Just a few hours after Anzhelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsyannikov won the ice dancing competition at the Russian National Championships in Sokolniki Park last week, the gold medalists were on a plane and heading back home -- to America.
The prize-winning pair now hang their skates in Newark, Delaware, where they train year round with their coaches Natalia Linichuk and Gennady Karponosov, the 1980 Olympic gold medalists in ice dancing. The husband-and-wife team, who also coach 1994 Olympic ice-dancing champions Oksana Grishuk and Yevgeny Platov, were invited along with their star pupils to Newark by the local club at the University of Delaware to teach American coaches the science of ice skating.
The Russian ice dancers now occupy a spacious six-bedroom house their new American friends have nicknamed "Russian House," and they draw a considerable crowd on the ice. "Before we came, Americans used to work out for about 45 minutes a day. We showed them what it takes to become a world champion" said Ovsyannikov, whose practices last at least 2 1/2 hours a day. "The Americans who wanted to train with us were dropping dead at first, but now they can stay for up to an hour and a half," said Ovsyannikov with a broad smile.
"If it's true that the British invented ice dancing, then it is true to say that the Russians dominate it," said coach Linichuk, who accompanied her pupils to the Moscow competition. Krylova and Ovsyannikov backed her words with their "Flamingo" performance, displaying the elegance of Russian ballet stars and the passion of a Latin American samba. They captured the hearts of the audience and the judges, receiving a perfect 6.0 score for artistic expression from two of the judges. Success has come quickly for Krylova and Ovsyannikov, who have been dancing together for less than six months. Before that Krylova, paired with another skater, Vladimir Fyodorov, had achieved high marks at the World Championships in 1993. But early in the season coach Linichuk decided to pair her with Ovsyannikov, a skater with great potential who was virtually unknown in international circles.
"There is no limit to what they can achieve," said Linichuk, predicting that they are likely to be the next gold medalists at the 1998 Olympics.
Changes within the ice dancing circle are common enough among the top skaters. Coaches rotate partners, skaters choose different coaches -- and sometimes a coach even steals a skater from a fellow colleague. Ice dancing is full of intrigue. "Dirty intrigue, very dirty," said Linichuk.
And there was no shortage of controversy at last weekend's competition. First, the favorites -- Olympic winners Grishuk and Yevgeny Platov -- dropped out claiming illness. Then the judges snubbed the Lobacheva-Averbuch ice dancing team, putting them third behind the Kustarova-Azryan duo, which caused a stir within the Russian Skating Federation.
"The judges weren't objective," said referee Alexander Gorshkov, himself a former Olympic Champion in ice dancing, after the competition. Officials at the federation echoed his beliefs, and decided to send Lobacheva and Averbuch to the world championships in Birmingham, England, in March, instead of the second place winners.
Krylova and Ovsyannikov will also compete in Birmingham, but first it is back home to Delaware.
"Anzhelika! Did you find your king in America?" the prize-winning Krylova was asked as she was leaving with her gold medal.
"There are a few princes, but I am still looking for a king," she said.
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