Chris Reed (July 7, 1989 – March 14, 2020) was an American-born Japanese
ice dancer
Ice dance (sometimes referred to as ice dancing) is a discipline of figure skating that historically draws from ballroom dancing. It joined the World Figure Skating Championships in 1952, and became a Winter Olympic Games medal sport in 1976. Ac ...
.
[ With his sister ]Cathy Reed
Cathy Reed (born June 5, 1987) is a retired American-born Japanese ice dancer. With her brother Chris Reed, she is a seven-time Japanese national champion (2008–2011, 2013-2015).
Personal life
Reed was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Her mot ...
, he became a seven-time Japanese national champion (2008–2011, 2013–2015) and the 2011 Asian Winter Games
The 2011 Asian Winter Games ( kz, 2011 жылғы қысқы Азия ойындары, 2011 jılğı qısqı Azïya oyındarı) was a multi-sport event that was held in Nur-Sultan, Astana and Almaty, Kazakhstan, that began on January 30, 2011, an ...
silver medalist. They competed at two Winter Olympics (2010, 2014) and reached the final segment at nine ISU Championships.
With Kana Muramoto
is a Japanese ice dancer. With her skating partner, Daisuke Takahashi, she is the 2022 Four Continents silver medalist, the 2022-23 Japanese national champion and the 2022 Denis Ten Memorial Challenge champion.
With her former skating partner ...
, Reed was the 2018 Four Continents bronze medalist, the 2017 Asian Winter Games
The 2017 Asian Winter Games ( ja, 2017アジア冬季競技大会, 2017 Ajia tōkikyōgitaikai) was the 8th edition of the Asian Winter Games. They were hosted in Sapporo and Obihiro in Hokkaido, Japan. These Games were originally scheduled for 2 ...
silver medalist and a three-time Japanese national champion (2016–2018). They competed in the final segment at five ISU Championships and the 2018 Winter Olympics
, nations = 93
, athletes = 2,922 (1,680 men and 1,242 women)
, events = 102 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, opening =
, closing =
, opened_by = President Moon Jae-in
, cauldron = Kim Yun-a
, stadium = Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium
, winte ...
.
Early life
Chris Reed was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan
Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in the southwest region of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Kalamazoo County. At the 2010 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 74,262. Kalamazoo is the major city of the Kalamazoo-Portage Metropolit ...
. His mother was Japanese and his father was American.[ Reed had two skating siblings: his elder sister, Cathy, with whom he competed in ice dancing; and his younger sister ]Allison Reed
Allison Lynn Reed (born June 8, 1994) is an American-born ice dancer who currently competes for Lithuania with Saulius Ambrulevičius. She previously skated with Otar Japaridze for Georgia (country), Georgia and with Vasili Rogov for Israel. Wi ...
, who is also an ice dancer.[ The siblings grew up in ]Warren Township, New Jersey
Warren Township is a township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. The township is a bedroom suburb of New York City in the much larger New York metropolitan area, located within the Raritan Valley region. As of the 2020 United State ...
.[
Reed acquired Japanese and American dual citizenship at birth until the age of 21, when he chose to retain Japanese citizenship, since ]Japanese nationality law
Japanese nationality law details the conditions by which a person holds nationality of Japan. The primary law governing nationality regulations is the 1950 Nationality Act.
Children born to at least one Japanese parent are generally automaticall ...
only recognizes dual nationality until the age of 21.
Career
Partnership with Cathy Reed
Chris and Cathy Reed initially began with singles skating, before deciding to skate together when Cathy was 12. They approached Shae-Lynn Bourne
Shae-Lynn Bourne (born January 24, 1976) is a Canadian ice dancer and choreographer. In 2003, she and partner Victor Kraatz became the first North American ice dancers to win a World Championship. They competed at three Winter Olympic Games, pl ...
and she became their coach, along with Nikolai Morozov, who choreographed their first program. They trained in . The Reeds won the novice ice dancing title at the 2006 U.S. Championships. They decided to represent Japan beginning in the 2006–07 season. While novice national champions are usually given a chance to compete on the Junior Grand Prix, Cathy Reed was too old at the time of their win to compete as a junior internationally. The Reeds accepted an offer to compete for Japan, advancing immediately to the senior level.
