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Figure Skating At The 2006 Winter Olympics
Four figure skating events at the 2006 Winter Olympics were held at the Palavela in Turin. Lithuanian ice dancers Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas (who were married in 2000) became the first figure skaters to compete at five Olympics. Medal summary Medalists Medal table Entries Champions Gala The traditional Figure Skating Champions Gala took place on February 24 at Palavela, featuring exhibition performances by the top five placers in the four figure skating events and all the Italian skaters. Pairs skaters Zhang and Zhang (second in pairs) did not participate in the gala. The following is a partial list of skaters who appeared in the Champions Gala (in order of skate): Faiella and Scali (Italian dance team), Karel Zelenka (Italian men skater), Silvia Fontana (Italian ladies skater), Denkova and Staviski (fifth in dance), Joannie Rochette (fifth in ladies), Inoue and John Baldwin (seventh in pairs), Johnny Weir (fifth in men), Delobel and Schoenfeld ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Palavela
Palavela, formerly known as Palazzo delle Mostre and Palazzo a Vela is an indoor arena that is located in Turin, Italy, on the bank of the River Po. It was designed by engineer Franco Levi and architects Annibale and Giorgio Rigotti. The arena is 130 metres in diameter. It has a seating capacity for a maximum 12,200 people, and 9,200 when configured for basketball games. The Palavela was featured in the 1969 film ''The Italian Job''. In a famous scene in the film, three Minis are seen driving onto and over the arena's distinctive roof. History Palavela was originally built for the Italia '61 Expo, and was renovated for the figure skating and short track speed skating events at the 2006 Winter Olympics. As part of the renovation, a new seating system was installed at the arena. The cost of the renovation was 55,000,000 euros. It also hosted some events of the XXIII Winter Universiade in 2007. In 2008, the Palavela hosted the 24th European Rhythmic Gymnastics. It hosted th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zhang Dan
Zhang Dan (; born 4 October 1985) is a Chinese former pair skater. With Zhang Hao, she is the 2006 Olympic silver medalist, a four-time (2005 bronze, 2006, 2008, 2009 silver) World medalist, and a two-time (2005, 2010) Four Continents champion. Zhang Dan retired from competition on May 6, 2012. Career Early career Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao (no relation) teamed up in 1997. In 1998–99 Junior Grand Prix (JGP), the pair competed in one event and won the gold medal. They continued the season with a bronze medal at the 1999 Chinese National Championships. The following season, they competed in two 1999–2000 JGP events, medaling in both. They qualified for the final, where they finished fifth. That year, they were second at nationals and finished fourth at Junior Worlds. The following three seasons, they were very successful at the junior level. They won all their Junior Grand Prix events, including the 2000–01 JGP Final and the 2001–02 JGP Final. They also comp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Viktor Pfeifer
Viktor Pfeifer (born May 16, 1987) is an Austrian former competitive figure skater. An eight-time Austrian national champion, he has placed as high as eighth at the European Championships (2013) and has competed three times at the Winter Olympics, placing 22nd in 2006, 21st in 2010 and 26th in 2014. Career In the 2002–03 season, Pfeifer won Austria's senior national men's title for the first time. The following season, he began competing on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series. In 2004–05, Pfeifer competed in his second JGP season and finished 12th at the 2005 World Junior Championships. He also made his senior international debut at the 2005 European Championships, where he was 18th. He then placed 23rd at his first senior World Championships. In 2005–06, Pfeifer again began his season on the junior level, placing fifth in both of his JGP events. He then competed on the senior level at the 2005 Karl Schäfer Memorial, the final opportunity for countries to qualify an Ol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joanne Carter
