A new generation of young, but already very successful sports couples has appeared in Russian figure skating. At three stages of the Grand Prix this season, they won two gold and two silver, while the former leaders of the team Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov managed to take only one bronze. Why do domestic fans have the right to expect the same breakthrough that occurred in women’s sports a few years ago? single skating, and why you will have to wait a little longer for him - in the RT material.
While Russian figure skating fans admire the unprecedented successes of single skaters this fall, an equally important reason for pride may pass by. Over the past two years pair skating in the country has embarked on the same path that women's at one time took. With each season, young people appear, bringing something new to their discipline, and now there are so many sports couples that we have to announce a competition for a place on the national team.
We can already talk about the fact that several strong world-class couples will soon appear in Russia. Confirmation of this appeared back in the 2018/19 season, when two duets who finished playing in juniors were able to immediately make themselves known. Daria Pavlyuchenko and Denis Khodykin immediately won two bronze medals stages of the Grand Prix and qualified for the finals, and Alexandra Boykova and Dmitry Kozlovsky won bronze at the European Championship.
This season, the Grand Prix series has just reached the equator, and young Russian couples have already achieved much more significant success. Pavlyuchenko and Khodykin won twice silver awards, Boykova and Kozlovsky won the stage in Canada, and the current world junior champions Anastasia Mishina and Alexander Gallyamov chalked up another gold. At the same time, the best results of all three pairs are in the top 4 both at all tournaments and at the Grand Prix stages.
In addition, we should not forget that there are other strong couples in Russia who now need to be wary of young rivals. Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov still remain the nominal leaders of the national team, but in the summer they changed their coach and training location. So far, the couple is rebuilding, and this continues to overlap with its usual autumn decline. So far, Marina Zueva’s students have only managed to score bronze at the Grand Prix stage in Canada and will have to try hard to make it to the finals.
Alisa Efimova and Alexander Korovin have not yet said their word. The champions of the Krasnoyarsk Universiade will perform at the Grand Prix stages in China and Japan and will try to climb onto the podium, which they have already achieved in previous seasons. Five Russian couples, led by Apollinaria Panfilova and Dmitry Rylov, another future superstars, qualified for the final of the Junior Grand Prix.
Finally, at the Moscow Rostelecom Cup tournament, Ksenia Stolbova’s debut with a new partner Andrey Novoselov is expected. For now they represent the biggest mystery in domestic pair skating, but you can give a lot of examples when an experienced partner and a lesser-known partner achieved unprecedented success on the ice.
The situation in Russian pair skating is reminiscent of the situation in women's figure skating. Young athletes coming off an assembly line push aside older ones, and they have to change something in themselves in order to slow down this process. There is only one difference - in pairs, development is still slower than in girls, and no one receives world records with championship titles immediately after reaching the adult level, unlike Evgenia Medvedeva, Alina Zagitova and Alexandra Trusova. But there have never been such impressive debuts as the new generation of Russian couples have now.
What else the current state of pair skating has in common with women’s skating is that the skaters have reached a new technical level. Boykova and Kozlovsky lead the world in average first marks in both the short program and the free program. They master complex throws, high-quality cascades, and progress in lifts.
The couple has been skating with adults for the second year now, and thanks to this they have gained a certain authority. The bronze medal of the European Championship, won partly due to the refusal of Natalya Zabiyako and Alexander Enbert to go to Minsk, as well as due to the mistakes of their opponents, is now working for the students of Tamara Moskvina.
Mishina and Gallyamov can also be classified as couples whose technique is in perfect order. Their feature is ideal parallel jumps, single and in cascade. In the short program, they consistently jump triple Salchow, and ideally, you can expect a cascade of two jumps with an oiler from them - they still hold the record for this combination in terms of points, set in juniors.
Pavlyuchenko and Khodykin also try to keep up in the jumping part and try to perform a triple flip - on at the moment most difficult jump for couples They also have fourth-level twists in their arsenal. In general, the duet has no weak points, and it only needs to get into the right rhythm in order to perform all its achievements.
Of course, for now it is impossible to award gold medals to all Russian pairs, as was the case with singles from the first days of their adult careers. Although they are distinguished by individual elements, in pair skating, lifts are primarily valued. For their perfect execution, you can earn from nine to ten points (for jumps, throws and twists - from six to eight and a half), and they can be performed four times in two rentals. Panfilova and Rylov perform them best in Russia, but they have not yet competed with adults. This season, the trend for support is set by North American couples, and largely thanks to this, they are the closest rivals of the Russians.
Without elite support, Russian duets will not yet be able to compete with last year's world and European champions, who have not yet performed in front of the public this season. We are talking about the Chinese Sui Wenjing - Han Kun and the French Vanessa James - Morgan Cipres. They are still the main reference point for all pairs, but Russian skaters are getting closer and closer to them.
And although the leap that domestic duets are making is not as dramatic as the one made by the singles, they still have time until the Olympic Games in Beijing. And whether those who are already losing to the young shoots will be able to stay in the saddle is another question.
