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{{short description|Swiss figure skater}}
'''Lucinda Martha Ruh''' (born [[July 13]], [[1979]] in [[Zurich]], [[Switzerland]]) is a two-time Swiss national [[figure skating]] champion known for her extreme flexibility and phenomenal spinning ability. On [[April]] 3, [[2003]], she set a [[world record]] for the most continuous spins (115) on one foot at Chelsea Piers Sky Rink in [[New York, NY]] [[USA]].
{{Infobox figure skater
|name= Lucinda Ruh
|image=
|caption=
|country= {{SUI}}
|birth_name= Lucinda Martha Ruh
|birth_date= {{Birth date and age|df=y|1979|7|13}}
|birth_place= [[Zürich]], Switzerland
|residence=
|height= 5 ft 9 in
|formercoach= Liu Hongyun <br> [[Oliver Höner]] <br> [[Nobuo Sato]] <br> Christy Ness
|choreographer=
|formerchoreographer= [[Robin Cousins]] <br> [[Alexander Zhulin]] <br> [[Toller Cranston]] <br> [[Lea Ann Miller]] <br> [[Sarah Kawahara]] <br> [[Christopher Dean]]
|skating club= Club des Patineurs de Geneve
|formertraininglocations= [[Tokyo]], Japan; [[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]], Canada; [[San Francisco, California]], USA; [[Harbin]], China; Switzerland
|beganskating= 1984
|retired= 2000
}}

'''Lucinda Martha Ruh''' (born 13 July 1979) is a Swiss former competitive [[figure skater]]. She is the 1996 [[Swiss Figure Skating Championships|Swiss national champion]] and the 1993 junior level national champion.

She is known for her outstanding spinning ability and her balletic skating. Nicknamed "the Queen of Spin", she is the longest and fastest spinner in the world ever. In April 2003, Ruh set a [[Guinness world record]] for the most continuous upright spins on ice (105). She toured with [[Stars on Ice]], [[Champions on Ice]], and numerous other world wide tours. She also authored her 2011 memoir ''Frozen Teardrop''.

== Personal life ==
Lucinda Martha Ruh<ref name=GS040429/> was born on 13 July 1979 in [[Zürich]], Switzerland.<ref name=ISU-LR/> Her family moved to [[Paris]], France, not long after her birth and then to [[Tokyo]], Japan, when she was four years old. She was initially more focused on ballet than skating and at age seven received a scholarship to the Royal Ballet of London. She also practiced the piano and cello.<ref name=GS040429/>

Ruh lives in [[New York City]].<ref name=GC110225/> In May 2012, she gave birth to twin girls, Angelica and Angelina.<ref name=IN120608/><ref name=twit120525/>

== Career ==
Ruh began skating in 1984,<ref name=ISU-LR/> soon after moving to Japan. She decided to focus on skating as her main activity when she was about eight.<ref name=GS040429/>

In 1986, Ruh began working with coach [[Nobuo Sato]]. She won the bronze medal at the [[Japan Junior Figure Skating Championships|Japan Junior Championships]] in 1994. Although she initially enjoyed jumps, her interest in them waned as she grew to 5'9" (175.26&nbsp;cm), "Since the center of gravity was higher, combined with the rigid training while growing, I never really had a chance to get my timing and balance back. As a result, injuries from bad falls plagued me even more and I started not liking jumps."<ref name=GS040429/>

In 1996, she moved to [[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]], Canada to work with [[Toller Cranston]].<ref name=GS040429/> In 1997, she worked with Christy Ness in [[San Francisco]], California<ref name=GS020730/> but developed two Achilles [[tendinitis]], a ruptured shoulder and [[Sciatica]]. In 1998, she moved to [[Harbin]], China to train with [[Chen Lu (figure skater)|Chen Lu]]'s former coach, Hongyun Liu, but although her jumping improved, the Chinese federation objected to a non-national being trained by him. In December, she moved to Switzerland, where she met coach [[Oliver Höner]]; it was the first time she had resided in her birth country.<ref name=GS040429/>

