Nurmenkari ends his competitive career

[Finnice]

Ari-Pekka Nurmenkari, 8 times Finnish champion, has decided to end his competitive career. He says that he still had motivation and health to skate, but the lack of funding forced him to quit.
He thinks that the highlights of his career were the 14th place in Europeans (Helsinki, 2009), the possibility of represent Finland in Vancouver Olympics 2010 (where he ended up being 30th) and being the first Finnish man in the JGP final (2002, where he placed 7th).
He will not quit the figure skating world but is planning a career as a coach, which he has already started. He says that it is very different being a coach than a skater, and that he has learnt a lot from all his at least ten different coaches.
Thank you, A-P, the king of Finnish figure skating for about ten years. Now it it time for the princes like Bela Papp, Julian Lagus and Matthias Versluis.

[orbitz]

Best of luck to him. I saw him skate the first time in 2003 Worlds. He was a nice skater.

[Ziggy]

Awwww...

He has a wife and a kid now so if he can't get funding, it makes sense for him to move into coaching and start earning some money.

[Kelvster]

And he finally managed to make it to the final 24 in Torino 2010 (as well as making it to the Olympics in Vancouver). He's had a fulfilling career.

[Vagabond]

Igor

I'd be preachin' to the choirs,
Conferrin' with the Moirs
Knowin' what to think
And my team I’d be staffin'
And programs choreographin'
If I only had a rink

I’d unravel any puzzle
For any pair or cuzzle
In trouble or in pain

Tanith

Everyone would be droolin'
Comparing you to Zhulin
If you only had a rink

Igor

Oh, I would tell you why
Marina's such a bore
I could coach some teams I never coached before
And then I'd skate and coach some more

I would not be just a nuffin'
Feelin' like a week-old muffin
Not knowin' what to think
I would dance and so would Meryl
Life would be a ding-a-derryl
If I only had a rink!

Yuna

When a girl's in fine fettle, she should win the gold medal,
And yet myself I reproach.
Of course I'm presumin' that I could be Wonder Woman,
If I only had coach.
I'd be graceful - I'd be gentle and strong on fundamentals
New heights I'd approach.
I wouldn't be so needy .... I'd even be friends with Speedy
If I only had a coach.

Picture me in Sochi, anointed as the star.

Tanith

All hail Queen Yuna!

Yuna

I hear a beat....How sweet.
Just to register emotion, jealousy - devotion,
And really feel the part.
I could stay young and chipper and I'd really skate a ripper,
If I only had a coach.

Ari-Pekka

Yeh, it's sad, believe me, honey, when you haven’t got the money,
Not even one euro.
But I’d be hale and jolly, and land a triple wally
If I only had the dough.
I'm afraid there's no denyin' I'll be stuck in Qualifyin’,.
If I don’t get up and go.
I'd be wealthy as a yuppie....

Yuna

I'd be frisky as a puppy....

Igor

I'd be clever as a guppy....

Tanith

If the Wizard is the Wizard we all know.

Igor

Then I'm sure to get a rink,

Yuna

a coach,

Tanith

a home,

Ari-Pekka

the dough.

[Hanna]

whole post

Wheeeee, what a random find in this thread!

Good luck to AP in whatever (coaching, family...) he's going to be up to from now on.

[joeperryfan]

No matter how overdue it is, it's always sad to see a skater go.

Good luck to Ari-Pekka in his new endeavors.

[Kati]

He wants to try coaching.