icenetwork.com: Skaters

Skaters

Pairs

Rena Inoue

Born:

October 17, 1976

Birthplace:

Hyougo

Height:

4' 10"

Level:

Senior

Hometown:

Chiba, Japan

Club:

All Year FSC

John Baldwin

Born:

October 18, 1973

Birthplace:

Dallas, Texas

Height:

5' 10"

Level:

Senior

Hometown:

Santa Monica, Calif.

Club:

All Year FSC

Coach:

Jenni Meno, Todd Sand

Choreographer:

Oksana Grishuk

Inoue and Baldwin are two-time U.S. champions and seven-time U.S. medalists ... They are also the 2006 Four Continents champions and posted their best finish at a World Championships when they came in fourth in 2006 ... Were previously coached by Jill Watson (five seasons), Peter Oppegard (two seasons) and Phillip Mills (two seasons) ... Landed the first throw triple Axel by any team in history, at the 2006 State Farm U.S. Championships ... Also the first team to land the throw triple Axel at the Olympic Winter Games (2006) and World Championships (2006) ... Baldwin proposed to Inoue on the ice after their free skate at the 2008 U.S. Championships.

In June 2006 the pair attended a state dinner at the White House to honor Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, with guests including President George W. Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, cabinet members, senators and representatives ... Sang karaoke with NBC "Today Show"'s Katie Couric at the 2006 Olympics ... In spring 2004 donated all of the fees they earned while touring with the Champions on Ice Tour to the U.S. Figure Skating Memorial Fund ... Appeared in a skating exhibition at the 2004 HBO All Star Family Sport Jam fundraiser for Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

Inoue is a three-time Olympian; in her first two Olympic Winter Games, she competed for Japan in singles and pairs ... She previously competed in pairs with Tomoaki Koyama from 1987-92 ... She began skating at age 4 when her doctor suggested it might help her asthma ... In 1996, Inoue moved to the United States to train at the urging of her father, who was undergoing treatment for lung cancer caused by second-hand smoke ... He passed away in February 1997 at 45 ... In November 1998, at 19, Rena, too, was diagnosed with lung cancer: a malignant one-centimeter tumor; she underwent outpatient treatment and chemotherapy at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles ... She told no one what she was going through because she didn't want special treatment ... In six months she was cancer-free ... Returned to the ice in November 1999 and met Baldwin in December ... Is a 1999 graduate of Waseda University in Tokyo with a degree in education ... Enjoys eating out and reading ... Favorite country to which she's traveled for skating is Italy ... Has a passion for searching for good restaurants ... Biggest life-defining moment was when her father passed away ... After her skating career, she would like to go to Fiji ... If she could meet any living celebrity, it would be Johnny Depp ... If she weren't a figure skater, she'd be a school teacher.

RENA'S FAVORITES
Favorite city: San Diego
Favorite time of year: Christmas
Favorite performer: Jack Black
Favorite reality show: House Hunters
Favorite drink: Amaretto
Favorite vacation spot: By the ocean or at a hot springs
Favorite quote: "Live for today."

RENA'S 'THREE THINGS'
Three things I love doing: Eating out, having John cook for me and gardening
Three favorite movies: School of Rock, The Birdcage and The Notebook
Three people I'd most like to meet: Johnny Depp, Jack Black and Lance Armstrong
Three favorite TV shows: Seinfeld, The Tonight Show and House Hunters
Three favorite foods: Ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate
Three favorite drinks: Amaretto, Guinness and White Russian

Baldwin is a veteran of the U.S. Championships, dating back to 1986 as a novice competitor ... Claimed the U.S. novice title in 1987 ... Started to skate at age 2 because both his parents were coaches ... Mother and father are former national champions and World competitors ... Younger brother (Don) and sister (Donna) are former members of the U.S. national team ... Father is a car dealer and mother is a psychologist ... John formerly skated with Tristan Collell ... Enjoys RVing, cars, poker, beach volleyball, landscape design and cooking ... Favorite country to which he's traveled for skating is Japan because of "the great food and fans" ... Something most people don't know about him is he hates the cold ... Was voted the captain of the 2006 U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team ... Owns his own 41-foot RV ... Has a passion for outdoor activities ... Biggest life-defining moment was making history by becoming the first team in U.S, World and Olympic history to land a throw triple Axel ... Started his own fishing and boat rental service in San Diego in 1997 ... If he weren't a skater, he's like to run a car dealership full time ... Was a day trader before teaming up with Inoue, starting his work day at 5 a.m. ... After his skating career, he would like to retire from any athletic activity ... Would like to be a contestant on "Road Rules" because "I actually live that lifestyle every week." ... Went to Miramar College in San Diego from 1992-94.

