Emi Hirai (Japanese: 平井 絵己; born October 14, 1986) is a Japanese former ice dancer. With skating partner Marien de la Asuncion, she is a four-time Japanese national silver medalist and has competed at four Four Continents Championships.

Emi Hirai
Native name平井 絵己
Born (1986-10-14) October 14, 1986 (age 37)
Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan
Height1.55 m (5 ft 1 in)
Figure skating career
CountryJapan
Partner
CoachMuriel Zazoui, Olivier Schoenfelder, Rie Arikawa, Diana Ribas, Romain Haguenauer
Skating clubOsaka SC
Training in Lyon, France
Began skating1995
RetiredMay 8, 2017

Personal life edit

Hirai was born on October 14, 1986, in Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan.[1] She is a graduate of Kansai University.

Career edit

Hirai began skating in 1995.[1] Following a partnership with Ayato Yuzawa in the 2008–09 season, she competed with Taiyo Mizutani in 2009–10 and 2010–11.

Hirai teamed up with French ice dancer Marien de la Asuncion in 2011. They took the silver medal at the 2011–12 Japan Championships. Making their international debut, they placed 14th at the 2012 Nebelhorn Trophy and 11th at the 2013 Four Continents Championships.

Hirai and de la Asuncion have appeared at two Grand Prix events, placing 8th at the 2014 NHK Trophy and 2015 NHK Trophy.

Hirai and de la Asuncion announced their retirement on May 8, 2017, on de la Asuncion's Twitter page.

Programs edit

With de la Asuncion

Season Short dance Free dance Exhibition
2016–17
[1]
2015–16
[2]
  • Waltz: Il Terzo Fuochista
    by Tiziana Tosca Donati
  • Polka: Everything Is Illuminated
    (from "Odessa" soundtrack)
  • Waltz: Il Terzo Fuochista
    by Tiziana Tosca Donati
2014–15
[3]
2013–14
[4]
  • Quickstep: Love Bug
    by Rick Guard
  • Slow fox: Creep
  • Quickstep: Love Bug
    by Rick Guard
James Bond music
2012–13
[5]

Competitive highlights edit

GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

With de la Asuncion edit

International[6]
Event 11–12 12–13 13–14 14–15 15–16 16–17
Four Continents 11th 11th 8th 12th 12th
GP NHK Trophy 8th 8th 9th
CS Finlandia 9th
CS Golden Spin 4th
Cup of Nice 6th
Golden Spin 9th
Ice Challenge 10th
Nebelhorn Trophy 14th
Toruń Cup 5th
Trophy of Lyon 7th
National[7]
Japan Champ. 2nd 3rd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd
TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew

With Yuzawa and Mizutani edit

International[8][9]
Event 2008–09
(with
Yuzawa)
2009–10
(with
Mizutani)
2010–11
(with
Mizutani)
Winter Universiade 16th
Mont Blanc Trophy 11th
National[8][9]
Japan Championships 3rd 2nd 2nd

Ladies' Singles edit

National
Event 99–00 00–01 01–02 02–03 03–04 04–05 05–06 06–07 07–08
Japan Champ. 15th 14th 14th
Japan Junior 18th 14th 17th 12th
Japan Novice 19th A
Level: A = Novice A

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Emi HIRAI / Marien DE LA ASUNCION: 2016/2017". International Skating Union.
  2. ^ "Emi HIRAI / Marien DE LA ASUNCION: 2015/2016". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 27, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ "Emi HIRAI / Marien DE LA ASUNCION: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on May 20, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ^ "Emi HIRAI / Marien DE LA ASUNCION: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on March 26, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ^ "Emi HIRAI / Marien DE LA ASUNCION: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on August 25, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ "Competition Results: Emi HIRAI / Marien DE LA ASUNCION". International Skating Union.
  7. ^ "平井 絵己 / マリオン デ・ラ・アソンション" [HIRAI Emi / Marien DE LA ASUNCION] (in Japanese). Japan Skating Federation. Archived from the original on October 9, 2016.
  8. ^ a b "Competition Results: Emi HIRAI / Ayato YUZAWA". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on October 9, 2016.
  9. ^ a b "Competition Results: Emi HIRAI / Taiyo MIZUTANI". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on October 9, 2016.

External links edit