Albena Denkova

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Albena Denkova
DenkowaStawiski.jpg
Albena Denkova & Maxim Staviski at the 2004 Worlds.
Personal information
Country represented  Bulgaria
Born (1974-12-03) 3 December 1974 (age 38)
Height 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Partner Maxim Staviski
Former partner Hristo Nikolov
Coach Natalia Linichuk
Gennadi Karpanosov
Former coach Alexei Gorshkov
Former choreographer Sergei Petukhov
Natalia Linichuk
Skating club SC Ice Dance Denkova/Staviski
Retired 2007
ISU personal best scores
Combined total 210.44
2003 Trophée Lalique
Comp. dance 41.05
2004 Skate Canada
Original dance 62.79
2005 Worlds
Free dance 108.03
2003 Trophée Lalique

Albena Denkova (Bulgarian: Албена Денкова) (born 3 December 1974 in Sofia) is a Bulgarian ice dancer. With partner and fiance Maxim Staviski, she is the 2006 & 2007 World Champion, the 2003 & 2004 European silver medalist, and the 2006 Grand Prix Final champion. Denkova & Staviski are the first Bulgarian figure skaters to medal at the World Figure Skating Championships.

Contents

Career [edit]

Albena Denkova with Maxim Staviski at the 2007 European Championships in Warsaw.

Denkova began her athletic career as a gymnast at the age of four, and switched to figure skating at about 8 or 9.[1][2] She took up ice dancing when she was 12.[1] Her first ice dance partner was Hristo Nikolov but they split up due to different ambitions.[1] In 1996,[3] Denkova had a successful tryout with Maxim Staviski in Moscow and he moved to Sofia to compete with her for Bulgaria.[1] They soon became a couple off-ice, as well. In September 2000, Denkova / Staviski began dividing their time between Sofia and Odintsovo, near Moscow, Russia where they worked with coach Alexei Gorshkov and choreographer Sergei Petukhov.[3][1][4]

Denkova and Staviski at the 2004 Worlds medal ceremony in Dortmund.

Denkova / Staviski withdrew from the 2000 European Championships after Staviski fell ill with pneumonia.[1] During the last practice session before the free dance at the 2000 World Championships, Peter Tchernyshev's blade slashed Denkova's leg above her boot, severing two tendons and a muscle and leaving her unable to walk for three months.[3][1] She eventually returned to training but suffered swelling in her leg. After she asked the U.S. Figure Skating Association if Tchernyshev had insurance to help cover her medical expenses, the organizers withdrew Denkova / Staviski's invitation to 2000 Skate America.[1] Both Denkova and Staviski fell ill with the flu before the 2001 European Championships and she suffered more swelling but they competed at the event and finished 8th, their best result to that date.[1]

Denkova / Staviski took the silver medal at the 2003 European Championships, becoming the first skaters to medal for Bulgaria at an ISU Championships.[5] They then became the first Bulgarians to medal at Worlds, winning bronze at the 2003 World Championships.[6] The following season, they repeated as silver medalists at Europeans and went on to become World silver medalists.

In 2004–05, Denkova / Staviski withdrew from Europeans and finished 5th at Worlds. At the end of the season, they parted ways with Gorshkov and moved to Newark, Delaware, U.S., to train with Natalia Linichuk and Gennadi Karponosov.[7][8] They finished 5th at their third Olympics. At the 2006 World Championships, they became the first Bulgarians to win World gold in figure skating. In 2006–07, Denkova / Staviski won gold at the Grand Prix Final, bronze at Europeans, and gold once again at Worlds.

On 5 August 2007, Maxim Staviski caused a car accident while driving drunk in Bulgaria that left 24-year-old Petar Petrov dead and Petrov's fiancee, 18-year-old Manuela Gorsova, in a coma.[9] In October 2007, he announced his retirement from competitive skating and Denkova was thus forced to retire, as well.[10]

In October 2006, it was announced that Denkova had been elected President of the Bulgarian Skating Federation.[8][11] In 2004, Denkova noted that Bulgaria did not have many skating facilities and coaches and said she and Staviski were considering opening a school.[4] Together, they now have a skating school in Sofia called SC Ice Dance Denkova/Staviski.[12] They continued to skate in shows around the world and have also done choreography, working with Brian Joubert in 2009.[11]

Personal life [edit]

Denkova and Staviski are engaged to marry.[13] Their son Daniel was born on January 30, 2011.[14] Denkova has a younger sister, Ina Demireva, who also competed in ice dancing.[15] Her brother-in-law is single skater Andrei Lutai.[16] Denkova holds a degree in economics from Sofia University.

