Sergei Shakhrai
Encyclopedia
Sergei Semenovich Shakhrai ' onMouseout='HidePop("83335")' href="/topics/Soviet_Union">Soviet Union
) is a Russia
n retired pair skater
. With partner Marina Cherkasova
, he is the 1980 Olympic silver medalist
, 1980 World champion
, and 1979 European champion
.
with Stanislav Zhuk
. Their main rivals included fellow Soviets Irina Rodnina
& Alexander Zaitsev
, whom they never defeated, Irina Vorobieva
& Igor Lisovsky
, Marina Pestova
& Stanislav Leonovich
, and Veronika Pershina & Marat Akbarov
.
Cherkasova and Shakhrai were 12 and 18 respectively when they were paired together. Initially, there was a 35 cm height difference between the pair, with Cherkasova only 138 cm tall.
With his 12-year-old partner, he won the bronze at their first European Championship in 1977. Their height difference facilitated innovation in twist and lift elements. In fact, they became the first pair to perform the split quadruple twist in 1978. Later, the judging standards were changed to value physical harmony between the partners, which handicapped Cherkasova and her partner.
They won the European
title in 1979. By 1980 Cherkasova had grown 20 cm. The change affected their technical elements, however, the pair managed to win silver at 1980 Europeans, silver at the 1980 Olympics, and gold at Worlds. Cherkasova was only 15 years old when she competed at the Olympics while Shakhrai was 21.
Shakhrai's problems lifting his now 45 kg partner eventually resulted in them splitting up. By 1981, Cherkasova had grown so tall that Shakhrai could no longer effectively lift her. This caused them to miss the medal podium at the World Championship in Hartford, Connecticut
, finishing in fourth place.
Cherkasova and Shakhrai continued to train into the 1982 season; however, they did not make the podium at the Soviet Nationals
, placing behind Irina Vorobieva
& Igor Lisovsky
, Marina Pestova
& Stanislav Leonovich
, and Veronika Pershina & Marat Akbarov
. This caused Cherkasova and her partner to miss the trip to the World Championships for the first time since their debut in 1977 and, subsequently their partnership dissolved.
Sergei is currently an ice skating coach in Sydney Australia
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....
) is a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n 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,...
. With partner Marina Cherkasova
Marina Cherkasova
Marina Evgenievna Cherkasova is a Russian retired pair skater. With Sergei Shakhrai, she won the 1979 European title at the age of 14. At 15, she was the 1980 Olympic silver medalist and 1980 World champion.- Career :...
, he is the 1980 Olympic silver medalist
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
, 1980 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...
, and 1979 European champion
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...
.
Career
Cherkasova and Shakhrai trained in MoscowMoscow
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...
with 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...
. Their main rivals included fellow Soviets 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...
& Alexander Zaitsev
Alexander Zaitsev (skater)
Alexander Gennadiyevich Zaitsev is a retired pair skater who represented the Soviet Union. With partner Irina Rodnina, he is a two-time Olympic champion, six-time World champion and seven-time European champion. From 1973 to 1980 they won every event they entered. They were coached by Stanislav...
, whom they never defeated, Irina Vorobieva
Irina Vorobieva
Irina Nikolayevna Vorobieva is a Russian pair skater who competed for the Soviet Union. With partner and then-husband Igor Lisovsky, she is the 1981 World champion and the 1981 European champion...
& Igor Lisovsky
Igor Lisovsky
Igor Olegovich Lisovsky is a former Soviet pair skater. With partner and then-wife Irina Vorobieva, he is the 1981 World champion and the 1981 European champion...
, Marina Pestova
Marina Pestova
Marina Pestova is a former Soviet pair skater with partner Stanislav Leonovich. They were the 1982 World and European silver medalists, 1980 World and European bronze medalists, and three-time Soviet champions. The pair retired from competition in 1983...
& Stanislav Leonovich
Stanislav Leonovich
Stanislav Viktorovich Leonovich is a former Soviet pair skater with partner Marina Pestova. They were the 1982 World and European silver medalists, 1980 World and European bronze medalists, and three-time Soviet champions. The pair retired from competition in 1983...
, and Veronika Pershina & Marat Akbarov
Marat Akbarov
Marat Akbarov is a former Soviet pair skater. With partner Veronika Pershina, he was the 1985 European bronze medalist and 1979 World Junior champion. He married fellow pair skater Marina Pestova. Together, they have a daughter, Angela....
.
Cherkasova and Shakhrai were 12 and 18 respectively when they were paired together. Initially, there was a 35 cm height difference between the pair, with Cherkasova only 138 cm tall.
With his 12-year-old partner, he won the bronze at their first European Championship in 1977. Their height difference facilitated innovation in twist and lift elements. In fact, they became the first pair to perform the split quadruple twist in 1978. Later, the judging standards were changed to value physical harmony between the partners, which handicapped Cherkasova and her partner.
They won the 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...
title in 1979. By 1980 Cherkasova had grown 20 cm. The change affected their technical elements, however, the pair managed to win silver at 1980 Europeans, silver at the 1980 Olympics, and gold at Worlds. Cherkasova was only 15 years old when she competed at the Olympics while Shakhrai was 21.
Shakhrai's problems lifting his now 45 kg partner eventually resulted in them splitting up. By 1981, Cherkasova had grown so tall that Shakhrai could no longer effectively lift her. This caused them to miss the medal podium at the World Championship in Hartford, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, finishing in fourth place.
Cherkasova and Shakhrai continued to train into the 1982 season; however, they did not make the podium at the Soviet Nationals
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...
, placing behind Irina Vorobieva
Irina Vorobieva
Irina Nikolayevna Vorobieva is a Russian pair skater who competed for the Soviet Union. With partner and then-husband Igor Lisovsky, she is the 1981 World champion and the 1981 European champion...
& Igor Lisovsky
Igor Lisovsky
Igor Olegovich Lisovsky is a former Soviet pair skater. With partner and then-wife Irina Vorobieva, he is the 1981 World champion and the 1981 European champion...
, Marina Pestova
Marina Pestova
Marina Pestova is a former Soviet pair skater with partner Stanislav Leonovich. They were the 1982 World and European silver medalists, 1980 World and European bronze medalists, and three-time Soviet champions. The pair retired from competition in 1983...
& Stanislav Leonovich
Stanislav Leonovich
Stanislav Viktorovich Leonovich is a former Soviet pair skater with partner Marina Pestova. They were the 1982 World and European silver medalists, 1980 World and European bronze medalists, and three-time Soviet champions. The pair retired from competition in 1983...
, and Veronika Pershina & Marat Akbarov
Marat Akbarov
Marat Akbarov is a former Soviet pair skater. With partner Veronika Pershina, he was the 1985 European bronze medalist and 1979 World Junior champion. He married fellow pair skater Marina Pestova. Together, they have a daughter, Angela....
. This caused Cherkasova and her partner to miss the trip to the World Championships for the first time since their debut in 1977 and, subsequently their partnership dissolved.
Sergei is currently an ice skating coach in Sydney Australia
Competitive highlights
(with Cherkasova)| Event | 1976–77 | 1977–78 | 1978–79 | 1979–80 | 1980–81 | 1981–82 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympic Games 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... |
2nd | |||||
| 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... |
4th | 4th | 2nd | 1st | 4th | |
| 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... |
3rd | 2nd | 1st | 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 | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 4th | |
| 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 |