national title. They placed 4th at the 2004 Four Continents and repeated their 10th-place finish at the 2004 World Championships.

In the 2004–2005 season, they medalled for the first time on the Grand Prix and qualified for the Grand Prix Final, where they placed 6th. They won the silver medal at the 2005 U.S. Figure Skating Championships and placed 11th at the 2005 World Championships.

In the 2005–2006 season, Inoue / Baldwin medalled on the Grand Prix. At the 2006 U.S. Championships, Inoue and Baldwin became the first pair to successfully perform a throw triple Axel in competition.^[6] They went on to the 2006 Four Continents, which they won. At the 2006 Winter Olympics, they made Olympic and international history when they landed the throw triple Axel for the first time in international competition. They placed 7th overall. At the 2006 World Figure Skating Championships, they placed 4th.

Inoue / Baldwin on the podium at the 2006 Skate America.

In the 2006–2007 season, Inoue / Baldwin won the gold medal at the 2006 Skate America after winning the short program and placing second in the free skate. They won the silver medal at 2006 Skate Canada International the next week; and then won the silver at 2006 Trophée Eric Bompard one week later. They qualified for the Grand Prix Final. While in Saint Petersburg for that competition, Baldwin was abducted, assaulted and robbed,^[7] though he and Inoue were still able to compete, and finished fourth. At the 2007 U.S. Championships, they won the silver medal. They placed 8th at the 2007 World Championships.

In the 2007–2008 season, Inoue / Baldwin sat out the Grand Prix series, choosing to skate in shows instead. Returning to competition at the 2008 U.S. Championships, they won the silver medal. While they were taking their bows following their free skate, Baldwin proposed marriage to Inoue on the ice and she accepted.^[3][8][9] Inoue / Baldwin competed at the 2008 World Championships, where they placed 10th.

Inoue / Baldwin were 5th at the 2008 Skate America and won the silver medal at the 2008 NHK Trophy.

Programs

(with Baldwin)

Season	Short program	Free skating
2009–2010 [10][11]	Tango de los Exilados by Walter Taieb and Vanessa Mae	Concert for Piano No. 1 by Peter I. Tchaikovski
2008–2009 [11][12]	Illumination by Secret Garden	Pompei by E. S. Posthumous
2007–2008 [11][13]	Beethoven's Last Night by Trans-Siberian Orchestra
2006–2007 [11][14]	The Soul of Spain	Selection by Giacomo Puccini
2005–2006 [11][15]	Adagio in G minor by Remo Giazotto, Tomaso Albinoni	Selection by Dmitri Shostakovich
2004–2005 [11][16]	Bird of Fire Orchestra: Salsoul	Selection by Trans-Siberian Orchestra
2003–2004 [11][17]	Murder at the Cotton Club by Erik Ekstrand Ensemble	Wonders of the New World by Elton John Pearl Harbor by Hans Zimmer
2002–2003 [18]	Carmen by Doc Severenson London Philharmonic Orchestra	Brazil by Michael Kamen The National Philharmonic Orchestra of London
2001–2002 [19]	Millenium

Competitive highlights

GP: Champions Series / Grand Prix

Pairs career with John Baldwin for the United States

International[20]
Event	00–01	01–02	02–03	03–04	04–05	05–06	06–07	07–08	08–09	09–10
Olympics						7th
Worlds			10th	10th	11th	4th	8th	10th
Four Continents		7th		4th		1st	3rd	4th	7th
GP Final					6th		4th
GP Bofrost Cup			5th
GP Bompard						4th	2nd			4th
GP Cup of China				5th
GP Cup of Russia			5th
GP NHK Trophy				4th	4th				2nd	3rd
GP Skate America					3rd	2nd	1st		5th
GP Skate Canada							2nd
National[20]
U.S. Champ.	11th	4th	3rd	1st	2nd	1st	2nd	2nd	3rd	3rd

Singles career for Japan

International
Event	90–91	91–92	92–93	93–94	94–95	95–96	96–97	97–98	98–99
Olympics				18th
Worlds				13th
GP Cup of Russia								10th
GP Nations Cup						7th
GP Skate America						8th
GP Skate Canada								9th
Nations Cup				3rd
NHK Trophy			11th	8th
Universiade							2nd
International: Junior
Junior Worlds	14th			5th
National
Japan Champ.				2nd	12th	5th	6th	3rd	WD
Japan Jr. Champ.	1st	2nd	1st	2nd
WD = Withdrew

Pairs career with Koyama for Japan

International
Event	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91	1991–92
Winter Olympics					14th
World Championships				15th
International de Paris					7th
NHK Trophy					7th
International: Junior
World Junior Championships			7th
National
Japan Championships				1st	1st
Japan Junior	1st		1st

References

1. "Pairs skater reveals bout with lung cancer". ESPN. Bristol, Connecticut. 9 February 2006. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
2. "Athlete bio: Rena Inoue". United States Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007.
3. Elliott, Helene (February 2, 2008). "After their skate, the answer is yes". Los Angeles Times.
4. "- YouTube". YouTube.
5. Kempf, Susanne (2006). "Baldwin: Rena is my idol". AbsoluteSkating.com. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
6. Mihoces, Gary (January 26, 2006). "A first in pairs skating?". USA Today.
7. Elliott, Helene (January 23, 2007). "Mugging leaves Baldwin recovering but still shaken". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 16, 2010.
8. Benet, Lorenzo; Eldred, Sheila (January 28, 2008). "Olympic Skaters Get Engaged on Ice". People. Archived from the original on January 31, 2008.
9. Zeigler, Mark (January 27, 2008). "Baldwin wins Inoue's heart with proposal". San Diego Union-Tribune.
10. "Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on September 14, 2011.
11. "Rena Inoue / John Baldwin". IceNetwork. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013.
12. "Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN: 2008/2009". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on July 11, 2009.
13. "Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN: 2007/2008". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 27, 2008.
14. "Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 26, 2007.
15. "Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 27, 2006.
16. "Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN: 2004/2005". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on April 4, 2005.
17. "Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN: 2003/2004". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on June 3, 2004.
18. "Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN: 2002/2003". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on August 4, 2003.
19. "Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on January 28, 2002.
20. "Competition Results: Rena INOUE / John BALDWIN". International Skating Union.

External links

• Rena Inoue / John Baldwin at the International Skating Union
• Rena Inoue / John Baldwin at U.S. Figure Skating (archived)
• Official site of Inoue / Baldwin at the Wayback Machine (archived March 17, 2010)