Awards [edit]

On April 10, 2007, Denkova and Staviski were awarded the Stara Planina Order, the highest Bulgarian award.[17] On April 19, 2007, they received a star on Bulgaria's Walk of Fame.[18]

Programs [edit]

Season Original dance Free dance Exhibition
2006–2007
[12]
2005–2006
[7]
2004–2005
[19]
2003–2004
[6]
2002–2003
[5]
  • Afrah Baladi
    by Mostafa Sax
2001–2002
[20]
2000–2001
[3]
1999–2000
  • Speak up Mambo
  • Soledad
  • Give it up
  • Xotica – Journey to the Heart
    (from Cirque du Soleil)
1998–1999
1997–1998
1996–1997
  • El Choclo
    by Angel Villoldo

Competitive highlights [edit]

With Staviski [edit]

Results[3][20][5][6][19][7][12]
International
Event 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07
Olympics 18th 7th 5th
Worlds 19th 17th 11th WD 10th 5th 3rd 2nd 5th 1st 1st
Europeans 17th 16th 9th WD 8th 6th 2nd 2nd WD 3rd
Grand Prix Final 3rd 2nd 3rd 1st
GP Cup of Russia 5th 3rd
GP Lalique/Bompard 4th 1st 2nd 1st
GP NHK Trophy 6th 3rd 1st 1st 2nd
GP Skate America 1st
GP Skate Canada 5th 4th 2nd 1st
GP Spark./Bofrost 6th 3rd 1st
Bofrost 1st
Finlandia Trophy 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
Golden Spin 2nd
Karl Schäfer 1st
Nebelhorn Trophy 3rd
Skate Israel 2nd
Polish FSA Trophy 3rd
National
Bulgarian Champ. 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
GP = Grand Prix; WD = Withdrew

With Nikolov [edit]

Results[3]
International
Event 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95
Worlds 21st 26th 27th 24th
Europeans 18th 22nd 25th 22nd
National
Bulgarian Champ. 1st 1st

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Mittan, Barry (3 December 2001). "Bulgarian Dancers Triumph Over Injuries to Reach Top Ten". GoldenSkate.com. Retrieved 22 December 2010. 
  2. ^ Oreiller, Céline; Zibung, Jacqueline (2005). "Interview with Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski: Part I". Absolute Skating.  "Interview with Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski: Part II". 
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Albena DENKOVA / Maxim STAVIYSKI: 2000/2001". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 April 2001. 
  4. ^ a b Slater, Paula (18 March 2004). "Interview: Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski". GoldenSkate.com. Retrieved 22 December 2010. 
  5. ^ a b c "Albena DENKOVA / Maxim STAVIYSKI: 2002/2003". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 August 2003. 
  6. ^ a b c "Albena DENKOVA / Maxim STAVISKI: 2003/2004". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 April 2004. 
  7. ^ a b c "Albena DENKOVA / Maxim STAVISKI: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 25 April 2006. 
  8. ^ a b Motchane, Asli (2006). "Albena Denkova: "Now we enjoy every single practice!"". Absolute Skating. Retrieved 7 February 2011. 
  9. ^ "World skating champion from Bulgaria involved in car accident near Ropotamo River". The Sofia Echo. 6 August 2007. Archived from the original on 22 November 2012. 
  10. ^ "Bulgaria's Maxim Staviiski ends his career". The Sofia Echo. 18 October 2007. Archived from the original on 25 March 2010. 
  11. ^ a b Gazave, Romain (2009). "Albena Denkova & Maxim Staviski: Behind the Boards". Absolute Skating. Retrieved 22 December 2010. 
  12. ^ a b c "Albena DENKOVA / Maxim STAVISKI: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 6 August 2007. 
  13. ^ "World Skating Champions to Finally Tie the Knot". Novinite. 23 March 2007. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. 
  14. ^ Petrova, Ruslana (30 January 2011). "Даниел изплака за Албена и Максим" [Daniel born to Albena and Maxim] (in Bulgarian). Standart News. Archived from the original on 22 November 2012. 
  15. ^ Ina Demireva at the International Skating Union
  16. ^ "Сборная тропа хоро на сватба в София". Standart News (in Bulgarian). 18 April 2010. Archived from the original on 22 November 2012. 
  17. ^ "Purvanov: Bulgaria's Denkova and Staviski have the potential to get Olympic gold". The Sofia Echo. 10 April 2007. Archived from the original on 22 November 2012. 
  18. ^ "Albena and Maxim Star Shining on Bulgaria's Walk of Fame". Novinite. 19 April 2007. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. 
  19. ^ a b "Albena DENKOVA / Maxim STAVISKI: 2004/2005". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 5 April 2005. 
  20. ^ a b "Albena DENKOVA / Maxim STAVIYSKI: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2 June 2002. 

External links [edit]

Navigation [edit]
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