In the summer of 1999, she went to the U.S. and was briefly coached by [[Galina Zmievskaya]] but tore knee ligaments and returned to Switzerland for treatment. Her last ISU event was the [[1999 Cup of Russia]]. She sustained an injury after falling on a jump during practice the day before the competition but took three Cortisone injections a day and finished 6th at the event.<ref name=GS040429/> She later learned she had fractured her spine, resulting in two dislocated discs.<ref name=GS040429/> Her spinning may also have resulted in subtle concussions. A study is underway to determine whether intensive training of spins may cause concussions.<ref name=NBC120207/>

Ruh represented Club des Patineurs de Geneve.<ref name=ISU-LR/> She has cited the pair [[Ekaterina Gordeeva]] and [[Sergei Grinkov]] as the skaters she admired the most while growing up.<ref name=GS040429/>

She is the 2000 and 2001 world professional bronze medalist.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

Ruh has created over twenty different new spin positions now required at competitions.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

Following her retirement, Ruh began working as a coach and a spinning coach specialist. On 3 April 2003, she set a [[world record]] for the most continuous upright spins on ice (105 revolutions) at the [[Rockefeller Plaza]] outdoor skating rink in New York City, beating the previous record of 60 revolutions<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6a-fNfIK9s |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/g6a-fNfIK9s| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=Lucinda Ruh Guinness World Record 3 April 2003 Part 2|website=Youtube|access-date=20 October 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> by British figure skater [[Neil Wilson (figure skater)|Neil Wilson]].

She toured around the world from 2000 to 2006 with Stars on Ice USA and Canada, Champions on Ice, Art on Ice to name a few. She skated for many charities and 9/11 memorial at Madison Square Garden and participated in the 2010 and 2011 iterations of "One Step Closer", a figure skating exhibition to benefit the [[AIDS Resource Foundation for Children]].<ref name=IN100412/><ref name=IN110307/> She is the author of ''Frozen Teardrop'', a memoir published by SelectBooks in November 2011.<ref name=MW111201/>

== Programs ==
{|class=wikitable style=text-align:center
! Season
! [[Short program (figure skating)|Short program]]
! [[Free skating]]
! Exhibition
|-
! 1999–2000
|
* [[On Wings of Song (Mendelssohn)|On Wings of Song]] <br>{{small| by [[Felix Mendelssohn]] }}
|
* [[Orchestral Suite No. 3 (Tchaikovsky)|Orchestral Suite No. 3]] <br>{{small| by [[Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky]] }}
|
* [[On Wings of Song (Mendelssohn)|On Wings of Song]] <br>{{small| by [[Felix Mendelssohn]] }}
|-
! 1998–99 <br> <ref name=ISU-LR/>
|
* [[Lawrence of Arabia (soundtrack)|Lawrence of Arabia]] <br>{{small| by [[Maurice Jarre]] }}
| rowspan=2 |
* Harp Concerto <br>{{small| by [[Reinhold Glière]] }}
|
|-
! 1997–98
|
* [[It Ain't Necessarily So]] <br> {{small| (from [[Porgy and Bess]]) <br> by [[George Gershwin]] }}
|
|-
! 1996–97
|
* [[Butterfly Lovers' Violin Concerto]] <br>{{small| by [[Chen Gang (composer)|Chen Gang]] and He Zhanhao }}
|
* Caprice Viennois, Op. 2 <br>{{small| by [[Fritz Kreisler]] <br> performed by [[Itzhak Perlman]] }}
|
|-
! 1995–96
| rowspan=2 |
* [[Fantaisie-Impromptu]] <br>{{small| by [[Frédéric Chopin]] }}
|
* [[La Bayadère]] <br>{{small| by [[Ludwig Minkus]] }}
|
|-
! 1994–95
|
* [[Le Corsaire]] <br>{{small| by [[Adolphe Adam]] }}
|
|}

