Maikki Uotila
Finnish former ice dancer (born 1977)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Maikki Uotila-Kraatz (born 25 February 1977) is a Finnish former ice dancer. With Toni Mattila, she is the 1997 Finnish national champion and competed in the final segment at the 1996 European Championships.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Kraatz |
| Born | 25 February 1977 Espoo, Finland |
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) |
| Figure skating career | |
| Country | Finland |
| Partner | Toni Mattila, Michel Bigras |
| Coach | Arja Wuorivirta, Martin Skotnicky |
| Skating club | HSK Helsinki |
| Retired | c. 1998 |
Personal life
Uotila was born on 25 February 1977 in Espoo, Finland.[1] She received a Bachelor of Arts in dance from Sarah Lawrence College in New York.[2] In 2004, she settled in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.[3] She married Victor Kraatz on 19 June 2004. They have two sons – Oliver (born 14 September 2006) and Henry (born 10 July 2010).[4][5]
Career
Competitive
Uotila competed as a single skater until 1994, winning the junior silver medal at the 1992 Nordic Championships. In 1994, she switched to ice dancing, teaming up Toni Mattila. They competed in the free dance at the 1996 European Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, finishing 23rd. They also appeared at the 1996 World Championships in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, but were eliminated after the compulsory dances.
After two silver medals, Uotila/Mattila won the Finnish national title in the 1996–1997 season. They placed 26th at the 1997 European Championships in Paris, France. They were coached by Arja Wuorivirta and Martin Skotnicky.[1] They ended their partnership in 1997 after three seasons together.
Uotila competed with Michel Bigras in the 1997–1998 season.
Post-competitive
Uotila coaches ice dancing at the BC Centre of Excellence.[6] She has also worked as a dance instructor at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts in Burnaby.[2][7]
Programs
(with Mattila)
| Season | Original dance | Free dance |
|---|---|---|
| 1996–1997 [1] |
|
|
Competitive highlights
Ice dancing with Bigras
| National[8] | |
|---|---|
| Event | 1997–98 |
| Finnish Championships | 1st |
Ice dancing with Mattila
| International[1] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Event | 1994–95 | 1995–96 | 1996–97 |
| World Championships | 31st | ||
| European Championships | 23rd | 26th | |
| Autumn Trophy | 11th | ||
| Baltic Cup | 1st | ||
| Basler Cup | 12th | ||
| Czech Skate | 14th | ||
| Finlandia Trophy | 12th | 6th | |
| PFSA Trophy | 12th | ||
| National[1] | |||
| Finnish Championships | 2nd | 2nd | 1st |
Ladies' singles
| International[9] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Event | 1991–92 | 1992–93 | 1993–94 |
| PFSA Trophy | 15th | ||
| Nordic Championships | 2nd J | 6th J | 6th J |
| J = Junior level | |||