JOHN'S FAVORITES
Favorite sports figures: John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors
Favorite sports team: Los Angeles Lakers
Favorite city: Los Angeles
Favorite season: Summer
Favorite author: Mario Puzo
Favorite magazine: Popular Mechanics
Favorite gadget: Cell phone
Favorite vaacation I've taken: Road trip in his RV up the California coast on the Pacific Coast Highway
Favorite performers: Trans-siberian Orchestra
Favorite drinks: Gin anad tonic, Johnnie Walker Blue
Favorite vacation spot: San Diego
Favorite quote: "He who hesitates is lost."

JOHN'S 'THREE THINGS'
Three people I'd like to have dinner with: Jack Black, John McEnroe and Larry David
Three things I hate doing: Working out at the gym, dumping the waste tanks on an RV after a trip and going to the airport
Three things I love doing" Working on my house, RVing and boating
Three TV characters I'd want to hang with if they were real: Kramer, Kenny Powers ("Eastbound and Down") and Agent Sarah Walker ("Chuck")
Three favorite movies: Fletch, Arthur and Flash Gordon
Three things I must have when I leave the house: Phone, wallet and a plan
Three favorite bands: INXS, Guns 'N' Roses and Aerosmith
Three best concerts I've been to: Pink Floyd, The Who and Tom Petty
Three favorite TV shows: Seinfeld, Eastbound and Down and Chuck
Three favorite books: The Bible, I Hope They serve Beer in Hell and The Game
Three favorite foods: Enchiladas, fliet mignon and bacon

2010 Season Notes
SP Music: Astor Piazzolla's "Libertango" performed by Vanessa-Mae
FS Music: Compositions by Tchaikovsky

Costumes designed by Mare Talbot

Garnered the bronze at the 2009 NHK Trophy ... Earned the bronze at the 2010 U.S. Championships.
2009 Season Notes
SP Music: "Illumination" by Secret Garden
FS Music: Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Overture" from the album Beethoven's Last Night

Costumes designed by Mare Talbot

Won the silver at the NHK Trophy and bronze at the U.S. Championships.
2008 Season Notes
SP Music: "La Cumparsita"
FS Music: Selections by Wagner

Costumes designed by Mare Talbot

Sat out the Grand Prix Series ... Won the silver at the U.S. Championships.
2007 Season Notes
SP Music: "Soul of Spain"
FS Music: Selections by Giacomo Puccini

Medaled at all three of their Grand Prix Series events and qualified for the Grand Prix Final ... Took the silver at the U.S. Championships and the bronze at the Four Continents Championships.
2006 Season Notes
SP Music: Albinoni's "Adagio"
FS Music: Music by Shostakovich

Rallied from fourth place after the short program at the U.S. Championships to win the title and earn a spot on the Olympic Team ... Landed the throw triple Axel in both the short program and free skate at the World Championships, garnering the best technical score in the free skate (finished third in the free skate and fourth overall) ... Won the title at the Four Continents Championships.
2005 Season Notes
SP Music: "Bird of Fire" by Salsoul
FS Music: Selections from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Qualified for the Grand Prix Final and won the silver medal at the U.S. Championships.
2004 Season Notes
SP Music: "Murder at the Cotton Club"
FS Music: Music from the Pearl Harbor soundtrack by Hans Zimmer

Won their first U.S. title.

Rena Inoue and John Baldwin talk to icenetwork.com 400K | 700K
Rena Inoue and John Baldwin's 2008 U.S. championships free skate 400K | 700K
John Baldwin FS press conference, part one 400K
John Baldwin FS press conference, part two 400K
Rena Inoue FS press conference 400K
Get to know Rena Inoue and John Baldwin Watch | 700K
Rena Inoue and John Baldwin from Spokane 400K