Plushenko gave his wife a personalized ring for 150 thousand euros, and Navka gave her husband an expensive watch
Usually summer is not too rich in high-profile events. And here's the news: Olympic champion Tatyana NAVKA married the father of her second daughter, press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry PESKOV. And we decided to remember how the weddings of the most famous skaters took place.
This was the case in 2009, when Olympic champion Evgeni Plushenko married Yana Rudkovskaya. The details of the celebration and its cost were discussed for many weeks. Rings for 150 thousand euros, a tiara for the bride for 1.5 million euros (albeit rented), a dress from Roberto Cavalli and the second, embroidered with semi-precious stones, from an Arab designer Zuhair Murad, a banquet at the Barvikha Hotel & SPA on Rublyovka for a hundred guests and the sale of exclusive photography rights to a glossy magazine. They said the total costs amounted to 1 million euros.
The Olympic champion in pair skating spent no less on the party Anton Sikharulidze and the daughter of an oligarch Leonid Lebedev Yana. In 2011, they quietly got married at the Moscow registry office, and went to Barcelona to celebrate, inviting a narrow circle of relatives and friends. The wedding took place in an old estate, the rings were from Cartier, the bride's dress from Vera Wang cost her dad 70 thousand euros, the tables were laden with caviar, premium champagne flowed like a river - in a word, all the attributes of a luxurious life were present. The marriage, however, broke up two years later. But we had a good walk.
Now compare the photographs of those weddings with the celebration of Navka and Peskova. In my female opinion, in previous parties there was much more pathos than fun. But for Tatyana and Dmitry it’s the other way around. Lively faces, sincere emotions, a bride who easily swapped fashionable but tight shoes for beach flip-flops. And the guests in vests and berets on the second day, which coincided with the celebration of Airborne Forces Day. By the way, the newlyweds asked their friends not to post photos on social networks. But, of course, they couldn’t resist. This means that the holiday was a success and everyone enjoyed it.
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Everything is like people
American Johnny Weir he was the first skater to openly admit to being blue (there are his “countrymen” among active athletes, but they don’t show it). And then he got married (or got married?). Johnny constantly confessed his love for Russia, our culture and language. So he chose a husband (wife?) of Russian origin. Marriage to a lawyer Viktor Voronov took place on December 31, 2011. “There will be no more living in sin!” - the skater rejoiced. However, in March last year, the publications were suddenly full of reports of divorce. They were going to divide the property and even the dog. Weir accused his husband of assault - apparently, he had not studied Russian culture so well and did not know about “hitting means he loves.” And Voronov complained about cheating, saying that Johnny sent love SMS to another man. But a month later, Johnny and Victor announced: we talked calmly and realized that we really loved each other. We're together again!
Friendship of peoples
Our skater Denis Petrov, who won with Elena Bechke“silver” at Albertville in 1992, “silver” at two European Championships and “bronze” at the 1989 World Championships, married to a Chinese singles skater Chen Liu. Their wedding took place in Russian traditions, and the children's names are Nikita and Anastasia. True, the family lives in China, where Chen Liu Petrova runs the Figure Skating Academy.
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From the registry office to the skating rink
Lyudmila Pakhomova and Alexander Gorshkov
I found myself a partner. Such a handsome boy with big sad eyes,” she once shared Lyudmila Pakhomova with my girlfriend Tatiana Tarasova. It was, of course, about sports, but later Alexander Gorshkov became a partner in life. They got married after their victorious season in 1970, when they were the first Soviet figure skaters to win gold at the European and World Championships in ice dancing. There was a story that Lyudmila herself persistently hinted to Gorshkov that it would be nice to go to the registry office. They lived together for 16 years, despite the fact that Alexander at some point fell in love with another woman. But he was next to Mila, who struggled with a terrible disease, until her death.
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Irina Rodnina and Alexander Zaitsev
What kind of crowds are these? Meeting astronauts? No, it's 1975, a skaters' wedding. Irina Konstantinovna recalled: “The grandmother fell from the second floor while looking at us.” She fell, thank God, into the crowd, so nothing happened to her. I still have a photograph: the Wedding Palace, me near the main entrance with my veil. I start walking up the stairs and don’t have time to lift my dress. On the second step I stand on my own hem, on the third step I step on it with my other foot and realize that I’m going to fall. Bang...On the wedding cake there is a decoration in the form olympic rings. And they didn’t jinx it: the spouses Rodnina And Zaitsev won gold at the Games in 1976 and 1980.
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Irina Moiseeva and Andrey Minenkov
They became a couple when they were still teenagers - she was 12, he was 13. Since then they have not separated either on the ice or in life. They got married after the 1977 World Championships in Tokyo, where they won their second world gold. Irina bought her wedding dress there, in Japan, immediately after the competition. She called Tatyana Tarasova, who was their coach at the time, for help. We spent the whole day, the outfit cost a lot of money, but it suited the bride incredibly. After registering at the registry office, we arrived at the Luzhniki skating rink. It’s not surprising, since he brought them together.
Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev
Their tandem on the ice was, perhaps, more successful than in life. Twice European champion, three times world champion, winner of the 1984 Olympics. For the first time in pair skating, they did a triple parallel jump, a reverse jump, and an element was even named in honor of Elena - somersault Gross, officially registered by the ISU. And we were the first of our skaters to become professionals. They got married after winning the Olympics. Their marriage broke up seven years later, in 1992.
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Natalya Bestemyanova and Igor Bobrin
Looking at the striking champion couple Bestemyanova - Bukin, the country was sure: they were husband and wife. But Natalya’s companion was a singles skater Igor Bobrin.- I remember we were just starting to live together, we weren’t married yet. And if they quarreled, Igor packed his bag and left the house. I was so angry every time! Because, do you know what he took with him? No, not skates. Hairdryer, comb and toothbrush. I think: Christmas trees, we are quarreling, and you are thinking about whether you will comb your hair in the morning or not. And then she said: Igor, we’re quarreling for some reason, maybe we should get married? She made the offer herself. And when we got married, we stopped quarreling,” Bestemyanova recalled. In 1983, almost all the skaters walked at their wedding in the Prague restaurant. Made suits for newlyweds Vyacheslav Zaitsev. By the way, the main victories for Bestemyanova and Bukin came just after this event.
Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergey Grinkov
Katya and Seryozha lived in neighboring houses, went to the same school and studied in the same section. But they found out about each other only when she was 10 and he was 14. They got married, having already left amateur sports and won two gold medals at the European Championships, four at the World Championships and one at the Olympic Games. Sergei was almost late for the wedding: he had surgery in the USA, complications arose and the flight was delayed. He made it to the registry office, but already there it turned out that he had forgotten his passport at home. The document was stamped later. Their happy fairy tale had a sad ending: in 1995, Sergei’s heart stopped right during training.
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Oksana Domnina and Roman Kostomarov
At Roman's first wedding, Oksana was a witness on the bride's side - Yulia Lautova. The newlyweds believed that their relationship passed the test of strength, but the marriage broke up a year later. This is probably why, having met Domnina, Kostomarov was in no hurry to formalize the relationship. They lived together, they had a daughter, Oksana pretended that she didn’t need a stamp in her passport. Her high-profile romance with an actor Vladimir Yaglych that happened during the Ice Age, many explained this. Like, the woman is tired of waiting. Whether this was PR or an attempt to arouse jealousy on Roman’s part is unknown. Only a few months after the project, Kostomarov and Domnina got married.
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And these too
This summer there is just a wedding boom in the world of figure skating! And all this would be good after the Olympics, when the athletes exhaled and relaxed a little. But no, the new Olympic cycle has already begun, and they are impatient.
* Sochi Olympic champion in ice dancing tied the knot with his longtime girlfriend Charlie White. His wife is now - Tanith Belbin, silver medalist of Turin 2006.
* Italian dancer, world champion Anna Capellini married her fellow countryman - a greenhouse Ondrej Hotarek.* Romantic wedding in Bermuda brought together a Canadian Megan Duhamel with their couple's coach Bruno Marcotte.
We are waiting, sir!
The relationship will be formalized on August 18 Tatiana Volosozhar And Maxim Trankov. True, apart from the fact that the wedding will take place and take place in Moscow, nothing else is known.
On February 20, the Russian figure skater won gold medal in women's single skating Olympic Games in Sochi. This Olympic victory became the first in history for Russian women in this type of figure skating. Sotnikova began figure skating at the age of five. At the end of 2008, Adeline, at the age of 12, became the winner of the Russian adult championship, after which sports officials began to use the name of the girl prodigy as a response to the failures that befell the domestic women's sport. single skating in those days.1 of 19
On February 20, the Russian figure skater won a gold medal in women's singles skating at the Olympic Games in Sochi. This Olympic victory was the first in history for Russian women in this type of figure skating. Sotnikova began figure skating at the age of five. At the end of 2008, Adelina, at the age of 12, became the winner of the adult Russian championship, after which sports officials began to use the name of the girl prodigy as a response to the failures that befell domestic women's single skating in those days.
/ On February 9, figure skater Yulia Lipnitskaya won gold in team competitions By figure skating, becoming the youngest Russian champion in the history of the Winter Olympic Games. If Yulia had been born 26 days later, she would not have been able to join the Olympic team. According to the regulations, to participate in the 2014 Winter Olympics, a skater must reach the age of 15 by July 1, 2013. Yulia started figure skating in Yekaterinburg when she was only 4 years old. The design of the costumes in which the figure skater performs is developed by her herself together with her mother.
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On February 9, figure skater Yulia Lipnitskaya won gold in the team figure skating competition, becoming the youngest Russian champion in the history of the Winter Olympic Games. If Yulia had been born 26 days later, she would not have been able to join the Olympic team. According to the regulations, to participate in the 2014 Winter Olympics, a skater must reach the age of 15 by July 1, 2013. Yulia started figure skating in Yekaterinburg when she was only 4 years old. The design of the costumes in which the figure skater performs is developed by her herself together with her mother.