Joanne "Jo" Carter (born 17 April 1980) is an Australian former competitive figure skater. She is the 1998 Piruetten champion, the 1996 Golden Spin of Zagreb silver medalist, the 2004 Karl Schäfer Memorial bronze medalist, and a seven-time Australian national champion. She reached the free skate at the 1998 Winter Olympics and fifteen ISU Championships – four World, eight Four Continents, and three World Junior Championships. Personal life Carter was born on 17 April 1980 in Sydney, Australia. After completing a physiotherapy degree at Sydney University, she studied medicine. Skating career On the ice from the age of four years, Carter trained in Canterbury, Norwest and Macquarie. In the 1994–1995 season, she won her first senior national title and was selected to compete at the 1995 World Junior Championships. She qualified for the free skate and finished 19th overall at the event, which was held in November 1994 in Budapest, Hungary. She would soon win her first ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vazgen Azrojan
Vazgen Azrojan (born 22 January 1977) is a retired Armenian ice dancer. He is best known for his partnership with Anastasia Grebenkina with whom he represented Armenia at the 2006 Winter Olympics and won the bronze medal at the 2005 NHK Trophy. Personal life He was born on 22 January 1977 in Odessa, Ukrainian SSR. He is the father of Armenian ice dancer Viktoriia Azroian (born 15 July 2003 in Moscow). Career Azrojan placed ninth with Ekaterina Davydova at the 1994 World Junior Championships, representing Russia. The next season, he competed with Elena Kustarova for Russia and placed 17th at the 1995 European Championships. Azrojan teamed up with Anastasia Grebenkina in 1996 and skated with her until 1998, representing Russia. After their partnership ended, he skated with Tiffany Hyden, representing Armenia. Grebenkina and Azrojan reformed their partnership in 2002 to compete for Armenia. They became the first skaters to medal for Armenia at a Grand Prix event, obtaini ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anastasia Grebenkina
Anastasia Yuryevna Grebenkina (russian: Анастасия Юрьевна Гребёнкина, born 18 January 1979) is a former competitive ice dancer. She is best known for her partnership with Vazgen Azrojan with whom she represented Armenia at the 2006 Winter Olympics and won the bronze medal at the 2005 NHK Trophy. Career Grebenkina teamed up with Vazgen Azrojan in 1996 and skated with him until 1998, representing Russia. After their partnership ended, she skated with Vitali Novikov, also representing Russia. Grebenkina and Azrojan reformed their partnership in 2002, this time representing Armenia. They became the first skaters to medal for Armenia at a Grand Prix event, obtaining bronze at the NHK Trophy in 2005. They competed at the 2006 Winter Olympics, finishing 20th. In September 2006, Grebenkina / Azrojan changed coaches, moving from Alexei Gorshkov to Alexander Zhulin. At the 2006 Cup of China, Grebenkina cut her leg with her own blade during practice, requiri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ruslan Goncharov
Ruslan Nikolaevich Goncharov (russian: Руслан Николаевич Гончаров or uk, Руслан Миколайович Гончаров Ruslan Mykolayovych Honcharov; born 20 January 1973) is a Ukrainian ice dancer. With partner Elena Grushina, he is the 2006 Olympic bronze medalist, 2005 World bronze medalist, and two-time (2005, 2006) European silver medalist. Career Goncharov began skating at the age of six. He was originally a single skater but grew too tall and switched to ice dancing when he was 13. He first competed with Elenora Gritsai but the partnership ended due to health problems. Goncharov is currently a coach teaching ice dance at the Ashburn Ice House in Ashburn, Virginia and at the Gardens Ice House in Laurel, Maryland. Having trained in the same group in Odessa, Goncharov and Elena Grushina were paired together in 1989. They finished fourth at the 1992 Junior Worlds. They were 18th in their senior Worlds debut at the 1994 World Champ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Elena Grushina
Elena Eduardovna Grushina (russian: Елена Эдуардовна Грушина or uk, Олена Едуардівна Грушина Olena Eduardivna Hrushyna; born 8 January 1975) is a Ukrainian ice dancer. With partner and then-husband Ruslan Goncharov, she is the 2006 Olympic bronze medalist, 2005 World bronze medalist, and two-time (2005, 2006) European silver medalist. Career Grushina began skating at four and switched from single skating to ice dancing when she was 12. Grushina first competed with Mikhail Tashlitsky but the partnership ended when he decided to focus on school. Having trained in the same group in Odessa, Grushina and Ruslan Goncharov were paired together in 1989. They finished fourth at the 1992 Junior Worlds. They were 18th in their senior Worlds debut at the 1994 World Championships. In early 1997, Grushina and Goncharov began training with coaches Natalia Linichuk and Gennadi Karponosov in Newark, Delaware. They finished 15th at their first ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Benjamin Agosto
