Maxim Staviski

Maxim Staviski

Maxim Staviski at the 2011 Worlds.
Personal information
Country represented  Bulgaria
Born November 16, 1977 (1977-11-16) (age 34)
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Partner Albena Denkova
Former partner Anastasia Belova (RUS)
Coach Natalia Linichuk
Gennadi Karpanosov
Former coach Alexei Gorshkov
Former choreographer Sergei Petukhov
Natalia Linichuk
Skating club SC Ice Dance Denkova/Staviski
Retired 2007
ISU personal best scores
Combined total 210.44
2003 Trophée Lalique
Comp. dance 41.05
2004 Skate Canada
Original dance 62.79
2005 Worlds
Free dance 108.03
2003 Trophée Lalique

Maxim Staviski (Bulgarian: Максим Стависки) (born November 16, 1977, in Rostov-on-Don, Soviet Union (now Russia)) is a Bulgarian ice dancer. With partner and fiancée Albena Denkova, he is the 2006 & 2007 World Champion, the 2003 & 2004 European silver medalist, and the 2006 Grand Prix Final champion. Denkova & Staviski are the first Bulgarian figure skaters to medal at the World Figure Skating Championships.

Contents

Career

Staviski began skating at the age of four because his parents wanted to improve his health.[1] He was initially a singles skater but at the age of 11 or 12, he broke his leg and his jumping ability declined. His coach recommended him to Natalia Dubova's ice dancing group.[1] He originally competed for Russia with Anastasia Belova, with whom he appeared as the third Russian team at the 1996 Junior Worlds but they split up at the end of the season. Staviski had a successful tryout with Albena Denkova in Moscow and he moved to Sofia to compete for Bulgaria.[1] They soon became a couple off-ice, as well. Staviski received Bulgarian citizenship. In 2000, Denkova/Staviski began dividing their time between Sofia and Odintsovo, near Moscow, Russia where they worked with coach Alexei Gorshkov and choreographer Sergei Petukhov.[1][2]

They withdrew from the 2000 European Championships after Staviski fell ill with pneumonia.[1] At the 2000 World Championships, Denkova was seriously injured in the practice before the free dance; Peter Tchernyshev's blade slashed her leg above her boot, severing two tendons and a muscle.[1] She eventually returned to training but suffered swelling in her leg. After she asked the U.S. Figure Skating Association if Tchernyshev had insurance to help cover her medical expenses, the organizers withdrew Denkova/Staviski's invitation to 2000 Skate America.[1] Both Denkova and Staviski fell ill with the flu before the 2001 European Championships and she suffered more swelling but they competed at the event and finished 8th, their best result to that date.[1]

After the 2005 World Championships, Denkova and Staviski parted ways with Gorshkov and moved to Delaware, U.S., to train with Natalia Linichuk and Gennadi Karponosov.[3]

On October 18, 2007, when he was put on trial for a drunk driving case which left one person dead, Staviski announced he would end his skating career.[4]

Denkova and Staviski continued to skate in shows around the world and have also done choreography, working with Brian Joubert in 2009.[5] Staviski has also worked with Nelli Zhiganshina / Alexander Gazsi.[6] The couple have a skating school in Sofia called SC Ice Dance Denkova/Staviski.[7]

Personal life

Denkova and Staviski are engaged to marry.[8] Their son Daniel was born on January 30, 2011.[9]

Awards

On April 10, 2007, Denkova & Staviski were awarded the Stara Planina Order, the highest Bulgarian award.[10] On April 19, 2007, they received a star on Bulgaria's Walk of Fame.[11]

Car crash

On August 5, 2007, Maxim Staviski caused a car accident in Primorsko, Bulgaria, which killed 24-year-old Petar Petrov and left Petrov's fiancee, 18-year-old Manuela Gorsova, in a coma.[12][13][14] Staviski had a blood alcohol content of 1.1‰ while the legal limit in Bulgaria is 0.5‰.[15] Staviski's Hummer collided into the victims' Honda at a speed of 100 km/h. He had been pulled over and issued a police warning a few minutes earlier.[16]

On January 30, 2008, Staviski received a suspended sentence of two years and six months, with a five-year probation period, after pleading guilty on all counts.[17] Staviski could have gone to prison for up to ten years.[18] In February 2008, the parents of one of the victims, Manuela Gorsova, said they would appeal both the suspended sentence and the damages awarded by the court.[19] In early January 2009, the Burgas Appellate Court reversed the suspension of his sentence and ordered Staviski to serve two-and-a-half years in prison. They also increased the amount of money Staviski was ordered to pay to his victims' families—BGN 120,000 to Petrov's parents (increased from BGN 90,000), and BGN 150,000 to Gorsova's family (up from BGN 80,000).[20] In May 2009, the Supreme Court of Cassation issued a final ruling in the case, which overturned the jail sentence and reduced the fines Staviski was to pay to 100,000 leva to the Petrovs and 90,000 to Gorsova's family.[21]

