The World Figure Skating Championships ("Worlds") is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union. Medals are awarded in the categories of men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. Generally held in March, the World Championships are considered the most prestigious of the ISU Figure Skating Championships. With the exception of the Olympic title, a world title is considered to be the highest competitive achievement in figure skating.
Nancy Ann Kerrigan is an American figure skater and actress. She won bronze medals at the 1991 World Championships and the 1992 Winter Olympics, silver medals at the 1992 World Championships and the 1994 Winter Olympics, as well as the 1993 US National Figure Skating Championship. Kerrigan was inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2004.
Viktor Vasyliovych Petrenko is a Ukrainian former competitive figure skater who represented the Soviet Union, the Unified Team, and Ukraine during his career. He is the 1992 Olympic Champion for the Unified Team. Petrenko became the first flagbearer for Ukraine.
Robin Cousins, MBE is a British former competitive figure skater who was BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1980. He was the 1980 Olympic champion, the 1980 European champion, a three-time World medalist (1978–1980) and four-time British national champion (1977–1980), winning all of these titles during his amateur career. He followed this with a successful career as a professional figure skater and later starred in ice shows as well as producing several of his own. He is able to spin in either direction, both clockwise and anti-clockwise, which is an unusual skill for a figure skater.
Laëtitia Hubert is a French former competitive figure skater. She is the 1997 Trophée Lalique champion, the 1992 World Junior champion, and a two-time French national senior champion (1998–1999). She competed in four Winter Olympic Games and placed as high as fourth at the World Championships.
The U.S. Figure Skating Championships is a figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of the United States. The competition is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. In the U.S. skating community, the event is often referred to informally as "Nationals". Medals are currently awarded in four disciplines: men's (boys') singles, ladies' (girls') singles, pair skating, and ice dancing in four colors: gold (first), silver (second), bronze (third), and pewter (fourth) on two levels, senior and junior. Medals were previously given at the novice, intermediate, and juvenile levels. The event is also used to determine the U.S. teams for the World Championships, World Junior Championships, Four Continents Championships, and Winter Olympics, however, U.S. Figure Skating reserves the right to consider other results.
The European Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition in which figure skaters compete for the title of European champion. Medals are awarded in the disciplines of men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. The event is sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU) and is the sport's oldest competition. The first European Championships was held in 1891 in Hamburg, Germany and featured one segment, compulsory figures, with seven competitors, all men from Germany and Austria. It has been, other than five periods, held continuously since 1891, and has been sanctioned by the ISU since 1893. Women were allowed to compete for the first time in 1930, which is also the first time pairs skating was added to the competition. Ice dance was added in 1954. Only eligible skaters from ISU member countries in Europe can compete, and skaters must have reached at least the age of 15 before July 1 preceding the competition. ISU member countries can submit 1-3 skaters to compete in the European Championships.
Lloyd Edgar Eisler, MSM, is a former Canadian pairs skater. With partner Isabelle Brasseur, he is the 1992 and 1994 Olympic bronze medallist and the 1993 World Champion.
Elene Gedevanishvili is a Georgian former competitive figure skater. She is a two-time European bronze medalist. In winning the medal in 2010, Gedevanishvili became the first skater from Georgia to medal at an ISU Championships. She has competed at three Winter Olympics: Turin 2006, Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014.
Marina Vladimirovna Klimova is a former competitive ice dancer who competed for the Soviet Union and the Unified Team. With skating partner and husband Sergei Ponomarenko, she is the 1992 Olympic champion, the 1988 Olympic silver medalist, the 1984 Olympic bronze medalist, a three-time World champion, and a four-time European champion.
Sergei Vladilenovich Ponomarenko is a Russian former competitive ice dancer who competed for the Soviet Union and the Unified team. With skating partner and wife Marina Klimova, he is the 1992 Olympic champion, 1988 Olympic silver medalist, 1984 Olympic bronze medalist, three-time World champion, and four-time European champion.
Evgeni Arkadievich Platov is a Russian former competitive ice dancer. He is best known for his partnership with Oksana Grishuk from 1989 to 1998. With Grishuk, he is a two-time Olympic champion, four-time World champion (1994–1997), and three-time European champion (1996–1998).
Artur Valeryevich Dmitriev is a Russian former pair skater who competed internationally for the Soviet Union, the Unified Team, and Russia. He is a two-time Olympic champion, having won gold with Natalia Mishkutionok in 1992 and with Oksana Kazakova in 1998. He and Mishkutionok also won Olympic silver in 1994. Dmitriev is the only male pair skater to win the Olympics with two different partners.
Country changing is a phenomenon in the figure skating world in which skaters change the country they represent in competition. There are many different reasons why competitors switch countries, but it mostly comes down to maximizing the possibility of being able to compete at the World Figure Skating Championships and the Winter Olympic Games. A skater who cannot do that representing their home country often looks for another one. Because spots to Worlds and the Olympics are allotted by country, not by skater, a skater can hope to transfer to a new country and have a better chance of becoming national champion, being sent to Worlds, and qualifying for a spot in the Olympics.
Cathy Reed is a retired American-born Japanese ice dancer. With her brother Chris Reed, she is a seven-time Japanese national champion.
The Russian Figure Skating Championships are a figure skating national championship held annually to determine the national champions of Russia. Medals are awarded in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, and ice dancing on the senior level. The senior competition is typically held in late December. The junior national competition is held separately, generally in February.
Georgia is a feminine given name originating from the Greek word Γεωργία, meaning agriculture. It shares this origin with the masculine version of the name, George.
Ksenia Olegovna Makarova is a retired Russian, later an American, figure skater. She is the 2010 Skate Canada International silver medalist, 2009 Cup of Nice champion, and 2010 Russian national champion. She represented Russia at the 2010 Winter Olympics, where she placed 10th.
Allison Lynn Reed is an American-born ice dancer who currently competes for Lithuania with Saulius Ambrulevičius. She previously skated with Otar Japaridze for Georgia and with Vasili Rogov for Israel. With Japaridze, she competed at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Artur Arturovich Dmitriev is a Russian figure skater, who currently competes for the United States. He is the 2015 CS Ice Challenge champion, 2014 Cup of Nice silver medalist, and competed at three World Junior Championships, twice finishing in the top ten. He was the first skater ever to attempt a quadruple axel in international competition.
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