The best dance couple in Russia this moment did not immediately tell the public about their relationship. For a long time, Victoria and Nikita tried not to advertise their personal lives. Moreover, it is widely believed on the net that Katsalapov's lover was Elena Ilyina, his former partner, in a duet with whom he achieved the highest achievements in his career: the gold of the 2014 Games, as well as silver and bronze of world championships.
However, the 2014/15 season Nikita has already started in tandem with Victoria. The skaters achieved their first success four years later, defeating the Ondrej Nepela Memorial in Slovakia, and then winning gold medals at the national championship in Saransk.
Sinitsina and Katsalapov went to the European Championship as favorites, if not for victory, then for medals for sure, but due to unsuccessful performance in rhythm dance, they failed to enter the top three. As a result, the gold was won by the French Gabriella Papadakis and, the silver went to another Russian duo and, and the third place was taken by Charlene Gignard and Marco Fabbri from Italy.
At the same time, the skater herself did not rule out that a strained personal relationship with a partner could indirectly affect their results, and also stated that performing in tandem with a former lover can be called masochism.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates
The American dance duo have had an unbreakable bond for eight years now. Behind the figure skaters are two Olympics, six world championships, many national championships and Grand Prix stages, as well as several medals, including gold ones.
The skaters met before they became partners on the ice. At the age of 16, Bates invited Chalk to his birthday party. And for Evan, this was tantamount to a first date with a future lover. Since then, the couple has been in a close relationship, although in the early years of their career they skated with other skaters in a duet.
The need to finally reunite on the ice was emphasized by both athletes, stating that in this way it is possible to achieve better results and achieve new successes.
“Riding with Evan is much more comfortable. We get along well and understand each other. We can discuss frankly among ourselves our strengths and weak sides", - quotes Chok.
Interestingly, despite a long relationship since adolescence, the athletes are in no hurry to get married, although they are not at all limited in time. At least, this is what Bates claims, arguing that in addition to figure skating he gets to enjoy outdoor activities and traveling to other countries with his beloved.
Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donoghue
Another American dance duet, which, in addition to figure skating, is also connected by personal life. Or rather, connected. The story of Madison and Zachary is similar in outline to Tarasova and Morozov.
The couple was in a relationship for several years and regularly became the winner of national championships, and also won medals at various stages of the Grand Prix. The Olympic season was decisive.
Hubbell and Donoghue made the decision to break up the day before Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. The skaters saw the main reason for the breakdown in relations that they were unable to pay due attention to sports.
“We had to leave. To achieve high results, you need to work hard and regularly, work out every element of your program. At some point, we realized that being with each other in such an environment every minute is explosive. We asked each other what is more important to us: figure skating or relationship. And we both chose the first, ”the skaters admitted.
It is noteworthy that the athletes do not pay any attention to their past romance: both Hubbell and Donoghue have couples that do not allow them to think about anything other than figure skating and ice dancing.
Marie-Jade Loriot and Romain Le Gac
And again, the case when ice dancing contributes to the creation of a new pair of lovers. This time from France. Until 2014, Marie-Jade and Romain skated with other partners, but after the skaters began to perform together, their life changed dramatically.
In the very first year of skating together, Loriot and Le Gac decided to get married. Such a lightning-fast course of events surprised even the athletes: in an interview, they repeatedly admitted that during their entire career they denied any opportunity to act in tandem with their lover.
“Indeed, it turned out to be a very difficult decision. However, love turned out to be stronger than anything, ”said the Canadian, who received French citizenship only in December 2017.
Before the World Championship, the duet also performed at the continental championship, but only took a place in the top ten, gaining a total of 172.33 points.
and
Team Canada has one of the largest ice dancing quotas to compete at the World Championships. Caitlin Weaver and Andrew Pozhe, well-known to Russians, got into the final application of the team.
Paired with Pozhe Weaver has been performing since 2006. At the same time, she changed her US sports citizenship to Canadian. However, they held their first Olympics only in Sochi, failing to qualify for the Games in Vancouver.
In Russia, the duet performed unsuccessfully, taking the final seventh place, but the post-Olympic season for the Canadian couple turned out to be triumphant: victory in two stages of the Grand Prix, in the final, the gold of the Canadian championship, as well as the bronze of the world championship. The duo repeated the same thing in the 2015/16 season, this time winning gold at the Grand Prix stage in Russia, but failing to become a World Championship medalist.
