Rena and John are the only team to receive level fours on their elements

Photo by Katsumi Kasahara

March 21, 2007

Rena Inoue & John Baldwin finished eighth overall at the 2007 World Championships in Toyko, the second-best finish of their career at the event.

They skated to sixth place following the short program. Though Inoue fell on their signature throw triple Axel, they were the only team to receive all level fours on their elements.

Inoue & Baldwin, who finished fourth at the 2006 World Championships, were overall pleased with the marks.
 
“We were really happy with the scores tonight,” Baldwin said. “Yes, if we would have landed the triple Axel it would have been about three points higher, but I think we skated really smart after that, and we ended up getting all level fours on all of our elements, and that’s a real testament to our program. We’re pretty happy with it. Rena was excited to be in front of her home crowd, and I felt how comfortable she was out there, so we’re looking forward to the long program.”
 

-- From U.S. Figure Skating

Rena and John compete in their short program. (Photo/Vincent Thian)

March 20, 2007

Rena and John begin competition at World Championships

March 18, 2007

Two-time U.S. Champions Rena Inoue and John Baldwin are competing in their fifth World Championships as a team.

The pairs competition begins Tuesday in Tokyo with the short program and the free skate is scheduled Wednesday. The pairs discipline is the first finals scheduled in the six-day event.

Tokyo is 8 hours ahead of Pacific Coast Time, where Rena and John train in California.

Rena and John have been the premier U.S. Pairs team overall the past four years. They will have strong competition vying for a medal in an unusually strong pairs competition. Pairs teams usually retire or take a year of competition off following the Olympic season.

Defending World Champions Quing Pang/Jian Tong Tong of China will be favored with teammates Xue Shen/Hongbo Zhao, who beat Pang/Tong at Four Continents. That’s just the way John likes it. “We go into competition seeking to go against the best in the world,” said John. “We train to prepare to win every competition.”

Rena and John have their trademark triple throw Axel that has earned them some quality points in competition beginning with the 2006 U.S. Championships. They are the only team in the world to complete the maneuver in the Olympics and World Championships.

Rena and John finished sixth last year at Worlds, their highest finish in that competition to date.

They are coming off their best Grand Prix season with a gold and two silver medals in their assignments.

The pairs competition is scheduled to be televised Wednesday 9:30-11 p.m. on ESPN and rebroadcast Sunday noon-2 p.m. on ESPN2.