Post by Angela on Feb 4, 2006 23:20:35 GMT -5
Aleksei Ugarov is 30 years old. He started skating when he was four, under the renowned but abusive coach Ivan Shotsky. Technically speaking he was the first to land a quad in competition, however he was 13 years old, it was at the 1988 Junior World Championships, and he crashed into the boards immediately after he landed, shattering his kneecap. Terrified of experiencing another injury like this, he quit skating.
In 2003, his old next door neighbor, Danil Andropov, stayed with his coach Parker Janson in Aleksei's apartment when they were there for Cup of Russia. Parker and Aleksei were old rivals. Talking to Parker brought the idea of skating again into Aleksei's mind, and he spent the next year at the rink in St. Petersburg, training. At the same time he started coaching and choreographing for various skaters.
He came to Connellsville in hopes of training in a better facility. He had a modest goal: to compete in the senior ranks this year, and use whatever music he wanted. He managed to place within the top five in two of his Grand Prix events.
He is also coaching some of America's hopefuls. Timofei Lovell, the grandson of Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell, came to DeVito looking for a coach, and found Aleksei. As he skates singles as well as pairs with fellow Texan Brandi Williams, Aleksei was hired to coach both while Timofei did the choreographing.
All in all though Aleksei has led a happy but lonely life. He wanted to find a lady he could be witth, and he thinks he found it in Brandi Williams.