After that, the results of Weaver and Pozhe deteriorated sharply, and this season they won the pre-season tournament of the Fall Classic, and also took first place in the Canadian Championship.
However, the couple, despite all the failures and frequent injuries, harmonizes well with each other. Weaver and Pozhe admitted that figure skating takes too much of their time, which is why athletes do not have friends. As a result, they share their experiences with each other.
“I'm too busy looking for any new connections and relationships. Kate is a wonderful person, honest, the one with whom I can easily discuss any problems, ”said Poje.
Other news, materials and statistics can be viewed on the page, as well as in the groups of the sports department in social networks
How many of them there were - the greatest and famous, who brought fame to the country, our figure skating and our own family.
And immediately the brilliant Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov come to mind. Our first Olympic champions in 1964, and then in 1968 in pair skating. That's where there was complete harmony, understanding at a glance, artistry unsurpassed so far. They got married in 1957 and lived happily ever after for 60 years - until September 2017, when Lyudmila Evgenievna passed away at 81. And Oleg Alekseevich keeps the urn with her ashes at home.
In 1979 they stayed in Switzerland. I don't approve of this move. But here's what's important: a fanatical pair of figure skaters are devoted to their favorite cause - figure skating, until the end of their days, even at the age of 80 they did not leave the ice.
The great Irina Rodnina first paired with Alexei Ulanov in 1972, and then twice with Alexander Zaitsev in 1976 and in 1980 won the Olympic gold. I met Ira and Sasha in 1975. Years later, together with his colleague Vitaly Melik-Karamov, he went to their house when the couple had a son, Sasha. And there was no doubt: several months would pass, and Irina would return for the sake of common purpose and common cause.
Somehow I witnessed a touching scene. A large group of artists, journalists and athletes traveled, as was customary at that time, to distant Komsomol construction sites. Alexander Zaitsev was among those who were leaving. Buses were waiting for us at 24 Pravda Street, but Ira, having learned that it was cold in Krasnoyarsk, inexplicably agreed with the bus driver to wait a bit, rushed home and rushed off in her car with Sasha's sweater. Here is the concern!
Was it love? And devotion to the cause, to figure skating, to the country for which they performed, was definitely present. Ice and wrestling united. Forced to fight for the family and for the Motherland. They helped not only to hold out, but to remain only the first for an incredibly long period. And, this is just my guess, when the huge work was completed, the couple, having left the ice, broke up.
I remember other Olympic champions - dancers Natalya Linichuk and Gennady Karponosov. It seems to me that Gena was in love with a partner. And all relatives and friends approved of the choice. I don’t know which of the family duo was the main one in the pair. But it was not possible to beat such luminaries on the ice. Then a creative duet formed, which for many years prepared excellent skaters. And a break. Now Natalya Vladimirovna and Gennady Mikhailovich are still coaching. However, separately.
And here are their rivals, two-time world champions Irina Moiseeva and Andrey Minenkov, together. When they got married, Andrei, in addition to other gifts, presented Ira with a luxurious Wedding Dress. Then there was nothing similar in the USSR. The outfit was purchased abroad for crazy - labor, sweat, figure skating earned - money. Few couples arrange such holidays in honor of their wedding every year with the invitation of many people, like Irina and Andrey.
Family duets of figure skaters often win among sports couples and in dances. And love helps
But still, the couple Maria Petrova - Alexei Tikhonov remained the most textbook-understandable for me. There are people about whom they say: what nice guys. This is about Lesha and Masha. Perhaps if the sports duo had formed earlier, the couple would have not only one golden victory at the World Championship. Always admired their attitude towards each other. Time passed, and working ties grew into closer ones. Once at the World Championships in Dortmund in 2004, where I happened to be the head of the brilliant Russian team, Maria and Alexei settled in the same room. And the whole team very delicately rejoiced at this event.
In those days, more eminent skaters also played for the national team. But it turned out that it was Petrova - Tikhonov who were the core of the team, its support. They turned to them for advice, for parting words.
After the triumph at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, all our famous figure skaters, without saying a word, went professional. Apparently, the time has come. And Petrova and Tikhonov, not too young by sports standards, were also going to end their careers. It's hard to even imagine: only newcomers remained in the invincible Russian cohort. The change of generations is total. And the Figure Skating Federation turned with a request to Petrova - Tikhonov, and to whom else, at least for a season, to stay, to support the newcomers. And they stayed. Tikhonov turned into an uncle-mentor, just like a skating coach in psychological preparation.