/ The winners of the Games were the sports couple Tatyana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov. On February 12, Tatyana and Maxim won the title of Olympic champions in pair skating. This medal was the duo's second gold at the Sochi Games, following the Russians' success in the team competition. Volosozhar and Trankov walked towards this award for four years, teaming up as a couple in the spring after the Olympics in Vancouver. Already in the first joint tournaments, the Russian pair began to demonstrate powerful, confident, and most importantly, creative skating.
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The winners of the Games were the sports couple Tatyana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov. On February 12, Tatyana and Maxim won the title of Olympic champions in pair skating. This medal was the duo's second gold at the Sochi Games, following the Russians' success in the team competition. Volosozhar and Trankov walked towards this award for four years, teaming up as a couple in the spring after the Olympics in Vancouver. Already in the first joint tournaments, the Russian pair began to demonstrate powerful, confident, and most importantly, creative skating.
© Photo: public domain People in Russia have always loved ice skating. In the 19th century, a skater who had no equal appeared on the St. Petersburg ice - Nikolai Panin-Kolomenkin. The loudest was his victory at the IV Olympic Games in London in 1908. At the beginning of the 20th century, only the Summer Olympic Games were held, but for the first time they included in the program of the London Olympics figure skating. The figures proposed by Panin - Kolomenkin amazed everyone with their complexity, and the judges watched with particular passion for the correctness of their execution. But there was nothing to complain about - the Russian skater brilliantly completed the stated program. The judges unanimously awarded Panin-Kolomenkin first place. It was the first Olympic gold medal in history Russian sports. It is noteworthy that the athlete himself was already 36 years old at that time.
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People in Russia have always loved ice skating. In the 19th century, a skater who had no equal appeared on the St. Petersburg ice - Nikolai Panin-Kolomenkin. The loudest was his victory at the IV Olympic Games in London in 1908. At the beginning of the 20th century, only the Summer Olympic Games were held, but figure skating was included in the program of the London Olympics for the first time. The figures proposed by Panin - Kolomenkin amazed everyone with their complexity, and the judges watched with particular passion for the correctness of their execution. But there was nothing to complain about - the Russian skater brilliantly completed the stated program. The judges unanimously awarded Panin-Kolomenkin first place. This was the first Olympic gold medal in the history of Russian sports. It is noteworthy that the athlete himself was already 36 years old at that time.
/ The first Olympic champions in pair skating were Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov, who won gold medals in 1964 and 1968. They were the ones who came up with and were the first to perform many of the elements that were later included in the mandatory competition program for figure skaters around the world. Their performances made an impression the world of figure skating had never known at that time.
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The first Olympic champions in pair skating were Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov, who won gold medals in 1964 and 1968. They were the ones who came up with and were the first to perform many of the elements that were later included in the mandatory competition program for figure skaters around the world. Their performances made an impression the world of figure skating had never known at that time.
/ By the way, the “golden” couple had their “golden” wedding in 2007. After leaving the big sport, Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov did not part with figure skating, they worked at the Leningrad Ice Ballet. In 1995 they received Swiss citizenship.
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/ In 1972, Irina Rodnina and Alexey Ulanov became Olympic champions in pair skating. However, the day before the 1972 World Championships, during training, Irina fell from the support and was hospitalized with a concussion and intracranial hematoma. The couple skated the short program cleanly, receiving scores up to 6.0; in the free program, Irina felt ill and completed the program in a semi-fainting state. After the World Cup the couple broke up.
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In 1972, Irina Rodnina and Alexey Ulanov became Olympic champions in pair skating. However, the day before the 1972 World Championships, during training, Irina fell from the support and was hospitalized with a concussion and intracranial hematoma. The couple skated the short program cleanly, receiving scores up to 6.0; in the free program, Irina felt ill and completed the program in a semi-fainting state. After the World Cup the couple broke up.
/ Soon Stanislav Zhuk picked up another partner for Rodnina - Alexander Zaitsev. For the first time, Irina Rodnina performed together with Alexander Zaitsev at the 1973 World Championships, where for several minutes they had to skate without musical accompaniment, but they did not interrupt their program and finished it to the applause of the audience.
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Soon Stanislav Zhuk picked up another partner for Rodnina - Alexander Zaitsev. For the first time, Irina Rodnina performed together with Alexander Zaitsev at the 1973 World Championships, where for several minutes they had to skate without musical accompaniment, but they did not interrupt their program and finished it to the applause of the audience.
/ Since 1974, the couple trained with Tatyana Tarasova. From 1973 to 1978, Rodnina and Zaitsev constantly took first places at the European and World Championships. In 1976 and 1980, the Rodnina/Zaitsev pair won Olympic gold. In 1981, Irina Rodnina and Alexander Zaitsev moved to professional sports. We performed on tour and coached.
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Since 1974, the couple trained with Tatyana Tarasova. From 1973 to 1978, Rodnina and Zaitsev constantly took first places at the European and World Championships. In 1976 and 1980, the Rodnina/Zaitsev pair won Olympic gold. In 1981, Irina Rodnina and Alexander Zaitsev switched to professional sports. We performed on tour and coached.
