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Carolina Kostner

Kostner in 2009.
Personal information
Full name:	Carolina Kostner
Country represented:	Italy
Date of birth:	February 8, 1987 (1987-02-08) (age 23)
Place of birth:	Bolzano
Home town:	Ortisei
Residence:	El Segundo, California
Height:	1.69 m (5 ft 6+1⁄2 in)
Coach:	Edoardo De Bernardis
Former coach:	Frank Carroll Michael Huth Friedrich Juricek
Choreographer:	Lori Nichol
Former choreographer:	Kurt Browning Megan Smith
Skating club:	GS Fiamme Azzurre
ISU personal best scores
Combined total:	184.68 2008 Worlds
Short program:	67.15 2007 Worlds
Free skate:	120.40 2008 Worlds

Carolina Kostner (born 8 February 1987) is an Italian figure skater. She is the 2008 World silver medalist, the 2005 World bronze medalist, the 2007, 2008 and 2010 European champion and the 2007-08 & 2008-09 Grand Prix Final Bronze Medalist. As of January 2010, she was ranked 2nd in the world^[1].

Personal life

Carolina Kostner was born in Bolzano, Italy and lives in Ortisei (Urtijëi in Ladin), Italy. She began skating at age 4.^[2] Her mother, Patrizia, was a nationally ranked figure skater in the 1970s. Her father, Erwin, played ice hockey for the Italian national team at the World Championships and Olympic Games and presently coaches ice hockey teams. She has two brothers who play ice hockey in Germany.^[3] Kostner is the cousin and godchild of Isolde Kostner, a silver medalist in alpine skiing at the 2002 Winter Olympics.^[4]

Kostner speaks Ladin (a Rhaeto-Romanic language), German, Italian, English and French.^[5] In the fall of 2007, she enrolled at the University of Turin.

Career

When her home rink closed in 2001, Kostner chose to work with Michael Huth in Oberstdorf, Germany, about a four-hour drive from her home in Bolzano. She made her senior debut in the 2002-2003 season, finishing 4th at the European championships. Later that year, she became the first Italian skater to medal at Junior Worlds, winning a bronze.

In 2004, Kostner finished 5th at the Europeans and at Worlds. In 2005, she finished 7th at the 2005 European Figure Skating Championships before beating Michelle Kwan for the bronze medal at the 2005 World Figure Skating Championships in Moscow.^[6]

Kostner won her first European medal in 2006, and was chosen to be flag bearer for the host Italian team during the opening ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics.^[7] At the Olympics, she placed 9th. The next month, at the 2006 World Figure Skating Championships, she placed 12th.

Kostner performs a donut spin at the 2007 European Championships.

Kostner missed the 2006-2007 Grand Prix season due to injury. She won the Italian national title and went on to win her first European title at the 2007 European Figure Skating Championships.^[8] She improved on her Worlds results by placing 6th at the 2007 Worlds.^[9]

During the 2007-2008 season, Kostner medaled at both her Grand Prix events and went to the Grand Prix Final for the first time. At that event, she won the bronze medal. She won her second European title at the 2008 European Figure Skating Championships after winning the short program and placing second in the free skate.^[10] At the 2008 World Figure Skating Championships, Kostner won the short program and placed third in the free skate, winning the silver medal overall.^[11]

Kostner had a difficult 2008-2009 season, finishing off the podium at her first Grand Prix event, 2008 Skate Canada, and then losing her European title to Laura Lepistö,^[12] and placing twelfth at the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships after a disastrous long program in which she failed to land a single clean triple.^[13]

Kostner's assigned events for the 2009-10 Grand Prix series were the Trophée Eric Bompard and the Cup of China.

Coaching change

In June 2009, Kostner left her long-time coach Michael Huth.^[14] Her new coach is California-based Frank Carroll, along with Christa Fassi.^[15]

Skating technique

Kostner can land triple-triple combinations, often the triple flip - triple toe loop. She spins and jumps in the clockwise direction. She is considered a very fast skater, and picks up speed quickly.

Public life and endorsements

Kostner's sponsors^[16] include Asics, Cepu, Grissin Bon, Lancia, Roberto Cavalli and Torino Olympic Park. Kostner's Official Suppliers ^[17] include Biotherm, L'Oréal Professionnel and Belvita Alpine Wellness Hote.

Programs

Kostner performs her "You Are A Woman" exhibition at the 2008-2009 Grand Prix Final.

Competitive highlights

Post-2005

• WD = Withdrawn

Pre-2005

• J = Junior level

Detailed results

2009-2010 season

2008-2009 season

Kostner at the 2009 European Championships.

2007-2008 season

Kostner at the 2008 European Championships.

2006-2007 season

2005-2006 season

2004-2005 season

2003-2004 season

2002-2003 season

2001-2002 season

2000-2001 season

References

External links

• Official Site
• Carolina Kostner at the International Skating Union