Every year I meet Maria and Lesha on the sidelines of competitions. They are always together, or rather, three of them, with their daughter Polina. The guys are also friendly and welcoming. They do not sometimes have the stardom and annoying extravagance inherent in big champions. The life of the couple goes on.
Why am I writing all this? And besides, it's nice to remind readers of the former champions. And if they have not heard of such people, then let them know about their commonwealth. So the champions of the 2014 Olympics Tatyana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov got married, gave birth to a baby.
Probably, it’s better for young ice skaters to be together after all. Love becomes the third in a pair. God bless everyone!
Piseev Valentin Nikolaevich, long-term leader of the Soviet and Russian figure skating:
They were united by love and creativity. They walked (or rolled? - Auth.) through life together. One passion turned them into inseparable creators. Sometimes Oleg's temperament was balanced by Luda's understanding and calmness. Even when the skaters were over 70 and close to 80, they left their Swiss village for the summer in Lake Placid, America. We trained at the skating rink, sometimes with older amateur couples. And they were on the show.
Now that Lyuda is gone, Oleg performs a touching number on the ice in memory of her: he, like Igor Bobrin in his time, portrays figure skaters - just a couple. His skating is dedicated to Lyudmila. Sometimes you think, is it not risky at 86 years old? But once Protopopov said that he was ready to calmly meet death on ice.
Wed, 14 Feb 2018 06:00:39 +0300Remember Victor Ana!
Tatyana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov
The history of their relationship began in 2010, when both skaters were left without partners and decided to play for Russia together. Already six months after the formation of the pair, Volosozhar and Maxaim Trankov won the Russian championship, and at their first world championship they took second place.
For the next three seasons, the skaters constantly progressed: they were the best at the European Championship three times, won the World Championship and the Grand Prix final, set world records in the short and free programs. Volosozhar and Trankov approached the 2014 Olympic Games in the status of pair skating leaders and won gold in Sochi, first in the team, and then in the individual championship.
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 Tatyana. Maxim resisted for some time, believing that this could interfere with the work, but eventually gave up. 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 Championship and finished sixth at the World Championship. 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 Alexei Tikhonov
Another example of how the relationship between skaters acting as a pair turned into a romantic one. Such unions in figure skating are not uncommon: people spend a lot of time with each other, share joy and experiences, and often embody romantic stories in programs.
The skaters started skating together in 1998, they have all the major achievements in big-time sports together: they won the World Championships, twice became European champions and repeatedly won these tournaments.
In 2010, Maria and Alexei had a daughter, Polina. Interestingly, the couple has not yet formalized their relationship. 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 waiting for the successful performance of Russians in figure skating in Sochi, then four Olympic medals for snowboarders became a real sensation. Three of them were brought to our country by another sports couple - Alena Zavarzina and Vic Wild.
The American and the Russian 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 Vik, she reduced 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, contests and a lot of guests.
At the end of that season, Wilde was thinking about retirement due to 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, he showed the best result in his career - he won a bronze medal. The following season, Wilde became the first and so far only snowboarder to win two gold medals on the same Olympic Games.
The bronze medal of Zavarzina 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 recovery, but the next day after the operation, her husband asked only one question: when will she start training - tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Then Alena decided to go to the Games with a plate in her hand, which she did not regret in the end.
Wild admitted that every year since he met Alena has been better than the previous one. We hope that this pattern will also spread to the Olympic Games in Korea.
Tatiana Totmyanina and Alexei Yagudin
Another married couple from figure skating, who at one time gave Russian fans a lot of unforgettable moments for two. Tatyana, paired with Maxim Marinin, is a five-time European champion, a two-time world champion and Olympic champion Turin, and Alexey is a three-time European champion, a four-time world champion and an Olympic champion in Salt Lake City.
For the first time, future spouses met as teenagers at the rink of the Yubileiny Sports Palace in St. Petersburg. Then they were not interested in each other - Yagudin was a merry fellow and a joker, and Totmyanina preferred to be alone and read a book in her free time. 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 not easy, they parted several times and started dating again, but it eventually came to the proposal that Alexei made to Tatiana on the night of 2008 to 2009. Since then, they consider themselves husband and wife, despite the fact that the official wedding took place only in 2016.
The couple have two daughters, Lisa and Michelle.