/ In 1976, a pair of figure skaters Alexander Gorshkov / Lyudmila Pakhomova won gold at the Olympic Games. Together they became six-time world champions. The coach of the “golden couple” was Elena Anatolyevna Tchaikovskaya and remained the coach of this pair until they left amateur sports. Pakhomova and Gorshkov changed the style of ice dancing. Before them, strict, academic dances dominated mainly to classical melodies. They also brought lively, emotional folk dance to figure skating: “The Nightingale”, “Along the Piterskaya Street”, “Mischievous ditties”, “Kumparsita”.
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In 1976, a pair of figure skaters Alexander Gorshkov / Lyudmila Pakhomova won gold at the Olympic Games. Together they became six-time world champions. The coach of the “golden couple” was Elena Anatolyevna Tchaikovskaya and remained the coach of this pair until they left amateur sports. Pakhomova and Gorshkov changed the style of ice dancing. Before them, strict, academic dances dominated mainly to classical melodies. They also brought lively, emotional folk dance to figure skating: “The Nightingale”, “Along the Piterskaya Street”, “Mischievous ditties”, “Kumparsita”.
/ Olympic champions Natalya Linichuk and Gennady Karponosov won gold in 1980. Linichuk and Karponosov trained with Elena Tchaikovskaya and played for the Dynamo Moscow club. Already in 1981 they both graduated sports career and became successful ice dancing coaches. In their coaching duo, Gennady is responsible for the compulsory dances, and Natalya is responsible for the original dance and free program. In the 90s they left to train in the USA.
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Olympic champions Natalya Linichuk and Gennady Karponosov won gold in 1980. Linichuk and Karponosov trained with Elena Tchaikovskaya and played for the Dynamo Moscow club. Already in 1981, they both finished their sports careers and became successful ice dancing coaches. In their coaching duo, Gennady is responsible for the compulsory dances, and Natalya is responsible for the original dance and free program. In the 90s they left to train in the USA.
/ A year later, the couple had a daughter, Daria. At this time they performed a lot at foreign tournaments, took part in large quantities commercial projects. In 1994, Gordeeva and Grinkov again won gold at the Olympic Games. Exactly one year after the victory, on November 20, 1995, Sergei Grinkov suffered a massive heart attack during training in Lake Placid and died right on the ice during training. In 1996, Ekaterina Gordeeva returned to the ice. Her first performance was dedicated to her late husband.
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A year later, the couple had a daughter, Daria. At this time, they performed a lot at foreign tournaments and took part in a large number of commercial projects. In 1994, Gordeeva and Grinkov again won gold at the Olympic Games. Exactly one year after the victory, on November 20, 1995, Sergei Grinkov suffered a massive heart attack during training in Lake Placid and died right on the ice during training. In 1996, Ekaterina Gordeeva returned to the ice. Her first performance was dedicated to her late husband.
/ Figure skaters Oksana Grischuk and Evgeny Platov won Olympic gold in 1994 and 1998. The Nagano Olympics made Grischuk and Platov record holders - they were the first in the world to become two-time Olympic champions in ice dancing (despite the fact that Grischuk had broken her wrist shortly before).
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Figure skaters Oksana Grischuk and Evgeny Platov won Olympic gold in 1994 and 1998. The Nagano Olympics made Grischuk and Platov record holders - they were the first in the world to become two-time Olympic champions in ice dancing (despite the fact that Grischuk had broken her wrist shortly before).
/ In the summer of 1998, the couple Oksana Grischuk / Evgeny Platov broke up. Grischuk received an invitation to work together from Alexander Zhulin. The collaboration continued throughout the year. Left alone again, Oksana performed solo. Evgeniy paired up with Maya Usova.
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In the summer of 1998, the couple Oksana Grischuk / Evgeny Platov broke up. Grischuk received an invitation to work together from Alexander Zhulin. The collaboration continued throughout the year. Left alone again, Oksana performed solo. Evgeniy paired up with Maya Usova.
Moscow and St. Petersburg schools shoulder to shoulder.
- This season's Grand Prix Final will take place on December 5–8
- The competition will take place on the ice of the Palavela Arena in Turin.
For the second year in a row, the Russian national team is represented in the Grand Prix final by three sports pairs, and this is serious - exactly half of the participants. The only difference is that a year ago the core of the team was made up of experienced athletes who had passed the World Championships and the Olympics - Evgenia Tarasova - Vladimir Morozov and Natalya Zabiyako - Alexander Enbert. In Turin, the oldest participant in the final from Russia is 20 years old.
The repetition of a high result allows us to speak not about the randomness of what is happening, but about a trend - Russia is experiencing a heyday in this form of figure skating. True, against the backdrop of the boom in women's singles, he goes unnoticed.
“Match TV” talks about three young couples who are not afraid of authority, difficult elements and make the most of every chance given to them.
