ALBENA Denkova and Maxim Staviski, European silver medallists from Malmo 2003 and bronze-medallists from the recent Grand Prix Tournament in Saint Petersburg, will participate in a champion European tour.
Only one judge's voice prevented the Bulgarian dance pair from taking second place in Russia. Immediately after the competition Denkova said, "For the first time we, the trainers and the choreographer were satisfied with our performance. We were perfect and deserved second place. Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov of Russia beat us by a single vote. But we should not forget that we're competing on Russian soil."
Denkova and Staviski's bronze medals earned them a total of $30 000 ($20 000 from the prize winner fund and another $10 000 in bonus payments for participation at the tournament). Winners Irina Lobacheva and Ilia Averbuch, Olympic silver medallists from Salt Lake City 2002, and world and European champions, took a total of $50 000.
Denkova and Staviski plan to invest the winnings in their preparation. The outfits for their performance, which they changed three times during the season, cost several thousand dollars alone. The last (in black, blue and gold), with which they skated in Saint Petersburg, finally got the approval of judges and this affected their points. Until the World Figure Skating Championship in Washington, between March 24 and March 30, the Bulgarian pair will prepare in Odintsovo, close to Moscow under the supervision of their Russian trainer, Alexei Gorshkov and Bolshoi Theatre choreographer Sergei Petuhov. Denkova, a former gymnast, and Staviski, born in the Russian city of Rostov on the Don, but with Bulgarian citizenship, have been training in Odintsovo since September 2000. They have been training together since 1996, when Denkova's partner, Hristo Nikolov, gave up his sporting career. Denkova and Staviski are the first Bulgarian skating pair to enter the World Top 10 and subsequently to take a medal at a European Championship.
After the World Championship in Washington, Denkova and Staviski will return to Bulgaria to participate in the commemoration of the 10-year anniversary of the Sofia Winter Palace. Between April 7 and 20, they will participate in the European Championship of the medallists from the big championships in Europe and the world. It will take place at gala shows on ice in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
Only one judge's voice prevented the Bulgarian dance pair from taking second place in Russia. Immediately after the competition Denkova said, "For the first time we, the trainers and the choreographer were satisfied with our performance. We were perfect and deserved second place. Tatiana Navka and Roman Kostomarov of Russia beat us by a single vote. But we should not forget that we're competing on Russian soil."
Denkova and Staviski's bronze medals earned them a total of $30 000 ($20 000 from the prize winner fund and another $10 000 in bonus payments for participation at the tournament). Winners Irina Lobacheva and Ilia Averbuch, Olympic silver medallists from Salt Lake City 2002, and world and European champions, took a total of $50 000.
Denkova and Staviski plan to invest the winnings in their preparation. The outfits for their performance, which they changed three times during the season, cost several thousand dollars alone. The last (in black, blue and gold), with which they skated in Saint Petersburg, finally got the approval of judges and this affected their points. Until the World Figure Skating Championship in Washington, between March 24 and March 30, the Bulgarian pair will prepare in Odintsovo, close to Moscow under the supervision of their Russian trainer, Alexei Gorshkov and Bolshoi Theatre choreographer Sergei Petuhov. Denkova, a former gymnast, and Staviski, born in the Russian city of Rostov on the Don, but with Bulgarian citizenship, have been training in Odintsovo since September 2000. They have been training together since 1996, when Denkova's partner, Hristo Nikolov, gave up his sporting career. Denkova and Staviski are the first Bulgarian skating pair to enter the World Top 10 and subsequently to take a medal at a European Championship.
After the World Championship in Washington, Denkova and Staviski will return to Bulgaria to participate in the commemoration of the 10-year anniversary of the Sofia Winter Palace. Between April 7 and 20, they will participate in the European Championship of the medallists from the big championships in Europe and the world. It will take place at gala shows on ice in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