Sophia the Great and Alexei Mishin
One of the most beautiful and titled couples Russian sports, Sophia the Great and Alexei Mishin, do not like to advertise their personal lives.
Velikaya is a seven-time world champion and an eleven-time European champion, a silver medalist at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games and a 2016 Olympic champion 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.
The couple had a son in 2013 and a daughter in 2017.
Mishin, 38, has yet to officially announce his retirement. Sofia plans to prepare for the 2020 Games and get 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 basketball champion among girls under 20 years old, Ivan is the defender of the football 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 made an offer on the field of the stadium in Rostov-on-Don, where he played at that time, right after the Rostov match with 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 match, and therefore the athletes could not see each other as often as they wanted.
Ivan's career is now in decline: after moving to Zenit from Rostov, he rarely entered 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 the silver of the Russian championship with it and entered 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 on the podium were next to the seats 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 to meet with athletes, and the acquaintance did not take place.
In 2004, Maxim and his friends came to Roland Garros, where he attended all the matches of Elena. 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. Then 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 performed 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 had known each other for a long time, but they had mutual interest in each other only during the tour of Ilya Averbukh 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 for some time met with a partner in the Ice Age show, 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.
They have one task and one result for two. They are always together and therefore are perceived as a whole. We have gathered well-known sports couples participating in the Channel One project “Professional Cup” and learned from them how comfortable they are to work and live with each other
Maria Petrova and Alexey Tikhonov
This famous duet was formed in the summer of 1998. This was the second attempt by Alexei and Masha to pair up. Within seven months they won their first gold medal
Oksana Domnina and Roman Kostomarov in the project OK! exception. They have never been a couple on ice, but in one of the editions of the Professional Cup project, Oksana and Roman are preparing to surprise everyone
This project is OK! couples who not only work together, but also are a family take part. You and Oksana have never been a professional duet. Being engaged in one thing, you constantly communicated, so when did the relationship begin?
Roman: By the time our romance began, we really had known each other for a very long time and during this time we got to know each other well.
Oksana: In our field, it is simply impossible not to intersect. And we began to communicate closer in 2005.
Who took care of whom?
R: Who is it? As expected, the man began to care for the girl.
Oksana, did you immediately give up?
No, not right away. I messed with him for a month. As a girl, I had to keep my distance. I resisted, and there were reasons for that.
And yet, despite everything, you are now together. Do you think your union is fate or is it just the way life has turned out?
A: You know, it seems to me that fate is when two people from different planets, with absolutely polar interests, suddenly met, and then they fell in love with each other. Here is this fate!
R.: Each of us can count in our own way, but it seems to me that our union is a coincidence. We said that we had known each other for a very long time, and then it turned out that each of us has something that catches, attracts the other. We just wanted to be together. We can say that the internal attraction and common interests have done their job.
Is it difficult to be close people and at the same time do one thing? Do you have conflicts at work?
R: You know, thank God, we never skated together. And 24 hours a day, both at home and at work, we do not spend together. In this regard, everything is a little easier for us. And so, of course, it is quite natural that people sometimes conflict when they live together and work. It's very difficult. It is important to have a strong character, you must be able to, having quarreled at work, come home and let go of all the negativity.
O.: Of course, it's important to get bored sometimes.
But even at a distance it is not so easy to exist. Preparing for the Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, Oksana lived in America. Was separation hard?
R: Of course, it is very difficult at a distance, especially at such a distance. You can't take it and fly in two hours, there's a ten hour flight. Yes, and work will not allow. We used to communicate via SMS, then it became possible to communicate via Skype, it made our life much easier. Now technology allows to reduce distances.
Roman, what were your first thoughts when Oksana and Maxim Shabalin became bronze medalists?
Then I experienced joy and thought: finally she finished skating. ( Laughing.)
Have you been waiting for this moment?
Well, of course, I waited. I already wanted to start a family, I wanted children. At the end of her career...
O.:... what they wanted, they got it.
R.: Yes, now we have a wonderful daughter. Unfortunately, today it is rarely possible to be together. But we try very hard, it's just that projects take a lot of time, and we also have a show with which we periodically travel. It's hard, of course. But still, Oksana tries to spend most of her time with her daughter, and my mother also helps us. Let's hope that after the completion of the Professional Cup project, it will become easier for us.
Are you planning to legalize your relationship?
R: We'll wait and see.