Without belittling the merits of the athletes, it is worth saying that the composition of the final was largely determined by changes in the lists of participants in several stages.
At first, European champions and world bronze medalists refused to participate in the series Vanessa James - Morgan Cipres. The French were supposed to perform in Grenoble and Sapporo, where they were eventually replaced by Evelyn Walsh - Trent Michaud (Canada) and Alisa Efimova - Alexander Korovin.
Then, immediately before the start of the series, they withdrew from their stages according to medical indications Russians Natalya Zabiyako - Alexander Enbert, who were planning to come to Las Vegas and Grenoble. Instead of them, the Americans Jessica Calalang - Brian Johnson and the Italians Rebecca Gilordi - Filippo Ambrosini - the pairs of the end of the second world ten - took to the start.
Competition in Las Vegas and Sapporo has weakened, but this was especially reflected in the tournament in Grenoble - the French stage turned out to be the easiest from the point of view of the opponents. The absence of two leaders at once allowed the two Russian couples to resolve the issue of victory among themselves, and then Anastasia Mishina and Alexander Gallyamov turned out to be a little luckier. They lost about a point to Daria Pavlyuchenko - Denis Khodykin.
Daria Pavlyuchenko - Denis Khodykin, 17 and 20 years old. Moscow
- French Grand Prix - 2nd place (206.56)
- American Grand Prix - 2nd place (196.98)
- 1st stage of the Russian Cup - 1st place (208.38)
Pavlyuchenko - Khodykin have been training at Moscow Medvedkovo with Sergei Dobroskokov and Sergei Roslyakov since 2016. Their debut in masters came last season - then, as world champions among juniors, they received two Grand Prix stages. Daria and Denis not only immediately qualified for the finals, ahead of Boykova - Kozlovsky in terms of total points, but also became fourth at the Russian Championship. As a result, they also took part in the European Championship - as the first substitutes replaced Natalia Zabiyako - Alexander Enbert.
The strength of this pair is its high technical complexity. They try to jump a parallel triple flip, perform complex flip and loop throws, and also skate programs that are very rich in combinations. Each entry and exit from an element is an acrobatic trick or a difficult step.
Tatyana Anatolyevna Tarasova loves Daria very much. She often says that Pavlyuchenko has the character and appearance of a real girl.
Dasha confirms this impression with her attitude to work:
- I have a simple attitude towards acrobatics: they told me to do it - I go and do it. I don’t think at all about whether it’s scary or not. In the elements you have to constantly control yourself, and in this case there is no time for extraneous thoughts - all your attention goes to what you are doing. (RIA Novosti)
You cannot hide the fact of the friendly relationship in the couple from viewers and journalists. Daria and Denis do not blame and do not take it out on each other for mistakes, at least in public - that’s how they bribe.
Anastasia Mishina - Alexander Gallyamov, 18 and 20 years old. St. Petersburg
Results in the 2019/2020 season:
- Japanese Grand Prix - 3rd place (203.35)
- 4th stage of the Russian Cup - 1st place (211.40)
- French Grand Prix - 1st place (207.58)
- Finland Trophy - 1st place (210.18)
- 1st stage of the St. Petersburg Cup - 1st place (206.54)
Anastasia Mishina - Alexander Gallyamov are another world junior champions among the finalists from the Russian team. For them, this season was supposed to be the first for adults, and coaches Lyudmila and Nikolai Velikov initially assessed it as an adjustment season - the athletes needed to plunge into a new environment, feel the atmosphere, and show themselves. But partly due to luck, and partly as a result hard work the couple immediately qualified for the Grand Prix final, winning gold at one stage and bronze at another.
They started skating together in 2017 and after a year of working together they became bronze medalists at the Junior World Championships.
Anastasia and Alexander are also good technically - they have a triple parallel Salchow and even a combination of Salchow - oiler - Salchow in their arsenal. This is one of the most difficult cascades currently performed in pair skating.
The skaters themselves take the nuances of technique as seriously as possible:
- In a jump or throw, the whole scenario is important: beginning - execution - ending. It’s like a formula in physics: if a failure occurs at some stage, the entire system collapses. Although there are times when, for example, you break away from the ice earlier than expected and save your jump. You must be able to think in a split second, and together, simultaneously. (“Match TV”)
In the summer, the couple learned the quadruple throw, but they are not yet in a hurry to perform it at competitions - according to the current rules, a mistake on ultra-si (especially complex ones - “Match TV”) costs the athletes too much.
Alexandra Boykova - Dmitry Kozlovsky, 17 and 19 years old. Saint Petersburg
Results in the 2019/2020 season:
- Shanghai Trophy - 2nd place (203.16)
- Canadian Grand Prix - 1st place - (216.71)
- Moscow Grand Prix - 1st place - (229.48)
Boykova - Kozlovsky finished the 2019/2020 Grand Prix series with the best results in the team. They faced difficult stages, where other couples were favorites. But Alexandra and Dmitry won both of their stages, beating, among other things, the number one in the country, Evgenia Tarasova - Vladimir Morozov.
