The ISU skating family learned with profound sadness that Ice Dancer Chris Reed, who represented Japan, has passed away at the age of 30 on the weekend in Detroit, USA.
Chris Reed came from a Japanese-American family and was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA, on July 7, 1989. His mother Noriko loved Figure Skating and the whole family became involved in the sport when Chris and his older sister Cathy started to skate as children. They teamed up in 2001. Later, their younger sister Allison followed them into the sport.
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Kana Muramoto and Chris Reed (JPN) at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2018©Getty Images
In 2006, Cathy and Chris Reed won the U.S. Novice Ice Dance title but then decided to represent Japan, their mother’s home country, in international competition. It was the start of a long and distinguished career.
Cathy Reed and Chris Reed at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2015©International Skating Union (ISU)
Cathy and Chris won the national Ice Dance title in Japan seven times and competed in two Olympic Games in 2010 and 2014 as well as in eight consecutive ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2008 to 2015 plus in numerous ISU Grand Prix events and three ISU Four Continents Championships. They worked with many well known coaches over the years: Marina Zueva, Galit Chait, Nikolai Morozov, Valter Rizzo and Shae-Lynn Bourne, among others.
Cathy Reed announced her retirement in 2015 and turned to coaching and choreographing, mostly working in Japan. Chris, although he was bothered by injuries, was not yet ready to retire and continued his career with Kana Muramoto, a former Japanese single skater that had switched to Ice Dance not so long ago.
Kana Muramoto and Chris Reed (JPN) at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2018©International Skaitng Union (ISU)
Muramoto/Reed captured the national title three times, competed at three ISU World Figure Skating Championships and the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. At the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2018, they claimed the bronze medal, becoming the first Asian Ice Dancers to earn an ISU Championships medal. “To be honest we weren’t really thinking about it (winning a medal) coming into this event. We were more focused on delivering two great performances here. But it is a great honor and a historical moment to achieve,” Chris said at the press conference of the Four Continents Championship in Taipei back in 2018.
Kana Muramoto and Chris Reed (JPN) at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2018©International Skaitng Union (ISU)
Following the 2017/18 Olympic season Muramoto & Reed ended their Ice Dance partnership and he announced his retirement from competitive skating end of 2019. He always wanted to stay involved in the sport and to help to develop Ice Dance in Japan. He was busily preparing for his second career as a choreographer and Ice Dance coach with his sister Cathy in Japan.
The ISU Family shares its heartfelt condolences and kindest thoughts with Chris Reed's family and friends in this time of sorrow.