You spent a lot of time in America, from where the fashionable holiday of Valentine's Day came to us. How do you feel about him?
R: Honestly, I'm absolutely indifferent to him. Of course, if people want to arrange such a holiday for themselves, give gifts, flowers, do something nice - why not. And we are in common days we surprise each other. It is not necessary to wait for some holiday to make your loved one happy. Oksana and I have Valentine's Day every day.
And what is the most memorable gift you gave each other?
A: We gave each other a daughter!
R.: This is the most valuable thing we have now. So there is absolutely no point in talking about some material gifts, phones, cars - it's all such nonsense. The most important gift for us is the appearance of a daughter.
Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas Together they became champions of Lithuania thirteen times, twice - bronze medalists and European Championships and bronze medalists of the World Championship
You have been together for almost 12 years. How did you imagine your future family in your youth? Can we say that the expectations were justified?
Povilas: Partly yes. As for the future... You see, when you are 16-18 years old, everything happens at the level of emotions and desires, romanticism occupies a very important place in the worldview. Then I just wanted to be happy, I wanted to create something very pure and beautiful and for life to be real.
Margarita: And, to be honest, I could not imagine my family life - probably because of the sport. My head was filled with other things. But I imagined perfect man. In my imagination, I drew my hero, whom I would like to meet.
Margarita, does Povilas look like such a man?
(laughing.) Not at all similar! I had a completely different ideal: tall, black-haired, black-eyed, temperamental. The complete opposite of my husband.
Povilas gives the impression of a very calm person.
M: It is. He is very balanced, and I am explosive. But after Lithuania, he had to adapt to Moscow life - he had to defend himself. Previously, it was extremely rare to hear a rude word from him, now, of course, he can break out. This is a defensive reaction of the body. Now you can piss him off.
And can you piss him off?
M: It happens all the time. ( laughing.) But I manage to piss him off rather than piss him off. He does not scream or wave his arms, but I immediately understand what kind of internal process he is going through. He often has to just put up with my character.
Povilas, for you the character of Margarita was not a revelation, after all, when you started a relationship, you had known each other for ten years?
Believe me, after ten years of skating together, we knew each other as flaky: characters, weaknesses, strengths and weaknesses - better than people who live five years together. Thanks to our work, we got to know each other very well, so that when we became a family, we did not find any unpleasant surprises.
Margarita, what qualities of a spouse do you value?
You know, Povilas never sits idle, he is very far from the image of such a man in sweatpants, with a newspaper, on the couch. He is very economic, and also calm, which is very important to me.
Tell me, why did you decide to get married, was it not scary - is it forever?
P: I am a Christian and Rita is a Christian. We couldn't have imagined our wedding any other way. You know, now the wedding is becoming fashionable, many go for it simply because the ceremony is beautiful. People do not seem to understand that a vow of fidelity and love to a spouse given in the church is the greatest responsibility, and not only to the spouse. The terrible misfortunes that occur in our society with morality, with families, are a consequence of the fact that people have forgotten what it means to live like a Christian.
But still, a couple of years ago, the press actively bred you.
P .: Very often in interviews we talk about our attitude to the yellow press, but for some reason it is always deleted by the editors. I really feel sorry for the people who write all this, having sold their souls for thirty pieces of silver. How to react? Calm down - another "great" author has appeared.
Margaret, you beautiful girl, I'm sure you are constantly complimented, and your project partners were prominent. Husband not jealous?
Most of my partners were successfully married and we communicated well as families. But of course, all partners experienced some kind of peculiar feeling of jealousy on projects, and not only married couples. There is a certain sense of ownership: you have been skating with him all your life, and then once - and he is skating with another. And if it also rides well ... ( laughing.)
Was there a rivalry?
No, I'm kidding, of course! We have been on the same side of the barricades all our lives. I have never had any rivalry with Povilas. I wanted him to get good results. In general, in ice projects, the word “rivalry” sounds ridiculous. After the Olympics, everything else is perceived as a game. It is difficult to compete on these projects, especially with a close and dear person.
Elena Leonova and Andrey Khvalko. Speaking in amateur sports, they skated with other partners and never took part in the World and European Championships. Coming to professional figure skating, they won two world championships
It is believed that people who are engaged in one thing find it easier to find a common language. But this is not the most important thing: many sports couples break up after the joint work ends.
Elena: This is the secret of our strong marriage. Family relationships often begin when people interact closely while working together in amateur sports. It's comfortable. Very often people are united by a common cause, and not by love.
