In addition to her native Finnish, Korpi also speaks Swedish, English, and German.[2] She has practiced pilates and Ashtanga yoga.[2][4] She became engaged to Arthur Borges Seppälä in May 2017[5] and they were married 3 years, until June 2021. She lived in Milan, Italy, after she retired from competitive skating, and in 2016, she moved to New York City, U.S.[6][7]
On Jun 1, 2023, Korpi came out as a member of the LGBT community via Instagram, stating that she could "totally see [herself] falling in love with a person regardless of their gender." Korpi also uses both she/her and they/them pronouns, according to her instagram. [8]
Career
Early career
Korpi began skating at the age of five, following her older sister.[2][9] She landed her first triple jump, a salchow, when she was 11 or 12.[2]
Returning to the JGP series, Korpi placed 6th in Hungary before winning gold in Germany. She received a host wildcard spot at the JGP Final, where she finished fourth. She was awarded the silver medal at the 2005 Finnish Championships and was assigned to the 2005 European Championships, where she placed 13th. She then competed at the 2005 World Junior Championships, where she came in tenth, her best finish at the event.
2005–2006 season
Competing in the JGP series, Korpi placed 7th in Slovakia and won the bronze medal in Estonia. After taking the bronze medal at the 2006 Finnish Championships, she was assigned to the 2006 European Championships, which the Finnish skating federation had decided to use to determine the Olympic team. Korpi's European result, 6th, allowed her to compete at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, where she finished 16th.
2006–2007 season
Korpi at the 2009 Europeans
In the 2006–07 season, Korpi made her senior Grand Prix debut. She placed 4th at the 2007 Finnish Nationals, then went to the 2007 European Championships and won the bronze medal, making her the second Finnish ladies' singles skater to ever win a European medal. She finished 14th at Worlds.
2007–2008 season
Early in the 2007–08 season, Korpi suffered an esophagus infection, flu, and sinusitis, causing her to miss her first Grand Prix event.[2] Korpi was 5th at the 2008 European Championships. At the 2008 Worlds, she was 4th after the short program but had a poor long program and ended up in ninth place.
2008–2009 season
Korpi did not participate in the Grand Prix series. Later that season, she became the Finnish national champion, a title she had previously won on the junior level. She was again 5th at the European Championships and won the bronze medal at the 2009 Winter Universiade, her final event of the season.
2009–2010 season
Korpi began her season with podium finishes at the Nebelhorn Trophy and the Finlandia Trophy, as well as her first senior Grand Prix medal, a silver at the Cup of China. She was unable to defend her national title, however, finishing second behind Laura Lepistö. At the European Championships, she was in second after the short program, but her performance in the long program kept her off the podium.[10] Korpi was 11th at the 2010 Winter Olympics but only 19th a month later at the World Championships.
2010–2011 season
Korpi decided to try new choreographers, and worked on her competitive programs with Shae-Lynn Bourne and David Wilson. She began the season at the 2010 Nebelhorn Trophy, which she won for the first time in her career.[11] Her assigned Grand Prix events were the 2010 NHK Trophy and the 2010 Trophée Eric Bompard. She placed fourth at the NHK Trophy, then won her first Grand Prix title at the Trophée Eric Bompard.[12] The combined results left her as the first alternate for the Grand Prix Final. Her next event was Finnish nationals, which she won for the second time in her career. Korpi won the bronze medal at the 2011 European Championships.[13]
Korpi won her third medal at the Europeans, finishing second behind Carolina Kostner despite hurting her upper leg a few weeks before the championships.[17] She withdrew from the 2012 World Championships two weeks prior to the event, citing lingering foot and hip injuries.[17][18]
2012–2013 season
Korpi and the other medalists at the 2012 Rostelecom Cup
Korpi began her season at the 2012 Finlandia Trophy, where she won the silver medal. She then won her third Grand Prix medal, a bronze, at the 2012 Cup of China. At the 2012 Rostelecom Cup, Korpi won the second GP title of her career and qualified for her first Grand Prix Final.[19] In doing so, she became the first Finnish figure skater to ever qualify for the final. She finished fourth at the event.[20] Korpi's next event was the 2013 Finnish Nationals, where she took the gold medal. Korpi withdrew from the 2013 European Championships due to inflammation in her left Achilles tendon.[21][22] She missed the 2013 World Championships for the same reason.
Korpi made her return to competition at the 2014 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb after a two-year hiatus due to injuries. She finished 4th in the short but moved up in the free skate to win the event. She won her fifth national title in December.[27] She competed at the 2015 European Championships in Stockholm,[28] placing fourth in the short program. However, Korpi withdrew from the competition before the free skate citing illness.[29] She placed 31st at the 2015 World Championships.[1]
Later career
Korpi initially planned to compete in the 2015–2016 season.[30] She was assigned to the 2015 Trophée Éric Bompard,[31] but withdrew from the event.[32] On 27 August 2015, she announced her retirement from competitive skating at a press conference in Helsinki.[33] In a later interview, she stated that she had been struggling with anxiety.[34] She also said, "Every time I started training, I got injured. I was mentally very empty. I took time for myself to think about what I need to do. I knew that I cannot continue competing."[35]
Korpi has continued to perform in ice shows. She signed up to appear as an athlete ambassador and work for Finnish TV at the 2017 World Championships in Helsinki.[35]
Programs
Korpi at the 2012 Grand Prix FinalKorpi at the 2012 Rostelecom CupKorpi at the 2010 NHK Trophy
^"Archived copy". www.kiirakorpi.net. Archived from the original on 29 October 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2022.((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^Mattila, Raisa (June 2016). "Kiira Korpi: Ahdistus vei ilon urheilusta ja elämästä" [Kiira Korpi: Anxiety took away joy of sports and life]. Tunne & Mieli (in Finnish). Mielenterveyden keskusliitto. Archived from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