After advancing to the senior level, they placed fourth at the 2006 Golden Spin of Zagreb, and second at the 2007 Japan Championships behind Nozomi Watanabe
is a Japanese former ice dancer
Ice dance (sometimes referred to as ice dancing) is a discipline of figure skating that historically draws from ballroom dancing. It joined the World Figure Skating Championships in 1952, and became a Winter O ...
and Akiyuki Kido. At the 2007 Four Continents, they placed 7th, ahead of several teams who had been competing as seniors much longer.
Reed underwent knee surgery twice after tearing the meniscus
Meniscus may refer to:
*Meniscus (anatomy), crescent-shaped fibrocartilaginous structure that partly divides a joint cavity
*Meniscus (liquid)
The meniscus (plural: ''menisci'', from the Greek for "crescent") is the curve in the upper surface ...
in his knee, and later tearing the medial collateral ligament
The medial collateral ligament (MCL), or tibial collateral ligament (TCL), is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial (inner) side of the knee joint in humans and other primates. Its primary function is to resist out ...
. He was off the ice for five months.
Making their Grand Prix debut, the Reeds placed 9th at the 2007 Skate America
The 2007 Skate America was the first event of six in the 2007–08 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at the Sovereign Center in Reading, Pennsylvania on October 25–28. M ...
and 8th at the 2007 NHK Trophy. They won the Japanese national championships. They repeated their 7th-place finish at the Four Continents
Europeans in the 16th century divided the world into four continents: Africa, America, Asia, and Europe. Each of the four continents was seen to represent its quadrant of the world—Africa in the south, America in the west, Asia in the east, a ...
, and then placed 16th at the 2008 Worlds. They represented Japan at the 2010 Winter Olympics
)''
, nations = 82
, athletes = 2,626
, events = 86 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, opening = February 12, 2010
, closing = February 28, 2010
, opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean
, cauldron = Catriona Le May DoanNancy GreeneWayne Gretz ...
in Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
,[ finishing in 17th place.] They won the silver medal at the 2011 Asian Winter Games
The 2011 Asian Winter Games ( kz, 2011 жылғы қысқы Азия ойындары, 2011 jılğı qısqı Azïya oyındarı) was a multi-sport event that was held in Nur-Sultan, Astana and Almaty, Kazakhstan, that began on January 30, 2011, an ...
.
The Reeds finished 5th at both the NHK Trophy
The NHK Trophy is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. Organized by the Japanese Skating Federation, it began in 1979 and was added to the Grand Prix series in 199 ...
and Skate America
Skate America is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. It is hosted by U.S. Figure Skating. The location changes yearly. Medals are awarded in four disciplines: m ...
during the 2012–13 season. They were named in the Japanese team to the 2014 Winter Olympics
, ''Zharkie. Zimnie. Tvoi'')
, nations = 88
, events = 98 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, athletes = 2,873
, opening = 7 February 2014
, closing = 23 February 2014
, opened_by = President Vladimir Putin
, cauldron =
, stadium = Fisht Olympic ...
in Sochi
Sochi ( rus, Со́чи, p=ˈsotɕɪ, a=Ru-Сочи.ogg) is the largest resort city in Russia. The city is situated on the Sochi River, along the Black Sea in Southern Russia, with a population of 466,078 residents, up to 600,000 residents in ...
, and 2015 Worlds, where they finished outside the top 20.
After the 2014–15 figure skating season
The 2014–15 figure skating season began on July 1, 2014, and ended on June 30, 2015. During this season, elite skaters competed at the ISU Championship level in the 2015 European, Four Continents, World Junior, and World Championships. Other ...
, Cathy Reed retired from competitive figure skating.
2015–2016 season: Beginning of partnership with Muramoto
On June 17, 2015, Reed and Kana Muramoto
is a Japanese ice dancer. With her skating partner, Daisuke Takahashi, she is the 2022 Four Continents silver medalist, the 2022-23 Japanese national champion and the 2022 Denis Ten Memorial Challenge champion.
With her former skating partner ...
announced that they would compete together, coached by Marina Zueva
Marina Olegovna Zoueva or Zueva (russian: Марина Олеговна Зуева; born 9 April 1956) is a Russian figure skating coach, choreographer, and former competitor in ice dancing. Representing the Soviet Union with Andrei Vitman, she ...
, Oleg Epstein, and Massimo Scali
Massimo Scali (born 11 December 1979) is an Italian former competitive ice dancer. With partner Federica Faiella, he is the 2010 World bronze medalist, a two-time ( 2009– 2010) European silver medalist, and a six-time (2003–2005, 2007–200 ...
in Canton, Michigan
Canton, officially the Charter Township of Canton, is a charter township of Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the township had a population of 98,659.