Andrei: Rather, it is friendship, camaraderie, partnership.
E.: Surely there is passion, after all, when young people begin to communicate closely, a spark often runs between them. This is natural when people are together for almost days. But when the athletes leave amateur sports, they often diverge.
As practice shows, this happens in seventy percent of cases.
Your union is an exception: you skated separately and only got together when you started working together.
A .: Yes, in amateur sports we skated with other partners and got married only when we went professional.
E.: We also began to work together, but nothing obligated us to be together. We could create relationships with anyone. But we fell in love and started a family. And they created it because they wanted to create it, and not because it was convenient. It would probably be even easier to live separately and not see each other for 24 hours. But love was stronger. We lived for quite a long time just for each other - our children did not appear immediately.
BUT.: This year will be fifteen years since we are officially married. Although we have known each other since childhood - we went to training camps together, performed together, just not with each other.
Do you remember your first date?
E: Of course! We went to Lenkom to see Juno and Avos. Andrei invited me under the pretext that we (and we had just started skating together then) needed to go to work. But it was a date, I remember very well. ( laughing.)
You've been on the ice for many years now. Previously, these were competitions, today you are touring with Ilya Averbukh and filming for the Channel One project. Many of your colleagues are trying to find themselves in other professions: Yagudin, Tikhonov, Slutskaya tried their hand at the stage, Anton Sikharulidze generally went into politics and became a deputy ...
A .: I am sure that you need to change your profession when trembling, jitters pass and when there is no adrenaline from what you are doing. If you don't care, then you need to change your profession.
E.: We like to develop in our profession, we are constantly trying new elements, looking for new forms. Otherwise it's boring. If you are bored, then the viewer will be bored too. You will never fool the public. If I'm in a bad mood and I go out on the ice with the right face, then who will be impressed by my performance? Tatyana Anatolyevna Tarasova always told us that she doesn't care what happens in our personal lives. Even if you do not want to see your partner, and on the ice you need to portray love with him, you must do it in such a way that the viewer thinks that you are having a passionate affair. Otherwise, you don’t have to go out on the ice at all.
But in family life the same thing: if you do not develop relationships, very quickly it becomes all the same.
E .: Therefore, at some point there were three of us in the family, and then four. Andrey and my life has changed a lot since we had our daughters.
Lena, not all athletes decide to give birth to at least one child. Were you afraid of ruining your career?
I was not afraid, although I understood that the child turns you off from the process for at least a year. Many then cannot return to form at all. But we both thought less about my career. And today we live full life, we have every minute scheduled: ice rink, school, taekwondo for the eldest daughter, kids club at the youngest...
Andrei, it turns out that you have such a feminine kingdom?
(laughing.) But imagine how much care they surround me with!
E.: I really like how tenderly our dad communicates with his daughters. As a woman, I am very pleased to observe their relationship.
Do you go on vacation with your children or arrange a romantic vacation?
E .: You know, we often go on tour - also a change of scenery, when you can only be together. Therefore, we prefer to relax with children, although this is sometimes a real test: they know how to fill all their free time and space with themselves. ( laughing.) But I consider all fifteen years of marriage the happiest time in my life. I hope nothing changes in the future.
Albena Denkova and Maxim Stavisky realized not only in the profession, twice becoming world champions, but also in their personal lives. Their son was born in January last year.
In 1996, you, a Russian figure skater, and Albena, a Bulgarian figure skater, paired up. How did your duet come about?
Maxim: You know, in Bulgaria the formation of such a pair surprised everyone very much. And everything was quite simple: Albena broke up with her partner in Bulgaria, and I - with a partner in Russia. At some competition, a wonderful coach Elena Chaikovskaya accidentally raised the issue of partners. We thought: why not put us together? Albena sent me a cassette with a recording of her competitions, then she came to Moscow. We had terrible weather: grey, wet, dirty. Albenka was in quiet horror.
Albena: I had to live with Maxim and his parents for about a month. For me it was very difficult. But the feeling of embarrassment quickly passed: Maxim's family, and he himself, won me over, I began to feel almost at home.
When did the feelings arise?
M .: It seems to me that it was in the year 98, during the tournament in Lazanne.
Who looked after whom?
M: Of course I am! Who else!
At that time, Alexei Gorshkov was your coach. How did he react when he found out that you were dating?