== Competitive highlights ==
''GP: [[ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating|Champions Series / Grand Prix]]''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! style="background-color: #ffdead; " colspan=9 align=center | International<ref name=ISU-LR/>
|-
! Event
! {{tooltip|92–93|1992–93}}
! 93–94
! 94–95
! 95–96
! 96–97
! 97–98
! 98–99
! {{tooltip|99–00|1999–2000}}
|-
| align=left | [[World Figure Skating Championships|Worlds]] || || || 18th || 19th || 15th || 23rd || 13th ||
|-
| align=left | [[European Figure Skating Championships|Europeans]] || || || || 23rd || || || ||
|-
| align=left | {{small|GP}} [[Cup of Russia]] || || || || || || || || 6th
|-
| align=left | {{small|GP}} [[Skate Canada International|Skate Canada]] || || || || 6th || bgcolor=cc9966 | 3rd || || ||
|-
| align=left | [[Finlandia Trophy]] || || || || || || 8th || ||
|-
| align=left | [[Nebelhorn Trophy]] || || || 7th || || || || ||
|-
| align=left | [[Schäfer Memorial]] || || || || || 11th || || ||
|-
| align=left | [[Skate Israel]] || || || || || || || 10th ||
|-
! style="background-color: #ffdead; " colspan=9 align=center | International: Junior<ref name=ISU-LR/>
|-
| align=left | [[World Junior Figure Skating Championships|Junior Worlds]] || || || 6th || 9th || 7th || || ||
|-
| align=left | [[Blue Swords]] || || 12th J || || || || || ||
|-
| align=left | [[Triglav Trophy]] || bgcolor=cc9966 | 3rd J || || || || || || ||
|-
! style="background-color: #ffdead; " colspan=9 align=center | National<ref name=ISU-LR/>
|-
| align=left | [[Swiss Figure Skating Championships|Swiss Champ.]] || bgcolor=gold | 1st J || 4th || bgcolor=cc9966 | 3rd || bgcolor=gold | 1st || bgcolor=silver | 2nd || bgcolor=silver | 2nd || bgcolor=cc9966 | 3rd ||
|-
| colspan=9 align=center | <small> J: Junior level; WD: Withdrew </small>
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist|2|refs=

<ref name=ISU-LR>{{cite web |url= http://figureskating.sportresult.com/Bios/SUI/2016/0/51700/MEN/TO/329 |title= Lucinda RUH |publisher= International Skating Union |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20160704060227/http://figureskating.sportresult.com/Bios/SUI/2016/0/51700/MEN/TO/329 |archivedate= 4 July 2016 |url-status= dead }}</ref>

<ref name=GS040429>{{cite news |url= http://www.goldenskate.com/2004/04/strong-spirit-defeats-fractured-spine/ |title= Lucinda Ruh: Strong Spirit Defeats Fractured Spine |first= Paula |last= Slater |work= GoldenSkate |date= 29 April 2004 }}</ref>

<ref name=GS020730>{{cite news |url= http://www.goldenskate.com/2002/07/lucinda-ruh-online-interview/ |title= Lucinda Ruh: Online Interview |work= Golden Skate |date= 30 July 2002 }}</ref>

<ref name=GC110225>{{cite news |url= http://www.greenwichcitizen.com/news/article/Skating-Royalty-Queen-of-Spin-Lucinda-Ruh-1026804.php |title= Skating Royalty: 'Queen of Spin' Lucinda Ruh |first= Barbara |last= Perry Bind |work= greenwichcitizen.com |date= 25 February 2011 |url-status= dead |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110226105053/http://www.greenwichcitizen.com/news/article/Skating-Royalty-Queen-of-Spin-Lucinda-Ruh-1026804.php |archivedate= 26 February 2011 }}</ref>

<ref name=NBC120207>{{cite news |url= http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Dr-Investigates-Figure-Skating-Dangers-138801459.html |title= Dr. Investigates Figure Skating Dangers |first= Sabina |last= Kutiakose |work= [[NBC]] Connecticut |date= 7 February 2012 }}</ref>