Canton Township is Michigan's second most-populated townshi ...
.[
Making their international debut, Muramoto/Reed placed 7th at the ]2015 NHK Trophy
The 2015 NHK Trophy was the final event of six in the 2015–16 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at the Big Hat in Nagano on November 27–29. Medals were awarded in the d ...
in November. The following month, they won the Japanese national title. In January 2016, the duo took silver at the Toruń Cup
)''
, image_skyline =
, image_caption =
, image_flag = POL Toruń flag.svg
, image_shield = POL Toruń COA.svg
, nickname = City of Angels, Gingerbread city, Copernicus Town
, pushpin_map = Kuyavian-Pom ...
in Poland. They placed 7th at the 2016 Four Continents Championships in February in Taipei
Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the n ...
, Taiwan. In March, they placed 16th in the short dance, 14th in the free dance, and 15th overall at the 2016 World Championships in Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
, Massachusetts.
2016–2017 season
Muramoto/Reed won silver at the 2016 CS U.S. Classic in September with personal best scores, and placed 8th at the 2016 Skate America
The 2016 Skate America was the first event of six in the 2016–17 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at the Sears Centre in Chicago, Illinois, on October 21–23. Medals we ...
in October. They withdrew from the 2016 NHK Trophy due to a knee injury Reed suffered two weeks prior.[ After winning their second ]national title
A national championship(s) is the top achievement for any sport or contest within a league of a particular nation or nation state. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the best team, indi ...
, the duo took bronze at the 2017 Toruń Cup
)''
, image_skyline =
, image_caption =
, image_flag = POL Toruń flag.svg
, image_shield = POL Toruń COA.svg
, nickname = City of Angels, Gingerbread city, Copernicus Town
, pushpin_map = Kuyavian-Pom ...
.
In February, Muramoto/Reed placed 9th at the 2017 Four Continents Championships in Gangneung
Gangneung () is a municipal city in the province of Gangwon-do, on the east coast of South Korea. It has a population of 213,658 (as of 2017).Gangneung City (2003)Population & Households. Retrieved January 14, 2006. Gangneung is the economic ...
, South Korea, and won silver at the 2017 Asian Winter Games
The 2017 Asian Winter Games ( ja, 2017アジア冬季競技大会, 2017 Ajia tōkikyōgitaikai) was the 8th edition of the Asian Winter Games. They were hosted in Sapporo and Obihiro in Hokkaido, Japan. These Games were originally scheduled for 2 ...
in Sapporo
( ain, サッ・ポロ・ペッ, Satporopet, lit=Dry, Great River) is a city in Japan. It is the largest city north of Tokyo and the largest city on Hokkaido, the northernmost main island of the country. It ranks as the fifth most populous city ...
, Japan. In March, they placed 23rd in the short dance at the 2017 World Championships in Helsinki
Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the Capital city, capital, primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Finland, most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of U ...
, Finland. As a result, they did not advance to the final segment and missed qualifying for the Olympics.[
]
2017–2018 season
Muramoto/Reed began their season in September, taking bronze at the 2017 CS U.S. Classic. At the end of the month, they competed at the 2017 Nebelhorn Trophy, the final qualifying opportunity for the Olympics. The two won the silver medal and secured an Olympic spot for Japan. In November, they appeared at a pair of Grand Prix events, finishing 9th at the 2018 NHK Trophy
The 2018 NHK Trophy was the fourth event of six in the 2018–19 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at Hiroshima Green Arena in Hiroshima on November 9–11. Medals were awa ...
and 7th at the 2017 Skate America
The 2017 Skate America was the sixth event of six in the 2017–18 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held in Lake Placid, New York on November 24–26. Medals were awarded in t ...
.[ They then won their third national title, outscoring the silver medalists by nearly 17 points.
In January, Muramoto/Reed won the bronze medal at the 2018 Four Continents Championships in ]Taipei
Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the n ...
, Taiwan. In February, they competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics
, nations = 93
, athletes = 2,922 (1,680 men and 1,242 women)
, events = 102 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, opening =
, closing =
, opened_by = President Moon Jae-in
, cauldron = Kim Yun-a
, stadium = Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium
, winte ...
in PyeongChang
Pyeongchang (; in full, ''Pyeongchang-gun'' ; ) is a county in the province of Gangwon-do, South Korea, located in the Taebaek Mountains region. It is home to several Buddhist temples, including Woljeongsa. It is about east southeast of Seou ...