A: Nobody informed him. This is our personal life, and we were no longer 12 years old. If it didn’t affect the training, why not. Alexei himself was young and understood everything perfectly.
But it's so difficult - to work together, live together and at the same time not mix one with the other!
M: Of course, it is difficult. We run 24 hours a day. Honestly, I can not say that we are so tired of each other. We are athletes: during the season, the head is full of programs, productions. Of course, it is difficult to constantly think about it, and also discuss it at home. At some point, we came to the conclusion that in working disputes one should always try to find a compromise and bring work moments home less. Life immediately became easier.
BUT.: Over the years, we have become so accustomed to everything that, of course, we are very comfortable with each other - both on the ice and at home. Sometimes disagreements arise, you have to wait a day, cool down. Then everything returns to normal again.
And yet, in 15 years, have there been moments when you had to be away from each other?
M .: It happened once when Albena wore Danyushka. I had to work in Moscow, and she was in Bulgaria. Alben, how long have we not seen each other? Six months?
BUT.: What are you! What six! We didn’t see each other for a month and a half, and then you came to us. And I didn’t want to go anywhere, I wanted to calmly spend this time without flights.
M.: These meetings were so short. You see, for me a month and a half stretched to six!
On January 30, your son turned one year old. Has your attitude changed after having a baby?
M .: We realized that a child is a miracle, and everything that happened before is forgotten. And everything that you do now, everything is only for the happiness of the family.
Do you manage to be together?
M .: Now, unfortunately, this is very difficult. Albena is very worried about this. Of course, both of us want to be with Danyushka all the time. But I try to approach this issue as realistically as possible: we came to the show, we work. So far it turns out that we can't stop working. It turned out very fortunate that my parents live in the same house as we do, but in a different entrance. So we have the opportunity to leave our son with loved ones. And we, of course, use every opportunity to take him to us and be with him. Now, after filming, I will go to the ice, and Albena - to my son.
Albena, who is the head of your family?
Don't know. Maxim thinks that he is, and I think that I am. In a family, everyone is in charge of something.
You take part in many ice shows, you both had wonderful partners. But journalists never miss the opportunity to attribute new novels to the participants. How to react?
M .: You know, we have a huge number of yellow editions. Of course, we try to just ignore it. There were situations when some of the participants were driven to a breakdown by this gossip. But Albena and I have never given anyone any reason to write something like that about us. No matter how wonderful our partners are, for me the most beautiful is my Albenka.
February 20th Russian figure skater won the gold medal in women's singles at the Olympic Games in Sochi. This Olympic victory became the first in history for Russians 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 championship of Russia, after which sports officials began to use the name of a child prodigy as a response to the failures that befell the domestic women's single skating in those times.1 of 19
On February 20, the Russian figure skater won the gold medal in women's singles at the Olympic Games in Sochi. This Olympic victory was the first ever for Russians in this kind 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 championship of Russia, after which sports officials began to use the name of the prodigy girl as a response to the failures that befell the domestic women's single skating at that time.
/ On February 9, figure skater Yulia Lipnitskaya won gold in team competition in figure skating, becoming the youngest Russian champion in the history of the Winter Olympics. If Julia had been born 26 days later, she would not have been able to join the Olympic team. According to the regulations, in order to participate in the 2014 Winter Olympics, a figure skater must be 15 years old by July 1, 2013. Julia 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 herself together with her mother.
2 of 19
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 Olympics. If Julia had been born 26 days later, she would not have been able to join the Olympic team. According to the regulations, in order to participate in the 2014 Winter Olympics, a figure skater must be 15 years old by July 1, 2013. Julia 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 herself together with her mother.
/ The sports couple Tatyana Volosozhar and Maxim Maxaim Trankov became the winners of the Games. Tatyana and Maxim won the title of Olympic champions in pair skating on February 12. This medal became the duo's second gold at the Sochi Games after the success of the Russians in the team competition. Volosozhar and Maxaim Trankov went to this award for four years, having teamed up in a couple in the spring after the Olympics in Vancouver. Already in the first joint tournaments Russian couple began to demonstrate powerful, confident, and most importantly - creative skating.
