Carolina Kostner facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carolina Kostner
Kostner in 2014
Personal information
Country represented	Italy
Born	(1987-02-08) 8 February 1987 (age 38) Bolzano, Italy
Home town	Ortisei, Italy
Height	1.69 m
Coach	Alexei Mishin, Michael Huth
Former coach	Friedrich Juricek, Frank Carroll, Christa Fassi, Edoardo De Bernardis
Choreographer	Lori Nichol
Former choreographer	Kurt Browning, Megan Smith
Skating club	G.S. Fiamme Azzurre
Training locations	Oberstdorf
Began skating	1990
World standing	8 (2017–18) 48 (2016–17) 51 (2015–16) 11 (2014–15) 2 (2013–14) 1 (2012–13) 1 (2011–12) 1 (2010–11) 2 (2009–10) 2 (2008–09) 3 (2007–08) 16 (2006–07) 11 (2005–06) 6 (2004–05) 9 (2003–04)
Season's bests	8 (2017–18) 8 (2016–17) 3 (2013–14) 4 (2012–13) 2 (2011–12) 5 (2010–11) 10 (2009–10) 8 (2008–09)
ISU personal best scores
Combined total	216.73 2014 Winter Olympics
Short program	80.27 2018 Worlds
Free skate	142.61 2014 Winter Olympics

Carolina Kostner (born February 8, 1987) is a famous Italian figure skater. She has won many important awards in her career. These include a bronze medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics and a gold medal at the 2012 World Championships. She has also been a five-time European champion and a Grand Prix Final champion. Carolina is known for winning 11 medals at the European championships, which is more than any other female skater.

About Carolina Kostner's Life

Carolina Kostner was born in Bolzano, Italy. She grew up in Urtijëi (also known as Ortisei). Her family is very sporty and artistic. Her mom, Patrizia, was a figure skater, and her dad, Erwin, played ice hockey for the Italian national team.

Carolina has two brothers, Martin and Simon Kostner, who also plays ice hockey. Her cousin, Isolde Kostner, won a silver medal in alpine skiing at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Carolina speaks several languages, including Ladin, German, Italian, English, and French. She also studied art history at the University of Turin.

Carolina Kostner's Skating Journey

Kostner in 2004

Carolina started learning to skate when she was just four years old. She once said that figure skating was a great mix of sports and art for her. In 2001, her local ice rink was damaged, so she moved to Oberstdorf, Germany, to train with coach Michael Huth.

Starting Senior Competitions (2002–2005)

Carolina began competing internationally as a senior skater in 2002. She quickly won gold medals at the 2002 Nebelhorn Trophy and 2002 Ondrej Nepela Memorial. In 2003, she made history by becoming the first Italian skater to win a medal at the Junior World Championships, taking home a bronze.

She continued to do well, placing 5th at the 2004 World Championships. In 2005, she won a bronze medal at the World Championships in Moscow, beating famous skater Michelle Kwan.

Olympic Debut and First European Title (2005–2007)

In 2006, Carolina won her first European medal. She was also chosen to carry the flag for Italy at the opening ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics in her home country. She placed 9th at those Olympics.

After missing some competitions due to an injury, Carolina won her first European title in 2007 at the European Championships.

Winning More Medals (2007–2009)

Carolina continued her success, winning a bronze medal at the Grand Prix Final in 2007. She then won her second European title in 2008. At the 2008 World Championships, she earned a silver medal.

In 2009, she faced some challenges, finishing 12th at the World Championships. After this, she decided to change coaches and moved to California to train with Frank Carroll.

Overcoming Challenges (2009–2011)

Carolina had a tough time in the 2009–2010 season, but she bounced back to win gold at the 2010 European Championships. However, she placed 16th at the 2010 Winter Olympics. She later said this experience made her realize how much she loved skating.

Kostner with coach Michael Huth in 2010

In 2010, she returned to train with Michael Huth in Germany. Despite a knee injury, she won a bronze medal at 2010 Skate America and gold at the 2010 NHK Trophy. She also earned a silver medal at the Grand Prix Final and the 2011 European Championships. At the 2011 World Championships, she won a bronze medal, her first World medal since 2008.

Becoming a World Champion (2011–2013)

The 2011–2012 season was amazing for Carolina. She won gold at the Grand Prix Final, becoming the first Italian single skater to do so. She also won her fourth European title at the 2012 European Championships.

Then, at the 2012 World Championships in France, Carolina won the gold medal! She became Italy's first World champion in ladies' singles. In 2012, she decided to continue skating until the 2014 Winter Olympics. She won her fifth European title in 2013 and a silver medal at the 2013 World Championships.

Olympic Medal and Break (2013–2016)

In 2014, Carolina won a bronze medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. This was a very emotional moment for her. A month later, she won another bronze medal at the 2014 World Championships.

After the 2014 season, Carolina decided to take a break from skating. She was unable to compete for a period but was able to return to competitions in January 2016.

Return to Skating (2016–2018)

Kostner at the 2018 Europeans

In November 2016, Carolina announced she would return to competitive skating with a new coach, Alexei Mishin. She said she wanted to learn new things. She won gold at the 2016 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb and a bronze medal at the 2017 European Championships. At the 2017 World Championships, she placed 6th.

In the 2017–2018 season, she won silver medals at two Grand Prix events. In January 2018, she won her 11th medal at the European Championships, which is a record for a singles skater.

At the 2018 Winter Olympics, Carolina helped Italy finish fourth in the team event. In the individual ladies' event, she placed fifth. She was chosen to be the flag bearer for the closing ceremonies. She competed at the World Championships in Milan, where she set a personal best score in the short program, finishing first. However, she made some mistakes in the free skate and finished fourth overall.

Later Career (2018–2019)

In 2018, Carolina had to withdraw from some events due to a hip injury. She later announced that she would not be competing at the 2019 World Figure Skating Championships.

After Competing

Kostner (far left) with Yuma Kagiyama at the 2024 World Championships

After her competitive skating career, Carolina started working with her longtime choreographer, Lori Nichol. She helps other skaters create their programs. Some skaters she has worked with include Nicole Schott, Lee Hae-in, Yuma Kagiyama, and Rebecca Ghilardi/Filippo Ambrosini. In 2023, she also joined Yuma Kagiyama's coaching team.

Sponsors and Shows

Carolina has worked with many well-known brands like Asics, Lancia, and Swarovski. She also designed her own costumes for a few years. She performed in ice shows like Winx On Ice and Opera on Ice.

Skating Programs

Carolina Kostner performed many different programs throughout her career. Each season, she had a special short program and free skating program, often with an exhibition program too. These programs featured music from classical composers like Claude Debussy and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, as well as modern artists like Celine Dion and Björk. Her choreographer, Lori Nichol, helped create many of her beautiful routines.

Competitive Highlights

This table shows Carolina Kostner's results in different skating competitions over the years. You can see her placements, including gold (1st), silver (2nd), and bronze (3rd) medals.

Images for kids

• 

  Kostner (left) during the medal ceremony at the 2014 Sochi Olympics

• 

  Kostner with Lipnitskaya (left) and Mao Asada (center) at the 2014 World Championships podium

• 

  Kostner (center left) with the 2012 World Championships gold medalists

• 

  Kostner at the 2012 World Championships.

• 

  Kostner at the 2010 European Championships

• 

  Kostner at the 2008 European Championships

• 

  Kostner performs at the 2010 Olympics

• 

  Kostner performs at the 2011 Trophée Eric Bompard

See also

In Spanish: Carolina Kostner para niños