<ref name=twit120525>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/MWskatecast/status/206101555915657216/photo/1 |title=Congrats to Lucinda Ruh on the birth of her twin girls! |publisher=Twitter |first=Allison |last=Manley |date=25 May 2012}}</ref>

<ref name=IN120608>{{cite news |url= http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120607&content_id=32925086&vkey=ice_news |title= The Inside Edge: Young Artists Showcase |first= Sarah S. |last= Brannen |first2= Drew |last2= Meekins |work= Icenetwork |date= 8 June 2012 }}</ref>

<ref name=IN100412>{{cite news |url= http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100412&content_id=9243626&vkey=ice_pressrelease |title= "One Step Closer" a big success for David |work= [[Icenetwork.com]] |date= 12 April 2010 }}</ref>

<ref name=IN110307>{{cite web |url= http://web.icenetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110307&content_id=16849766&vkey=ice_pressrelease |title= "One Step Closer" to be held April 9 |work= [[Icenetwork.com]] |date= 7 March 2011 }}</ref>

<ref name=MW111201>{{cite web |url=http://www.manleywoman.com/book-review-lucinda-ruhs-frozen-teardrop/ |title=Book Review: Lucinda Ruh's "Frozen Teardrop" |first=Allison |last=Manley |work=The Manleywoman SkateCast |date= 1 December 2011 }}</ref>

}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
* [http://www.lucindaruh.com/ LucindaRuh.com] - Official website
*{{official|http://www.lucindaruh.com/}}


{{NavigationSwissChampionsFigureSkatingLadies}}
[[Category:1979 births|Ruh, Lucinda]]
[[Category:Living people|Ruh, Lucinda]]
[[Category:Swiss figure skaters|Ruh, Lucinda]]


{{Authority control}}
{{skatingbio-stub}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Ruh, Lucinda}}
[[fr:Lucinda Ruh]]
[[it:Lucinda Ruh]]
[[Category:1979 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Figure skaters from Zurich]]
[[Category:Swiss emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Swiss female single skaters]]

Latest revision as of 22:26, 20 October 2024

Lucinda Ruh
BornLucinda Martha Ruh
(1979-07-13) 13 July 1979 (age 45)
Zürich, Switzerland
Height5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Figure skating career
Country Switzerland
Skating clubClub des Patineurs de Geneve
Began skating1984
Retired2000

Lucinda Martha Ruh (born 13 July 1979) is a Swiss former competitive figure skater. She is the 1996 Swiss national champion and the 1993 junior level national champion.

She is known for her outstanding spinning ability and her balletic skating. Nicknamed "the Queen of Spin", she is the longest and fastest spinner in the world ever. In April 2003, Ruh set a Guinness world record for the most continuous upright spins on ice (105). She toured with Stars on Ice, Champions on Ice, and numerous other world wide tours. She also authored her 2011 memoir Frozen Teardrop.

Personal life

[edit]

Lucinda Martha Ruh[1] was born on 13 July 1979 in Zürich, Switzerland.[2] Her family moved to Paris, France, not long after her birth and then to Tokyo, Japan, when she was four years old. She was initially more focused on ballet than skating and at age seven received a scholarship to the Royal Ballet of London. She also practiced the piano and cello.[1]

Ruh lives in New York City.[3] In May 2012, she gave birth to twin girls, Angelica and Angelina.[4][5]

Career

[edit]

Ruh began skating in 1984,[2] soon after moving to Japan. She decided to focus on skating as her main activity when she was about eight.[1]

In 1986, Ruh began working with coach Nobuo Sato. She won the bronze medal at the Japan Junior Championships in 1994. Although she initially enjoyed jumps, her interest in them waned as she grew to 5'9" (175.26 cm), "Since the center of gravity was higher, combined with the rigid training while growing, I never really had a chance to get my timing and balance back. As a result, injuries from bad falls plagued me even more and I started not liking jumps."[1]