On the rollout before short program in Moscow, Dima fell hard, hitting the side. They did not withdraw from the competition, despite the injury, and for good reason - with big advantage Boykova - Kozlovsky became the winners of the home stage.
We have yet to understand the secret of this couple’s meteoric rise. Perhaps the fact is that Dmitry and Alexandra, before becoming a couple in 2015, were initially good singles athletes with a high-quality jump. On such a base, it is much easier to assemble paired elements.
Another secret of success is the coaching hand. Boykova - Kozlovsky work under the leadership of Tamara Moskvina and Arthur Minchuk. Moskvina’s handwriting is felt in everything, starting with the choice of music for the programs. It's always something memorable and complete - for example, "Black Eyes" and "The Nutcracker" last season, "My Way" by Frank Sinatra and James Bond this season. Even their show is unique: in the Russian style, but adapted for different audiences. The guys perform their “Moscow Nights” to a song in the language of the country in which they are performing.
Athletes themselves understand very well how much their coaches give them:
“Our coaching staff gives us a certain amount of self-confidence. We approach each start very calmly and poisedly. First of all, we try to prepare well for the competition. (RIA Novosti)
Alexandra and Dmitry are perfectly prepared technically. In particular, they master parallel triple Salchow, perform Lutz and loop throws - an expensive set.
This year, the couple gained more adult external confidence - the judges immediately began to evaluate them differently.
Alexandra Boykova and Dmitry Kozlovsky / Photo: © Oleg Bukharev / Match TV
What do we expect from the Grand Prix Final?
Sports pairs will begin competition in the Grand Prix finals in a week - from December 5 to 8. World champions will compete against young Russians Wenjin Sui - Kong Han (China), vice-champions of the Grand Prix final of last season Pen Chen - Yang Jin (China) and silver medalists of the Four Continents Championship Kirsten Moore-Towers - Michael Marinaro (Canada).
Russia has reason to count on at least a bronze medal in Turin, but that’s not really the main thing. Mishina - Gallyamov, Pavlyuchenko - Khodykin and Boykova - Kozlovsky- figure skaters hungry for victories, technically armed and driven by great sporting ambitions. They represent different schools of pair skating, train with specialists of different styles, but they all show decent result. Russia hasn't been so healthy for a long time internal competition in pair skating.
In addition, all these pairs have absolutely fearless girls skating. In many ways, it is Anastasia, Daria and Alexandra who make the face of modern Russian pair skating as we know it - with a slight smile from the partner in the most high point support at arm's length.
Wed, 14 Feb 2018 06:00:39 +0300Remember Victor An!
Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov
The history of their relationship began in 2010, when both skaters were left without partners and decided to compete together for Russia. Just six months after the formation of the pair, Volosozhar and Trankov won the Russian Championship, and at their first World Championship they took second place.
Over the next three seasons, the skaters constantly progressed: they were the best at the European Championships three times, won the World Championships and the Grand Prix final, set world records in the short and free program. Volosozhar and Trankov approached the 2014 Olympic Games as leaders in pair skating and won gold in Sochi, first as a team and then in the individual competition.
Tatyana and Maxim hid for a long time that they were connected not only by sports. And only after Sochi it turned out that they had been together for about two years. The initiative came from Tatiana. Maxim resisted for some time, believing that this could interfere with his work, but eventually gave in. In February 2015, the couple officially announced their engagement, and six months later the wedding took place.
After Sochi, the skaters missed the season due to Maxim’s health problems and returned only in 2015, winning the Grand Prix stage and the Russian Championship. In 2016 they won the European Championships and took sixth place at the World Championships. Volosozhar and Trankov did not officially announce their retirement, but the couple is in no hurry to return to amateur sports.
Now they perform in various ice shows and are raising their daughter Angelica, who was born in February 2017.
Maria Petrova and Alexey Tikhonov
Another example of how the relationship between skaters in a pair developed into a romantic one. Such unions are not uncommon in figure skating: people spend a lot of time with each other, share joy and experiences, and often embody romantic stories in their programs.
The skaters began skating together in 1998, all serious achievements in big sport They have a lot in common: they won the World Championship, twice became European champions and were repeatedly winners of these tournaments.
In 2010, Maria and Alexey had a daughter, Polina. Interestingly, the couple has not yet officially formalized their relationship. The skaters admitted that they constantly choose: to have a big wedding or go on a family trip. The second option wins every time.
Alena Zavarzina and Vic Wild
If many were expecting a successful performance of Russians in figure skating in Sochi, then four olympic medals snowboarders became a real sensation. Three of them were brought to our country by another sports married couple - Alena Zavarzina and Vic Wild.
The American and the Russian woman met in 2009 at a party after the end of the World Cup, but they started dating only two years later. In the spring, Vic came to Moscow for the World Cup without a coach, and Alena, having learned about this, offered him her help. The athlete then walked on crutches after an injury, but for the sake of Vic she shortened the recovery time from three weeks up to two days and, limping, trained him. After the competition, they went on a trip to Mexico and California, and in the summer they celebrated their wedding in Novosibirsk in the best Russian traditions - with a ransom, competitions and a lot of guests.
