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).
Julia Nikolayevna Obertas, married name: Horak is a former pair skater who represented Ukraine until 2000 and then Russia until the end of her career. She is best known for her partnership with Sergei Slavnov, with whom she competed from 2003 to 2007. They are the 2005 European silver medalists. Earlier, she competed with Alexei Sokolov for Russia and Dmytro Palamarchuk for Ukraine. With Palamarchuk, she became a two-time (1998–1999) World Junior champion.
Figure skating is a sport with participants across the world. Originally based in North America and Europe, the sport has experienced a major expansion in the countries of East Asia. The international governing body of the sport is the International Skating Union (ISU). Only those nations which are members of the International Skating Union are allowed to compete in the figure skating events in the Olympic Games.
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.
KristjanRand is an Estonian former ice dancer. With Grethe Grünberg, he is the 2007 World Junior silver medalist and the 2005–2007 Estonian national champion. With Caitlin Mallory, he competed in the final segment at four ISU Championships.
Irina Shtork is an Estonian former ice dancer. With partner Taavi Rand, she is the 2013 International Cup of Nice bronze medalist, the 2013 Ukrainian Open silver medalist, and a four-time Estonian national champion.
Taavi Rand is an Estonian former ice dancer. With partner Irina Shtork, he is the 2013 International Cup of Nice bronze medalist, the 2013 Ukrainian Open silver medalist, and a four-time Estonian national champion.
Dmitri Kurakin is an Estonian former ice dancer who also competed internationally for Germany. He originally competed with Anna Mosenkova for Estonia. They were multiple medalists at the Estonian Figure Skating Championships and competed at the World Figure Skating Championships, the European Figure Skating Championships, and the World Junior Figure Skating Championships. He teamed up with Jill Vernekohl in 2001 and they are the 2001 and 2002 German silver medalists.
Anna Mosenkova is an Estonian ice dancer. With partner Sergei Sychyov, she is the 2000-2002 Estonian national champion and competed at the World Figure Skating Championships and European Figure Skating Championships, with a highest placement of 21st at the 2000 European Figure Skating Championships. They also competed on the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating. They were coached by Lea Rand, the mother of Estonian ice dancers Kristian and Taavi Rand.
Marina Timofeieva is an Estonian ice dancer. With partner Evgeni Striganov, she is the 2003 & 2004 Estonian national champion. They were five time competitors at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships, with the highest placement of 17th in 2003. They placed 22nd at the 2003 European Figure Skating Championships and 26th at the 2003 World Figure Skating Championships. They were coached by Lea Rand, the mother of fellow Estonian ice dancers Kristjan and Taavi Rand.
Evgeni Striganov is an Estonian ice dancer. With partner Marina Timofejeva, he is the 2003 & 2004 Estonian national champion. They were five time competitors at the World Junior Figure Skating Championships, with the highest placement of 17th in 2003. They placed 22nd at the 2003 European Figure Skating Championships and 26th at the 2003 World Figure Skating Championships. They were coached by Lea Rand, the mother of fellow Estonian ice dancers Kristjan and Taavi Rand.
Caitlin Mallory is an American former ice dancer. She is the 2005 Golden Spin of Zagreb silver medalist with Brent Holdburg. In 2008, she began appearing internationally for Estonia with Kristjan Rand. They competed in the final segment at four ISU Championships.
Oleksandra (Alexandra) Yevhenivna Nazarova is a Ukrainian retired ice dancer. With her skating partner, Maksym Nikitin, she is the 2015 World Junior bronze medalist and 2012 Youth Olympic silver medalist. On the senior level, they are the 2017 Winter Universiade champions, 2014 CS Warsaw Cup silver medalists, 2016 Cup of Nice bronze medalists, six-time Ukrainian national champions. Nazorova/Nikitin have represented Ukraine at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics.
Maksym (Maxim) Kostiantynovych Nikitin is a Ukrainian retired ice dancer. With his skating partner, Oleksandra Nazarova, he is the 2015 World Junior bronze medalist and 2012 Youth Olympic silver medalist. On the senior level, they are the 2017 Winter Universiade champions, 2014 CS Warsaw Cup silver medalists, 2016 Cup of Nice bronze medalists, and six-time Ukrainian national champions. Nazorova/Nikitin have represented Ukraine at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics.
Maksym Spodyriev is a retired Polish ice dancer. With his skating partner, Natalia Kaliszek, he has won medals on the ISU Challenger Series, including gold at the 2017 CS Tallinn Trophy, and eight Polish national titles. They have represented Poland at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics, as well as the European and World championships. At the junior level, they placed in the top ten at the 2015 Junior Worlds.
The 2022 European Figure Skating Championships were held from 10 to 16 January 2022 in Tallinn, Estonia. Medals were awarded in the disciplines of men's singles, women's singles, pairs, and ice dance. The competition determined the entry quotas for each federation at the 2023 European Championships. Russia swept the titles for a second consecutive European Championships and for the eighth time in history.
The 2022 World Junior Figure Skating Championships was held from April 13–17, 2022 in Tallinn, Estonia. Figure skaters competed for the title of junior world champion in men's singles, women's singles, pairs, and ice dance. The competition determined the entry quotas for each federation during the 2022–23 ISU Junior Grand Prix series and at the 2023 World Junior Championships.
Mariia Holubtsova is a Ukrainian ice dancer. With her skating partner, Kyryl Bielobrov, she is the 2021 Pavel Roman Memorial bronze medalist and a two-time Ukrainian national silver medalist. The duo competed in the final segment at the 2016 and 2020 World Junior Championships.
Kyryl Bielobrov is a Ukrainian ice dancer. With his skating partner, Mariia Holubtsova, he is the 2021 Pavel Roman Memorial bronze medalist and a two-time Ukrainian national silver medalist. The duo competed in the final segment at the 2016 and 2020 World Junior Championships.
Estonia 
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