In 1996, she moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada to work with Toller Cranston.[1] In 1997, she worked with Christy Ness in San Francisco, California[6] but developed two Achilles tendinitis, a ruptured shoulder and Sciatica. In 1998, she moved to Harbin, China to train with Chen Lu's former coach, Hongyun Liu, but although her jumping improved, the Chinese federation objected to a non-national being trained by him. In December, she moved to Switzerland, where she met coach Oliver Höner; it was the first time she had resided in her birth country.[1]

In the summer of 1999, she went to the U.S. and was briefly coached by Galina Zmievskaya but tore knee ligaments and returned to Switzerland for treatment. Her last ISU event was the 1999 Cup of Russia. She sustained an injury after falling on a jump during practice the day before the competition but took three Cortisone injections a day and finished 6th at the event.[1] She later learned she had fractured her spine, resulting in two dislocated discs.[1] Her spinning may also have resulted in subtle concussions. A study is underway to determine whether intensive training of spins may cause concussions.[7]

Ruh represented Club des Patineurs de Geneve.[2] She has cited the pair Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov as the skaters she admired the most while growing up.[1]

She is the 2000 and 2001 world professional bronze medalist.[citation needed]

Ruh has created over twenty different new spin positions now required at competitions.[citation needed]

Following her retirement, Ruh began working as a coach and a spinning coach specialist. On 3 April 2003, she set a world record for the most continuous upright spins on ice (105 revolutions) at the Rockefeller Plaza outdoor skating rink in New York City, beating the previous record of 60 revolutions[8] by British figure skater Neil Wilson.

She toured around the world from 2000 to 2006 with Stars on Ice USA and Canada, Champions on Ice, Art on Ice to name a few. She skated for many charities and 9/11 memorial at Madison Square Garden and participated in the 2010 and 2011 iterations of "One Step Closer", a figure skating exhibition to benefit the AIDS Resource Foundation for Children.[9][10] She is the author of Frozen Teardrop, a memoir published by SelectBooks in November 2011.[11]

Programs

[edit]
Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
1999–2000
1998–99
[2]
1997–98
1996–97
1995–96
1994–95

Competitive highlights

[edit]

GP: Champions Series / Grand Prix

International[2]
Event 92–93 93–94 94–95 95–96 96–97 97–98 98–99 99–00
Worlds 18th 19th 15th 23rd 13th
Europeans 23rd
GP Cup of Russia 6th
GP Skate Canada 6th 3rd
Finlandia Trophy 8th
Nebelhorn Trophy 7th
Schäfer Memorial 11th
Skate Israel 10th
International: Junior[2]
Junior Worlds 6th 9th 7th
Blue Swords 12th J
Triglav Trophy 3rd J
National[2]
Swiss Champ. 1st J 4th 3rd 1st 2nd 2nd 3rd
J: Junior level; WD: Withdrew

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Slater, Paula (29 April 2004). "Lucinda Ruh: Strong Spirit Defeats Fractured Spine". GoldenSkate.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Lucinda RUH". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 4 July 2016.
  3. ^ Perry Bind, Barbara (25 February 2011). "Skating Royalty: 'Queen of Spin' Lucinda Ruh". greenwichcitizen.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2011.
  4. ^ Brannen, Sarah S.; Meekins, Drew (8 June 2012). "The Inside Edge: Young Artists Showcase". Icenetwork.
  5. ^ Manley, Allison (25 May 2012). "Congrats to Lucinda Ruh on the birth of her twin girls!". Twitter.
  6. ^ "Lucinda Ruh: Online Interview". Golden Skate. 30 July 2002.
  7. ^ Kutiakose, Sabina (7 February 2012). "Dr. Investigates Figure Skating Dangers". NBC Connecticut.
  8. ^ "Lucinda Ruh Guinness World Record 3 April 2003 Part 2". Youtube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-12. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  9. ^ ""One Step Closer" a big success for David". Icenetwork.com. 12 April 2010.
  10. ^ ""One Step Closer" to be held April 9". Icenetwork.com. 7 March 2011.
  11. ^ Manley, Allison (1 December 2011). "Book Review: Lucinda Ruh's "Frozen Teardrop"". The Manleywoman SkateCast.
[edit]
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