- Born:
- February 9, 1979, Moscow, Russia, U.S.S.R. (age 47)
Irina Slutskaya
-
Who is Irina Slutskaya?
Irina Slutskaya, born on February 9, 1979, is a Russian figure skater who dominated womenâs figure skating in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Her grandmother encouraged her to start skating at age four, hoping it would help with her frequent colds. By age 16, she became the first Russian woman to win a European figure-skating championship.
Slutskaya's career was briefly interrupted by health problems, including pericarditis, asthmatic bronchitis, and pneumonia. Despite these challenges, she returned to the ice, winning her fourth Russian national championship in 2005 and the ISU womenâs singles world championship. In 2006, she won her seventh European championship title and an Olympic bronze medal in Turin, Italy.
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What sport did Irina Slutskaya compete in?
Irina Slutskaya competed in figure skating. She dominated womenâs figure skating in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and she began skating at age four. Slutskaya became the first Russian woman to win a European figure-skating championship in 1996 at age 16. She won European championships in 1997, 2000, and 2001, as well as the Russian national championship and the International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix Final in 2000, 2001, and 2002. In 2006, Slutskaya won her seventh European championship and earned a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Turin, Italy.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Where is Irina Slutskaya from?
Irina Slutskaya was born in Moscow, Russia, U.S.S.R., on February 9, 1979. She is a Russian figure skater who dominated womenâs figure skating in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Slutskaya began skating at age four and started serious training at a Moscow skating school two years later. In 1996, at age 16, she became the first Russian woman to win a European figure-skating championship. With seven titles (1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2006) she broke the records of Sonja Henie and Katarina Witt.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What are some major achievements of Irina Slutskaya in figure skating?
Irina Slutskaya is a Russian figure skater who dominated womenâs figure skating in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 1996, at age 16, she became the first Russian woman to win a European figure-skating championship. Slutskaya won both the Russian national championship and the International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix Final in 2000, 2001, and 2002. At the 2000 Grand Prix Final, she became the first woman to land the highly difficult triple lutzâtriple loop combination.
After recovering from health problems, Slutskaya won her fourth Russian national championship in January 2005, and in March she won the ISU womenâs singles world championship for the second time in four years. In 2006, she won her seventh European championship title and earned the bronze medal at the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, Italy.
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What style or skills was Irina Slutskaya known for on the ice?
Irina Slutskaya was known for dominating womenâs figure skating in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 1996, she was the first Russian woman to win a European figure-skating championship. At the 2000 Grand Prix Final, Slutskaya became the first woman to land the triple lutzâtriple loop combination. She improved on this at the 2001 world championships, landing a triple lutzâtriple loopâdouble toe loop combination. In 2006, Slutskaya won her seventh European championship title.
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How did Irina Slutskaya impact the sport of figure skating in Russia and around the world?
Irina Slutskaya significantly impacted figure skating, becoming a dominant force in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 1996, she was the first Russian woman to win a European figure-skating championship. Slutskaya went on to win the European championships in 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2006.
At the 2000 Grand Prix Final in Lyon, France, Slutskaya became the first woman to land a triple lutzâtriple loop combination. She improved on that at the 2001 world championships, when she landed a triple lutzâtriple loopâdouble toe loop combination. With seven titles, she broke the records of Sonja Henie and Katarina Witt in the European championships.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Irina Slutskaya (born February 9, 1979, Moscow, Russia, U.S.S.R.) is a Russian figure skater who dominated womenâs figure skating in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Although her career was briefly interrupted by health problems, Slutskaya went on to become the first woman to win seven European championship titles.
(Read Scott Hamiltonâs Britannica entry on figure skating.)
Slutskaya began skating at age four upon the urging of her grandmother, who thought the sport might reduce the childâs frequent colds. Slutskaya took up serious training at a Moscow skating school two years later, and in 1996, at age 16, she became the first Russian woman to win a European figure-skating championship. She quickly went on to conquer the field at the European championships in 1997, 2000, and 2001, and she won both the Russian national championship and the International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix Final in 2000, 2001, and 2002. At the 2000 Grand Prix Final in Lyon, France, she became the first woman to land the highly difficult triple lutzâtriple loop combination. She improved on that at the 2001 world championships, when she landed a triple lutzâtriple loopâdouble toe loop combination.
In 2003 Slutskaya took time away from the rink to care for her ailing mother, a kidney transplant candidate who had to undergo dialysis three times a week. One year later Slutskaya was hospitalized with pericarditis, an inflammation of the heart lining; she also suffered chronic asthmatic bronchitis and pneumonia and feared that she would never skate competitively again. The illnesses forced Slutskaya to sit out almost every competition during the 2004 season. She did skate in the 2004 world championship (after a mandatory tryout ordered by the Russian ice-skating federation), but she was less than fit and finished ninth.
After regaining her form in late 2004, however, Slutskaya was able to stage her return. In January 2005 she won her fourth Russian national championship, and in March she capped an unbeaten season by skating an aggressive, error-free program that included seven triple jumps to win the ISU womenâs singles world championship for the second time in four years. Unlike her 2002 victoryâwhich came one month after she earned the silver medal at the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, UtahâSlutskayaâs brilliant performance in Moscow came after she had missed almost two full seasons of skating.
(Read Scott Hamiltonâs Britannica essay on "Training for Olympic Gold.")
In 2006 Slutskaya won her seventh European championship title, and at the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, she earned the bronze medal. Although she denied rumours that she was retiring from figure skating, Slutskaya did not compete in the world championships that took place shortly after the Olympics in Turin, and she did not participate in any major competitive events thereafter. Nevertheless, her mark had been made: with victories in seven European championships (1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2006), she had broken the records of the legendary Sonja Henie and two-time Olympic champion Katarina Witt.
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