Irina SLUTSKAYA

Results / Eredmények

International Competition:

ISU World Standings:
28 Jan. 2006: 1. - 4390 point

In 1996, Irina Slutskaya became the first Russian lady to win the European title and is the first lady in history to win 7 European titles (1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006). Slutskaya collects stuffed animals and has more than 200 of them. She is also the first Russian lady skater to win a silver medal at the Olympic Winter Games. Slutskaya invented the double Biellmann-spin with foot change. At the 2000 Grand Prix Final in Lyon she became the first woman to land a triple lutz-triple loop combination in competition and was awarded a 6,0 for technical merit. At Worlds 2001 she became the first woman to land a triple Lutz-triple loop-double toeloop combination. Slutskaya was left off the National team for Europeans and Worlds in 1999 but came back strong the following year. Her parents, her coach and her husband helped her to get back on track. Slutskaya prefers the edge jumps loop and Salchow which came easier to her than the toeloop. She chose the costume for her Free Program herself after watching "Don Quixote" at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. Famous costume designer Natalia Bolshakova made the costume for her. She married Sergei Mikheev in August 1999. She was left off the National team for Europeans and Worlds in 1999 but came back strong the following year.
Slutskaya missed the 2003 World Championships due to the severe illness of her mother. She was sidelined by illness (vasculitis) the whole 2003/2004 season except for Worlds. She suffered another setback when she injured her knee in practice in October 2004. Slutskaya withdrew from the 2006 Nationals..

International Skating Union, Chemin de Primerose 2, CH - 1007 Lausanne 23.02.2006

Irina Slutskaya won the silver medal in the ladies' figure skating competition at the Salt Lake Games. Slutskaya was in second place after the short program and held on to that position after the free skate to take the silver. Americans Sarah Hughes and Michelle Kwan won the gold and bronze medals, respectively.

Second fiddle

Slutskaya has won three medals at the World Championships, none of them gold. She has won the silver medal at three of the past four worlds (1998, 2000 and 2001). Each time Slutskaya has won silver at the World Championships, American Michelle Kwan has won the gold. She started her ascent to the top of the figure skating world in 1996 with strong showings at the European and World Championships. She claimed the first-ever European title by a Soviet or Russian woman and followed it up with a bronze medal in only her second World Championships. In Salt Lake, Slutkskaya will attempt to become the first Russian woman to win an individual Olympic medal in figure skating and just the third woman from the former Soviet Union or an affiliated nation. Kira Ivanova of the Soviet Union won a ladies' bronze in 1984 and Oksana Baiul won gold for Ukraine in 1994, though her roots were in the Soviet program.

2001 worlds

At the 2001 worlds in Vancouver, Slutskaya appeared poised to defeat Kwan and win her first world title. She beat Kwan convincingly in the short program but then missed the world title when Kwan won the free skate. In the free skate, Slutskaya displayed her superior degree of difficulty - including her signature triple lutz-triple loop combination - but had a slight bobble after one of her jump combinations. When her scores were displayed, showing that eight of the nine judges had given Kwan a higher artistic mark (and hence the gold), Slutskaya's face fell. An hour later, at the press conference, she was gracious in defeat, crediting Kwan for a good performance, although she still appeared extremely disappointed.

Hiccup

Slutskaya seemed to lose her love for figure skating and her will to compete at the beginning of 1999. After a poor performance at the Russian nationals, she was left off the Russian team that competed at the European and World Championships. Still discouraged that summer, Slutskaya took a brief vacation with her parents and then married her longtime boyfriend, Sergei Mikheyev. Through conversations with her family, she realized she still loved to skate and compete. She returned from her wedding with a new attitude and in better shape. Her comeback was marked with renewed focus and determination. Practice sessions once again became rigorous and Slutskaya's jumping prowess returned.

Impressive comeback

In the seasons since Slutskaya's return to form, she and Kwan have competed for the top spot in ladies' figure skating. The two athletes, who are friendly off the ice, display contrasting styles in their programs. The bubbly Slutskaya is a superior jumper and spinner; Kwan has the edge when spiral sequences and overall artistic impression are compared. Slutskaya is amazingly flexible and invented the double Biellmann spin with a foot change. She extends one leg behind her head in a reverse-split position, then switches feet and performs the same move with the other leg, all while spinning.

Slow beginnings

The first time Slutskaya was on the ice, she was reluctant to skate. But by age 10, she was training full time, a decision supported by her parents. Her mother had been a competitive cross-country skier in the Soviet system, but she quit prior to any World Championships or Olympic competition. Slutskaya says her mother regretted not following through with her athletic interests and did everything to allow her daughter to continue skating. Slutskaya still trains with her original coach, Zhanna Gromova.

Official Olympic Site 2002.

Pictures / Képek