Benjamin Alexandro "Ben" Agosto (born January 15, 1982) is an American ice dancer. With partner Tanith Belbin, Agosto is the 2006 Olympic silver medalist, a four-time World medalist, the 2004–2006 Four Continents champion, and 2004–2008 U.S. champion. Personal life Benjamin Agosto was born January 15, 1982, in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Northbrook, Illinois. He is the son of a Puerto Rican father and a Jewish mother whose family has roots in Romania and Russia. Agosto attended grade school at the Chicago Waldorf School, then spent two years at Glenbrook North High School, and graduated with honors from Michigan's Groves High School in June 2000. He played in a high school jazz band. Agosto lived in Detroit, Michigan, from June 1998 and then Canton, Michigan, before moving to Aston, Pennsylvania, in the summer of 2008. He relocated to Lacey, Washington, in September 2010 and then to Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2014. Career Early years Agosto started skating at ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tanith Belbin
Tanith Jessica Louise Belbin (born July 11, 1984) is a Canadian-American ice dancer and Olympic program host for NBC Sports. Though born in Canada, she holds dual citizenship and has competed for the United States since she began skating with Benjamin Agosto in 1998. With Agosto, Belbin is the 2006 Olympic silver medalist, four-time World medalist, three-time Four Continents champion (2004–2006), and five-time U.S. champion (2004–2008). Personal life Tanith Belbin was born in Kingston, Ontario, and raised in Kirkland, Quebec. In 1998, she moved to the Detroit area in the United States and received an immigrant worker visa in 2000. Due to immigration rules at the time, she did not receive a green card until July 2002 and would not have been granted U.S. citizenship until 2007. An amendment was passed which allowed Belbin to be sworn in as an American citizen on December 31, 2005. The amendment was authored by Senator Carl Levin who stated, "This amendment corrects an anomal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roman Kostomarov
Roman Sergeyevich Kostomarov (russian: Роман Серге́евич Костомаров, born 8 February 1977) is a Russian ice dancer. With partner Tatiana Navka, he is the 2006 Olympic champion, two-time World champion (2004–05), three-time Grand Prix Final champion (2003–05), and three-time European champion (2004–06). Career Kostomarov began skating at the age of nine and a coach put him in ice dancing at eleven. He won the 1996 World Juniors Championships with Ekaterina Davydova. Kostomarov began competing with Tatiana Navka during the 1998–99 season. They were coached by Natalia Linichuk. They won the bronze medal at the Russian Championships and were sent to the World Championships in their first season together, placing 12th. Linichuk then dissolved the team and paired Kostomarov with Anna Semenovich. He competed with Semenovich during the 1999–2000 season. In mid-2000, Kostomarov called Navka and asked to skate with her again. They were coached by Al ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tatiana Navka
Tatyana Aleksandrovna Navka (russian: Татьяна Александровна Навка; born 13 April 1975) is a Russian former competitive ice dancer and wife of Dmitry Peskov. With her dance partner Roman Kostomarov, she is the 2006 Olympic champion, a two-time World champion (2004–05), a three-time Grand Prix Final champion (2003–05), and a three-time European champion (2004–06). Earlier in her career, she competed for the Soviet Union and Belarus. Early life Tatiana Navka was born on 13 April 1975 in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union. She is the daughter of Raisa, an economist, and Aleksandr, an engineer, and has a younger sister, Natalia. In 1988, she moved to Moscow Oblast, Russian SFSR. Career Early years in skating Tatiana Navka became interested in skating at the age of five after seeing it on television. Tamara Yarchevskaya and Alexander Rozhin coached her during her early years as a single skater. In 1987, following a 14 cm growth spurt t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