3 of 19
The sports couple Tatyana Volosozhar and Maxim Maxaim Trankov became the winners of the Games. Tatyana and Maxim won the title of Olympic champions in pair skating on February 12. This medal became the duo's second gold at the Sochi Games after the success of the Russians in the team competition. Volosozhar and Maxaim Trankov went to this award for four years, having teamed up in 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 skating. In the 19th century, a skate lover appeared on the Petersburg ice, which had no equal - 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 Olympics 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 with particular predilection followed the correctness of their execution. But there was nothing to complain about - the Russian figure skater brilliantly fulfilled the declared program. The judges unanimously awarded Panin-Kolomenkin the first place. It was the first gold Olympic medal in the history of Russian sports. It is noteworthy that the athlete himself at that time was already 36 years old.
4 out of 19
People in Russia have always loved skating. In the 19th century, a skate lover appeared on the Petersburg ice, which had no equal - 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 Olympics 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 with particular predilection followed the correctness of their execution. But there was nothing to complain about - the Russian figure skater brilliantly fulfilled the declared program. The judges unanimously awarded Panin-Kolomenkin the first place. It was the first gold Olympic medal in the history of Russian sports. It is noteworthy that the athlete himself at that time was already 36 years old.
/ First Olympic champions in pair skating, Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov, who won gold medals in 1964 and 1968, began. It was they who came up with and were the first to perform many elements that later became part of the mandatory competition program for figure skaters around the world. Their performances made such an impression that the world of figure skating did not yet know.
5 out of 19
The first Olympic champions in pair skating were Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov, who won gold medals in 1964 and 1968. It was they who came up with and were the first to perform many elements that later became part of the mandatory competition program for figure skaters around the world. Their performances made such an impression that the world of figure skating did not yet know.
/ By the way, the "golden" couple played a "golden" wedding in 2007. Leaving big sport, Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov did not part with figure skating, they worked in the Leningrad Ballet on Ice. In 1995 they received Swiss citizenship.
6 out of 19
/ In 1972, Irina Rodnina and Alexei Ulanov became Olympic champions in pair skating. However, the day before the 1972 World Championships, in training, Irina fell from support, ended up in the hospital with a concussion and intracranial hematoma. short program the couple skated cleanly, having received marks up to 6.0, in the free program Irina felt bad, she completed the program in a semi-conscious state. After the World Cup, the couple broke up.
7 out of 19
In 1972, Irina Rodnina and Alexei Ulanov became Olympic champions in pair skating. However, the day before the 1972 World Championships, in training, Irina fell from support, ended up in the hospital with a concussion and intracranial hematoma. The couple skated the short program cleanly, having received marks up to 6.0, in the free program Irina felt bad, she completed the program in a semi-conscious 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 a standing ovation from the audience.
8 out of 19
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 a standing ovation from the audience.
/ Since 1974, the couple has been training with Tatyana Tarasova. From 1973 to 1978, Rodnina and Zaitsev constantly took first place in 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. Played on tour, coached.
9 out of 19
Since 1974, the couple has been training with Tatyana Tarasova. From 1973 to 1978, Rodnina and Zaitsev constantly took first place in 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. Played on tour, 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 pair" was Elena Anatolyevna Chaikovskaya 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 to figure skating a lively, emotional folk dance: "Nightingale", "Along the Piterskaya", "Naughty ditties", "Kumparsita".
10 out of 19
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 pair" was Elena Anatolyevna Chaikovskaya 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 to figure skating a lively, emotional folk dance: "Nightingale", "Along the Piterskaya", "Naughty ditties", "Kumparsita".
/ Olympic champions Natalya Linichuk and Gennady Karponosov won gold in 1980. Linichuk and Karponosov trained with Elena Chaikovskaya and played for the Dynamo Moscow club. Already in 1981 they both graduated sports career and became successful ice dance coaches. In their coaching duet, Gennady is responsible for the compulsory dances, and Natalia is responsible for the original dance and free program. In the 90s they left to train in the USA.
11 out of 19
Olympic champions Natalya Linichuk and Gennady Karponosov won gold in 1980. Linichuk and Karponosov trained with Elena Chaikovskaya and played for the Dynamo Moscow club. Already in 1981, they both ended their sports careers and became successful coaches in ice dancing. In their coaching duet, Gennady is responsible for the compulsory dances, and Natalia 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 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 received 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.
13 out of 19
A year later, the couple had a daughter, Daria. At this time, they performed a lot at foreign tournaments, 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 received 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 became the owners 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 not long before).
14 out of 19
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 not long 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. Eugene paired up with Maya Usova.
15 out of 19
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. Eugene paired up with Maya Usova.