43 Facts About Irina Slutskaya

Irina Eduardovna Slutskaya is a Russian former figure skater.

Irina Slutskaya is a two-time World champion, two-time Olympic medalist, seven-time European champion, a four-time Grand Prix Final champion and a four-time Russian national champion.

Irina Slutskaya won a record total of 17 titles on the Grand Prix circuit.

Irina Slutskaya is known for her trademark double Biellmann spin with a foot change, which she invented.

Irina Slutskaya started skating at the age of four, encouraged by her mother.

At the 1995 World Championships, Irina Slutskaya again fell in the short program but performed six triples in the next segment, finishing 5th in the free skating and 7th overall.

Irina Slutskaya won the Centennial on Ice, combining with Butyrskaya to hand Kwan her only defeat of the season.

Irina Slutskaya was awarded the bronze medal and stepped onto her first world podium, alongside Kwan and Chen.

Irina Slutskaya went on to win two more CS events, the 1996 Nations Cup and 1996 Cup of Russia.

Irina Slutskaya then incurred a back injury from a hard fall in practice the day of the free skating.

Irina Slutskaya's presentation demonstrated a tendency towards a hunched-over posture and an incompletely-stretched free leg.

Irina Slutskaya took bronze behind Tatiana Malinina and Butyrskaya at the Grand Prix Final, held in Saint Petersburg in March 1999.

Irina Slutskaya then considered leaving the competition but decided to continue.

In second place behind Kwan, ahead of the two-women "super final," Irina Slutskaya landed seven triples in the final segment, including two triple-triple combinations, and became the first woman to perform a 3Lz-3Lo combination in competition.

At the 2000 World Championships in Nice, France, Irina Slutskaya won her qualifying pool over Kwan and placed second to Butyrskaya in the short program.

Irina Slutskaya completed six triples in the free skating, with a 2S instead of her planned 3S-3Lo, and finished second overall behind Kwan.

At the Grand Prix Final, Irina Slutskaya performed well to win the first two segments of the event, but her second free skating contained only three clean triples.

Irina Slutskaya then took her third straight Russian national title but lost her European title to Maria Butyrskaya.

Kwan and Irina Slutskaya were ranked first and second in the short program, with Cohen and Hughes placing third and fourth, respectively.

Hughes performed seven triples and two triple-triple combinations, while Irina Slutskaya did not attempt any triple-triples and had rough landings on two jumps.

Irina Slutskaya's silver was the second medal for a Russian competitor in an Olympic ladies' figure skating event.

The next month, Irina Slutskaya won the 2002 World title in Nagano.

Irina Slutskaya decided not to compete at the 2003 World Championships after receiving news that her mother had fallen seriously ill, requiring a kidney transplant.

In 2005, Irina Slutskaya made a comeback after a long stay at a hospital.

Irina Slutskaya thrived under the new scoring system, which heavily rewarded her jumps, spins, difficult footwork, and speed and power.

At the 2005 World Championships, Irina Slutskaya was first after the short program and skated last in the free skating, in which she performed seven triples, including a 3Lz-3Lo combination, to win her second World title.

On 19 January 2006, Irina Slutskaya won the European Championships for the seventh time, breaking the record she had shared with Sonja Henie and Katarina Witt to become the most successful ladies' skater at the event.

Irina Slutskaya was in second place after the short program by only 0.03, behind Sasha Cohen of the United States.

Irina Slutskaya won the bronze medal, behind the gold medalist Shizuka Arakawa of Japan and silver medalist Cohen.

Irina Slutskaya did not compete at the 2006 World Championships the following month.

On 10 April 2007, Irina Slutskaya announced she was returning to Russia from the United States and would not participate in the 2007 Champions on Ice tour since she and her husband, Sergei, were expecting a child.

Irina Slutskaya stated that she enjoyed motherhood and had no plans to return to competitive skating.

Irina Slutskaya presented figure skating reality shows on Russia Channel 1 "Stars on Ice" with co-host Evgeni Plushenko and "Ice Age" with actor Marat Basharov.

Irina Slutskaya toured as the lead skater in the Russian version of the show "Winx on Ice".

In November 2008, Irina Slutskaya performed in the "Skate from the Heart" show.

In 2011, Irina Slutskaya participated in 2010 Winter Olympic champion Yuna Kim ice show All That Skate Summer.

In October 2012, Irina Slutskaya competed in the first Medal Winner's Open, an event for Olympic and World medalists.

Irina Slutskaya was an ambassador for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Irina Slutskaya was born in 1979 in Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union, the only child of a Russian mother and Russian Jewish father.

Irina Slutskaya was raised in the Russian Orthodox faith and was known to cross herself in most of her competitions.

Irina Slutskaya's mother was a former cross-country skier for the Soviet Union.

Irina Slutskaya gave birth to a son, Artem, in November 2007 in Moscow.

Irina Slutskaya married a businessman named Alexei Govyrin in June 2018.