Elena Ilina: biography, photos and interesting facts

Dancing on Ice - discipline, where the sport is closely intertwined with the choreography, art, and it is difficult to understand when one ends and the other begins. As in any creative field, a major role is played by emotions, relationships between people. Us men and women make an explosive situation in any pair of athletes, and often the most successful tandems split due to personal conflicts.

Elena Ilyina - skater, whose biography is not only sporting achievements, but also the dramatic stories of farewells and returns.

Childhood

Born future figure skating star in Kazakh Aktau in 1994. As often happens in sports girl brought her grandmother. First Elena Ilyina engaged in normal health group, but then experienced trainers advised to give it to the sport of figure skating group.

At the age of four, she began her long journey.

At first, Lena is engaged in "Sokolniki" from Love Maleva, then goes into the "Moskvich", which became her mentor Natalia Dubinskaya. Girl is progressing quickly, as early as 10 years in its arsenal of more triple jumps. Come first victory in the Russian championships in the junior category. But most of all attracted Helen dancing on the ice. In the same group involved and Nikita Katsalapov. So in 2005, formed the duo, who are waiting for big wins and great scandals in the future.

The sensitive nature of the two former singles leads to frequent quarrels and clashes. A year later, Elena Ilyina decides to radically change his life and leaves Nikita, he moved to the United States. Unable to find it a worthy partner in 2008, she comes back and reunited with Katsalapovym. Mentors are Alexander Zhulin and Oleg Volkov.

Junior path

The first victory of the revived pair follow in 2009. After winning the Russian Cup in 2009, the duo gets in the junior national team of Russia, where shines Elena Ilyina. Skater with Nikita convincingly acts on stages of the Grand Prix in Hungary and Poland. Once in the final of the series, they are second only to another Russian pair - Monki / Halyavin.

They did they lose and Russian junior championship in 2010.

Fully concentrating on training, Ilinykh / Katsalapov soon far ahead of their competitors in the team. At the Junior World Championships in The Hague with a huge advantage they bypass all the competitors and get well-deserved gold medal.

Even then, experts note a great technical equipment of this pair. Most executable elements - a fourth level of complexity.

The first years of adult career

Turning to the largest of the junior age children do not slow down the pace. Skaters will debut at the Grand Prix in 2010, where they occupy the fourth place. What is interesting, pack for the free dance Elena specially stitched at the Grand Theater.

On his first national championship they managed to take third place and get a ticket to the European Championship. There they took fourth place, but the most important task for itself Ilyina and Katsalapov decided - selected for the World Cup, along with the lead pair of the country. Finishing in seventh place, they are worthy of completing his first big season. Many fans and experts pay attention to such a spectacular and talented girl like Elena Ilyina. Photos skater appear on the first pages of special editions devoted to the sport.

Despite a successful start at the end of the season the athletes change their mentors and train pass to Nikolai Morozov.

Pre-Olympic cycle

New coach seriously preparing young athletes for the main tournament in 2014. Already in 2011, Morozov begins to set them free dance based on "Swan Lake" by Tchaikovsky. In spite of the great difference in age, he has established a relationship of trust with the young wards that easily communicate with him. There are even rumors of a relationship between Elena and Morozov. Conversations do not occur without reason, as an impressive coach was scandalously known for his novels and his pupils.

The duo continues to maintain its high level.

Next stage wins Grand Prix silver medal of the national championship. At the World Cup 2012 athletes took fifth place to become the best pair from Russia.

Strong character - is what distinguishes Elena Ilyina. Skater on the NHK Trophy tournament in 2012, performs with severe food poisoning while riding on the same level. The duo ranked second and received a ticket in the series finale.

The lead pair of the country remains the duo Bobrova and Soloviev. Elena and Nikita are consistently a little behind. Follow medal Russian championships in Europe, but not enough to wins some small. Sometimes interfere with and their own mistakes.

Triumph in Sochi

At the Olympic Games in Sochi Ilyina and Katsalapov sent as a second pair of the country. Their claim to the free dance in the team competition, where they roll back the program on the music of Tchaikovsky. Setting a personal record for accumulated points, they become Olympic champions together with the entire figure skating team in the team competition.

The most important tests were waiting for them in the team competition. The main struggle was between the best pair of recent years in the US and Canada. In this situation, when the judges gave the first two known favorite places, the third place was a great achievement. Given that the strongest duets Davis / White and Virtue / Moir completed his career in the Olympics, the couple taken seriously as a leader in the world in the coming years.

Elena Ilyina and Ruslan Ruslan Zhiganshin

After the success in Sochi once again begin the collision between the two athletes with a difficult temperament.

In the press constantly rumors that Nikita Katsalapov seriously tries himself with another partner. Enraged Elena finds out the relationship, and it all ends with a couple ceases to exist in April 2014. Two Duets exchange partners. Victoria goes to Katsalapovu Sinitsyn and Elena Ilyina sent to create a new pair with her former partner Ruslan Ruslan Zhiganshin. Many experts reacted negatively to this castling, noting the vague prospects of newly established duos.

In his first season Elena Ilyina and Ruslan Ruslan Zhiganshin become champions of Russia, but also in international tournaments to take the award did not work. Now they are in the shadow of the country's leading pair and the only hope for the talent and the will to win Helena, which is still one of the most talented skaters of the planet.

Striking looks and charm - that's what distinguishes Elena Ilyina. Photo skater on the Internet are gaining thousands of views, many fans of figure skating athletes are personal fans. In each pair, she is in the spotlight and becomes a main character.