, South Korea.[ They placed 15th in the short dance, 13th in the free dance, and 15th overall. The following month, they finished 11th at the 2018 World Championships in ]Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
, Italy, which was the best result of any Japanese ice team.
2018–2019 season
Muramoto/Reed were assigned to the 2018 NHK Trophy
The 2018 NHK Trophy was the fourth event of six in the 2018–19 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at Hiroshima Green Arena in Hiroshima on November 9–11. Medals were awa ...
and 2018 Rostelecom Cup
The 2018 Rostelecom Cup was the fifth event of six in the 2018–19 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held on November 16–18, 2018 in Moscow, Russia. Medals were awarded in t ...
. However, on August 9, 2018, Japanese news media reported that they had ended their partnership.[ The Japanese federation confirmed the split, which Muramoto attributed to "differences in direction".] Both Muramoto and Reed planned to seek new partners and continue competing. Reed posted a statement on his social media: "I am hugely disappointed with how this partnership has ended, but regardless I am in great physical condition now, I'm not done yet, I do plan on continuing the pursuit of achieving greater heights for Japan in ice dance. I would like to thank everyone involved, your support will never be forgotten and I will work even harder. And for Kana I wish her all the best in her future endeavors." On December 31, 2019, Reed announced his retirement.
Death
On March 17, 2020, Reed's sister Allison announced on social media that he had died. The Japan Skating Federation
The Japan Skating Federation ( ja, 日本スケート連盟) is the sports governing body of Japan for figure skating, speed skating, and short track speed skating. It was founded in 1929. The current president (since 2019) is Akihisa Nagashima, a ...
confirmed Reed died in Detroit, Michigan, on March 14, 2020, due to sudden cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. It is a medical emergency that, without immediate medical intervention, will result in sudden cardiac death within minutes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and possib ...
. President of the JSF, Akihisa Nagashima
is a member of the House of Representatives of Japan as well as a visiting professor at Chuo University's Graduate School of Public Studies. He served as the Parliamentary Vice Minister of Defense in the Kan Cabinet.
From 1993 to 1995, he was ...
paid tribute to him: "I am absolutely stunned by the sad news. I would like to offer my deepest appreciation to Chris Reed for his contribution to Japanese ice dancing over the years and extend condolences to his family. May Mr. Reed rest in peace."
A memorial service
A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect th ...
was held at a Michigan funeral home
A funeral home, funeral parlor or mortuary, is a business that provides burial and funeral services for the dead and their families. These services may include a prepared wake and funeral, and the provision of a chapel for the funeral.
Services
...
on March 21, 2020, and was publicly live-streamed
Livestreaming is streaming media simultaneously recorded and broadcast in real-time over the internet. It is often referred to simply as streaming. Non-live media such as video-on-demand, vlogs, and YouTube videos are technically streamed, but no ...
on numerous platforms. Reed's sister Cathy paid tribute to him in both Japanese and English: "I miss your voice. I miss your big smile. I miss holding your hand. But I'll be strong for you, Chris."[
]
Programs
![2010 World Figure Skating Championships Dance - Cathy REED - Chris REED - 2455A](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/2010_World_Figure_Skating_Championships_Dance_-_Cathy_REED_-_Chris_REED_-_2455A.jpg)
With Kana Muramoto
With Cathy Reed
Competitive highlights
''GP: Grand Prix
Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour
Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to:
Arts and entertainment ...
; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix
The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating (titled the ISU Junior Series in the 1997–98 season) is a series of international junior-level competitions organized by the International Skating Union. Medals are awarded in the disciplines of men ...
''
With Kana Muramoto for Japan
With Cathy Reed for Japan
With Cathy Reed for the United States
References
External links
*
Cathy Reed & Chris Reed official blog
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reed, Chris
1989 births
2020 deaths
American male ice dancers
Japanese male ice dancers
Figure skaters at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Figure skaters at the 2014 Winter Olympics
Figure skaters at the 2018 Winter Olympics
Olympic figure skaters of Japan
Japanese people of American descent
People from Warren Township, New Jersey
Sportspeople from Kalamazoo, Michigan
Sportspeople from Somerset County, New Jersey
American sportspeople of Japanese descent
Asian Games medalists in figure skating
Figure skaters at the 2011 Asian Winter Games
Figure skaters at the 2017 Asian Winter Games
Medalists at the 2011 Asian Winter Games
Medalists at the 2017 Asian Winter Games
Asian Games silver medalists for Japan
Four Continents Figure Skating Championships medalists