Alexei Ulanov
Encyclopedia
Alexei Nikolaevich Ulanov (born November 4, 1947 in Moscow
) is a retired pair skater
who represented the Soviet Union
. With Irina Rodnina
, he is the 1972 Olympic champion
and a four-time (1969-1972) World champion
. They were coached by Stanislav Zhuk
and trained at the Armed Forces sports society
in Moscow
. He later competed with wife Lyudmila Smirnova
. They are two-time World silver medalists.
Ulanov began figure skating in 1954 and became a member of the USSR National Team in 1964. Rodnina and Ulanov competed together from 1968 to 1972, winning several World
and European
championships. The culmination of their career was their 1972 Olympics win. By this point Ulanov had fallen in love with fellow skater Lyudmila Smirnova
. Rodnina and Ulanov separated, and Ulanov began skating with Smirnova.
Smirnova and Ulanov competed for two seasons. They won silver medals at the 1973 World
and European Championships
. The next season, they won European bronze
and World silver
medals. They married and later divorced after having two children, Nikolai Ulanov and Irina Ulanova. Their daughter, Irina Ulanova, is a former pair skater who skated with Alexander Smirnov
, and Maxim Trankov
for about three years.
Ulanov was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour
in 1972.
Ulanov moved to the United States in 1995 and is currently living and coaching in south Florida.
Pairs with Liudmila Smirnova
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
) is a retired pair skater
Pair skating
Pair skating is a figure skating discipline. International Skating Union regulations describe pair teams as consisting of "one lady and one man." The sport is distinguished from ice dancing and single skating by elements unique to pair skating, including overhead lifts, twist lifts, death spirals,...
who represented the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. With Irina Rodnina
Irina Rodnina
Irina Konstantinovna Rodnina is one of the most successful figure skaters ever and the only pair skater to win 10 successive World Championships and three successive Olympic gold medals . She initially competed with Alexei Ulanov and later teamed up with Alexander Zaitsev...
, he is the 1972 Olympic champion
Figure skating at the 1972 Winter Olympics
Figure skating was contested at the 1972 Winter Olympic Games . The competition took place at the Makomanai Indoor Skating Rink.Results of both the men's and ladies' singles events were dominated by placements in the compulsory figures, which at this time were nominally worth 50% of the total...
and a four-time (1969-1972) World champion
World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
. They were coached by Stanislav Zhuk
Stanislav Zhuk
Stanislav Alekseevich Zhuk was a pair skater who represented the Soviet Union. With partner and wife Nina, he won three silver medals at the European Figure Skating Championships and finished sixth at the 1960 Winter Olympics.He later went on to a long career as a coach...
and trained at the Armed Forces sports society
Armed Forces (sports society)
Central Sports Klub of the Army or is the Russian sports society and the successor of the Soviet CSKA.-Overview:The society was one of the largest sports societies in the USSR. In the Soviet era all CSKA and SKA teams that resided in the Soviet Union belonged to the Armed Forces sports society...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. He later competed with wife Lyudmila Smirnova
Lyudmila Smirnova
Lyudmila Stanislavovna Smirnova was a Russian figure skater. She won the silver medal in pair skating at the 1972 Winter Olympics with Andrei Suraikin. They were coached by Maya Belenkaya....
. They are two-time World silver medalists.
Ulanov began figure skating in 1954 and became a member of the USSR National Team in 1964. Rodnina and Ulanov competed together from 1968 to 1972, winning several World
World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
and European
European Figure Skating Championships
The European Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition in which figure skaters compete for the title of European Champion...
championships. The culmination of their career was their 1972 Olympics win. By this point Ulanov had fallen in love with fellow skater Lyudmila Smirnova
Lyudmila Smirnova
Lyudmila Stanislavovna Smirnova was a Russian figure skater. She won the silver medal in pair skating at the 1972 Winter Olympics with Andrei Suraikin. They were coached by Maya Belenkaya....
. Rodnina and Ulanov separated, and Ulanov began skating with Smirnova.
Smirnova and Ulanov competed for two seasons. They won silver medals at the 1973 World
1973 World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion....
and European Championships
1973 European Figure Skating Championships
The 1973 European Figure Skating Championships were the European Figure Skating Championships of the 1972-1973 season. Elite senior-level figure skaters from European ISU Member Nations competed for the title of European Champion...
. The next season, they won European bronze
1974 European Figure Skating Championships
The 1974 European Figure Skating Championships were the European Figure Skating Championships of the 1973-1974 season. Elite senior-level figure skaters from European ISU Member Nations competed for the title of European Champion...
and World silver
1974 World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion....
medals. They married and later divorced after having two children, Nikolai Ulanov and Irina Ulanova. Their daughter, Irina Ulanova, is a former pair skater who skated with Alexander Smirnov
Alexander Smirnov (figure skater)
Alexander Viktorovich Smirnov is a Russian pair skater. Smirnov teamed up with Yuko Kavaguti in the spring of 2006. They are the 2010 European champions, 2009 and 2010 World bronze medalists, and 2008-2010 Russian Champions. They have won a total of four European medals...
, and Maxim Trankov
Maxim Trankov
Maxim Leonidovich Trankov is a Russian pair skater. With current partner Tatiana Volosozhar, he won the silver medal at the 2011 World Championships, their first major international competition together...
for about three years.
Ulanov was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour
Order of the Red Banner of Labour
The Order of the Red Banner of Labour was an order of the Soviet Union for accomplishments in labour and civil service. It is the labour counterpart of the military Order of the Red Banner. A few institutions and factories, being the pride of Soviet Union, also received the order.-History:The Red...
in 1972.
Ulanov moved to the United States in 1995 and is currently living and coaching in south Florida.
Results
Pairs with Irina RodninaIrina Rodnina
Irina Konstantinovna Rodnina is one of the most successful figure skaters ever and the only pair skater to win 10 successive World Championships and three successive Olympic gold medals . She initially competed with Alexei Ulanov and later teamed up with Alexander Zaitsev...
| Event | 1967-68 | 1968-69 | 1969-70 | 1970-71 | 1971-72 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympics Winter Olympic Games The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating... |
1st | ||||
| World Championships World Figure Skating Championships The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion... |
1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | |
| European Championships European Figure Skating Championships The European Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition in which figure skaters compete for the title of European Champion... |
5th | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| Soviet Championships Soviet Figure Skating Championships The Soviet Figure Skating Championships were a figure skating national championship held annually to determine the national champions of the Soviet Union... |
3rd | 3rd | 1st | 1st | |
| Prize of Moscow News Prize of Moscow News The Prize of Moscow News , also known as the Moscow Skate, Nouvelles de Moscou, and the Moscow News Trophy, was an international, senior-level figure skating competition held in the former Soviet Union from 1966 to 1990... |
1st | 2nd | 1st |
Pairs with Liudmila Smirnova
| Event | 1972-73 | 1973-74 |
|---|---|---|
| World Championships World Figure Skating Championships The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion... |
2nd | 2nd |
| European Championships European Figure Skating Championships The European Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition in which figure skaters compete for the title of European Champion... |
2nd | 3rd |
| Soviet Championships Soviet Figure Skating Championships The Soviet Figure Skating Championships were a figure skating national championship held annually to determine the national champions of the Soviet Union... |
3rd | |
| Prize of Moscow News Prize of Moscow News The Prize of Moscow News , also known as the Moscow Skate, Nouvelles de Moscou, and the Moscow News Trophy, was an international, senior-level figure skating competition held in the former Soviet Union from 1966 to 1990... |
1st |