Richard Kam

In this Korean name, the family name is Kam.
Richard Kam
Native name감강인
Other namesKam Kang-in
Born (1996-12-24) 24 December 1996 (age 27)
Christchurch, New Zealand
HometownSeoul
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Figure skating career
Country New Zealand
CoachMarie-France Dubreuil
Patrice Lauzon
Romain Haguenauer
Pascal Denis
Retired28 July 2023
Richard Kam
Hangul
감강인
Revised RomanizationGam Gangin
McCune–ReischauerKam Gangin

Richard Kang-in Kam (born 24 December 1996) is a retired New Zealand and South Korean ice dancer who most recently competed with Charlotte Lafond-Fournier representing New Zealand.

Competing for South Korea with his former skating partner, Lee Ho-jung, he is a two-time national medalist and competed in the free dance at four ISU Championships.

Early life

On 24 December 1996, Kam was born in Christchurch, New Zealand.[1] He is the younger brother of Korean figure skater Alex Kang-chan Kam.[2]

Career

Kam began skating in 2005.[1] He competed as a singles skater until the 2013–2014 season.[citation needed]

Ice dancing

In the 2014–15 season, Kam began competing in ice dancing with Lee Ho-jung.[3] At the 2015 World Junior Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, they qualified to the final segment by placing twentieth in the short dance and went on to finish nineteenth overall.[4]

Lee/Kam made their senior international debut in February 2016 at the Four Continents Championships in Taipei, Taiwan, where they finished tenth. In March, they placed fourteenth at the 2016 World Junior Championships in Debrecen, Hungary.[4]

In their final season together, Lee/Kam won the silver medal at the South Korean championships and finished thirteenth at the 2017 Four Continents Championships.[4] Lee Ho-jung announced on 3 April 2017, that their partnership has been dissolved.[5]

After some years away from competition, Kam formed a new partnership with Canadian ice dancer Charlotte Lafond-Fournier, this time representing New Zealand. They made their Challenger series debut at the 2021 CS Autumn Classic International, where they finished in seventh. Lafond-Fournier/Kam next competed at the 2021 CS Nebelhorn Trophy, seeking to qualify a berth for a New Zealand dance team at the 2022 Winter Olympics, but finished in twelfth position, outside of qualification. Lafond-Fournier/Kam were ninth at the 2022 Four Continents Championships and twenty-fourth in their inaugural appearance at the World Championships.[6]

Programs

Ice dancing with Lafond-Fournier

Season Short dance Free dance
2021–2022
[7]

Ice dancing with Lee

Season Short dance Free dance
2016–2017
[1]
2015–2016
[8]
2014–2015
[3]
  • Rhumba: Pyramids of Pleasure
  • Samba: La Bomba

Single skating

Season Short program Free skating
2013–2014
2012–2013
  • I'm your man
    by John Park
2011–2012
  • Warsaw Concerto
    by David Haines
    performed by The Paris Theatre Orchestra
2010–2011
  • Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
    by John Williams

Competitive highlights

With Lafond-Fournier for New Zealand

International[6]
Event 21–22 22–23
Worlds 24th 24th
Four Continents 9th 10th
CS Autumn Classic 7th
CS Golden Spin 10th
CS Ice Challenge 7th
CS Nebelhorn Trophy 12th
CS U.S. Classic 11th
Open d'Andorra 7th
Santa Claus Cup 4th 4th
National
New Zealand Champ. 1st

With Lee for South Korea

International[4]
Event 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17
Four Continents 10th 13th
Asian Games 4th
Open d'Andorra 6th
International: Junior[4]
Junior Worlds 19th 14th
JGP Slovakia 4th
JGP USA 7th
Tallinn Trophy 4th J
National
South Korean 1st J 3rd 2nd
J = Junior level; JGP = Junior Grand Prix

Single skating for South Korea

Event 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14
National
South Korean Champ. 3rd J 2nd J 1st J
J = Junior

References

  1. ^ a b c "Ho Jung LEE / Richard Kang In KAM: 2016/2017". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017.
  2. ^ 박, 영진 (29 December 2011). "감강찬-감강인, 웃음꽃 피는 '해바라기'형제 "한국에서 즐겁게 스케이트 타고 싶어요!"" [Kam Brothers, Happy Brothers say They want to Skate happily in Korea]. ICENEWS (in Korean). Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Ho Jung LEE / Richard Kang In KAM: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ^ a b c d e "Competition Results: Ho Jung LEE / Richard Kang In KAM". International Skating Union.
  5. ^ "안녕하세요. 대한민국 아이스댄스 선수 이호정입니다. 저는 아이스댄스 선수로서 모든 선수들의 꿈의 무대인 평창올림픽에 출전하고 싶다는 목표를 갖고 감강인선수와 함께 호흡을 맞추며 노력해왔는데 아쉽게도 이제 더 이상 같이 스케이트를 타지 않게 되었습니다" (Instagram). 3 April 2017. Archived from the original on 25 December 2021.
  6. ^ a b "Competition Results: Charlotte LAFOND-FOURNIER / Richard Kang In KAM". International Skating Union.
  7. ^ "Charlotte LAFOND-FOURNIER / Richard Kang In KAM: 2021/2022". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021.
  8. ^ "Ho Jung LEE / Richard Kang In KAM: 2015/2016". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)