At the end of that season, Wild was thinking about retiring due to a lack of sponsors, and the national team coach invited him to play for Russia. In 2012, Vic received Russian citizenship and six months later at the first stage of the World Cup showed best result in his career - won a bronze medal. The following season, Wild became the first and so far only snowboarder to win two gold medals at the same Olympic Games.
Zavarzina’s bronze medal is also to some extent Wild’s merit. Shortly before the Games, Alena broke her arm and risked not going to Sochi. Friends and family supported her and advised her not to force her recovery, but the day after the operation her husband asked only one question: when would she start training - tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Then Alena decided to go to the Games with the plate in her hand, which in the end she did not regret.
Wild admitted that every year since he met Alena turns out to be better than the previous one. We hope that this pattern will also extend to the Olympic Games in Korea.
Tatyana Totmyanina and Alexey Yagudin
Another married couple from figure skating, who at one time gave Russian fans many unforgettable moments. Tatyana, paired with Maxim Marinin, is a five-time European champion, two-time champion world and Olympic champion of Turin, and Alexey - three-time champion Europe, four-time champion world and Olympic champion Salt Lake City.
The future spouses first met as teenagers at the skating rink of the Yubileiny Sports Palace in St. Petersburg. Then they were not interested in each other - Yagudin was a merry fellow and a jokester, and Totmyanina preferred free time be alone and read a book. Only years later, when they began touring together with Ilya Averbukh’s show, did the skaters look at each other in a new way.
At first, their relationship was difficult, they broke up several times and started dating again, but it eventually came down to the proposal that Alexey made to Tatyana on the night of 2008-2009. Since then, they consider themselves husband and wife, despite the fact that the official wedding took place only in 2016.
The couple has two daughters - Lisa and Michelle.
Sofia the Great and Alexey Mishin
One of the most beautiful and titled couples in Russian sports, Sofia the Great and Alexei Mishin, do not like to advertise their personal life.
Velikaya is a seven-time world champion and eleven-time European champion, silver medalist Olympic Games 2012 and 2016 and Olympic champion 2016 in fencing. Mishin is a six-time European champion, world champion and 2004 Olympic champion in Greco-Roman wrestling.
The athletes hid their relationship for a long time, but in 2010 they announced that they would get married after the Olympic Games in London.
In 2013, the couple had a son, and in 2017, a daughter.
38-year-old Mishin has not yet officially announced his retirement. Sofia plans to prepare for the 2020 Games and win gold in the individual championship, which she lost in a duel with Yana Yegoryan in Rio de Janeiro.
Katerina Keyru and Ivan Novoseltsev
Katerina is the European champion in basketball among girls under 20, Ivan is a defender of the football team Zenit.
The athletes met at the Universiade in China in 2011, but began dating only three years later. But then their relationship developed rapidly: in April 2015, Ivan proposed on the field of the stadium in Rostov-on-Don, where he was playing at that time, right after the match between Rostov and Torpedo. The wedding took place in October 2015.
After the wedding, the Novoseltsevs made a joint decision to end Katerina’s career - the teams for which the athletes played were in different cities, their schedules often did not coincide, and therefore the athletes were not able to see each other as often as they wanted.
Ivan’s career is now experiencing a decline: after moving to Zenit from Rostov, he began to rarely appear on the field, and this season he played only one match in the Russian Cup. In the previous team, Novoseltsev was one of the leaders, won silver in the Russian Championship and qualified for the Champions League.
Elena Dementieva and Maxim Afinogenov
Back in 1999, their parents wanted to introduce the famous tennis player and hockey player. Elena and her mother were invited to hockey in Miami, and their seats in the stands were next to those of Maxim’s parents. Dementieva’s mother met them and wanted to invite the whole family to introduce her daughter to the young hockey player. However, Elena at that time had no intentions of dating athletes, and the acquaintance did not take place.
In 2004, Maxim and his friends came to Roland Garros, where they attended all of Elena’s matches. After the end of the tournament, at a party in honor of the Russian final (Dementieva then lost to Anastasia Myskina), the athletes were able to get to know each other better. That's when their relationship began.
Another example of a married couple of skaters who did not skate together. Oksana competed in ice dancing with Maxim Shabalin, together they became world champions, two-time European champions and won bronze medals at the Olympic Games in Vancouver. Roman also competed in ice dancing, and together with Tatyana Navka won the Turin Games, two World Championships and three European Championships.
Oksana and Roman competed at the same competitions, so they knew each other for a long time, but they only developed mutual interest in each other during Ilya Averbukh’s tour in 2005.
Since then, they lived together for a long time, but were in no hurry to formalize their relationship. In 2011, their daughter Anastasia was born. Two years later they broke up, and Oksana dated her partner on the show for some time. Ice age» actor Vladimir Yaglych. However, in 2014, Kostomarov and Domnina began to live together again and after a couple of months they decided not only to get married, but also to get married. In 2016, the couple had another child - son Ilya.