Programs

Season Original dance Free dance Exhibition
2006–2007
2005–2006
2004–2005
2003–2004
2002–2003
  • Afrah Baladi
    by Mostafa Sax
2001–2002
2000–2001
1999–2000
  • Speak up Mambo
  • Soledad
  • Give it up
1998–1999
1997–1998
1996–1997
  • El Choclo
    by Angel Villoldo

Competitive highlights

(with Denkova)

Event 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07
Winter Olympic Games 18th 7th 5th
World Championships 19th 17th 11th WD 10th 5th 3rd 2nd 5th 1st 1st
European Championships 17th 16th 9th WD 8th 6th 2nd 2nd WD 3rd
Bulgarian Championships 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
Grand Prix Final 3rd 2nd 3rd 1st
Skate America 1st
Trophée Eric Bompard 4th 1st 2nd 1st
Cup of Russia 5th 3rd
NHK Trophy 6th 3rd 1st 1st 2nd
Skate Canada 5th 4th 2nd 1st
Bofrost Cup 6th 3rd 1st 1st
Finlandia Trophy 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
Golden Spin of Zagreb 2nd
Karl Schäfer Memorial 1st
Nebelhorn Trophy 3rd
Skate Israel 2nd

WD: Withdrew

(with Belova)

Event 1996
World Junior Championships 9th

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Mittan, Barry (December 3, 2001). "Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski: Bulgarian Dancers Triumph Over Injuries to Reach Top Ten". GoldenSkate.com. http://www.goldenskate.com/articles/2001/120301.shtml. Retrieved December 22, 2010. 
  2. ^ Slater, Paula (March 18, 2004). "Interview: Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski". GoldenSkate.com. http://www.goldenskate.com/articles/2003/031804.shtml. Retrieved December 22, 2010. 
  3. ^ Motchane, Asli (2006). "Albena Denkova: "Now we enjoy every single practice!"". AbsoluteSkating.com. http://absoluteskating.com/index.php?cat=interviews&id=2006denkova. Retrieved February 7, 2011. 
  4. ^ "Bulgaria's Maxim Staviiski ends his career". The Sofia Echo. October 18, 2007. http://sofiaecho.com/article/bulgarias-maxim-staviiski-ends-his-career/id_25556/catid_66. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 
  5. ^ Gazave, Romain (2009). "Albena Denkova & Maxim Staviski: Behind the Boards". AbsoluteSkating.com. http://absoluteskating.com/interviews/2009denkovastaviski.html. Retrieved December 22, 2010. 
  6. ^ Gerontiev, Yavor (June 13, 2011). "Двойка от Германия иска на олимпиада с Максим [Pair from Germany consults Maxim]" (in Bulgarian). 24 Chasa. http://www.24chasa.bg/Article.asp?ArticleId=926123. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 
  7. ^ Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski at the International Skating Union
  8. ^ "World Skating Champions to Finally Tie the Knot". Novinite. March 23, 2007. http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=78343. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 
  9. ^ Petrova, Ruslana (January 30, 2011). "Даниел изплака за Албена и Максим [Daniel born to Albena and Maxim]". Standart News. http://www.standartnews.com/lyubopitno-shou/daniel_izplaka_za_albena_i_maksim-92938.html. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 
  10. ^ "Purvanov: Bulgaria's Denkova and Staviski have the potential to get Olympic gold". The Sofia Echo. April 10, 2007. http://sofiaecho.com/2007/04/10/651018_purvanov-bulgarias-denkova-and-staviski-have-the-potential-to-get-olympic-gold. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 
  11. ^ "Albena and Maxim Star Shining on Bulgaria's Walk of Fame". Novinite. April 19, 2007. http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=79555. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 
  12. ^ "World skating champion from Bulgaria involved in car accident near Ropotamo River". The Sofia Echo. August 6, 2007. http://sofiaecho.com/article/world-skating-champion-from-bulgaria-involved-in-car-accident-near-ropotamo-river/id_24243/catid_66. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 
  13. ^ "World champ involved in car accident". Reuters (Stuff.co.nz). August 7, 2007. http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/52466. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 
  14. ^ "World Figure Skating Champion Maxim Staviski Causes Severe Car Accident". News.bg. August 6, 2007. http://international.ibox.bg/news/id_869541469. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 
  15. ^ "Bulgaria's World Skating Champ Still Not Arrested for Causing Deadly Crash". Novinite. August 7, 2007. http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=83911. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 
  16. ^ "Tests Prove Staviski Was Tipsy". Standart News. August 7, 2007. http://paper.standartnews.com/en/article.php?d=2007-08-07&article=6057. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 
  17. ^ Savova, Elitsa (January 30, 2008). "Staviiski given suspended sentence in drink driving case". The Sofia Echo. http://sofiaecho.com/2008/01/30/658751_staviiski-given-suspended-sentence-in-drink-driving-case. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 
  18. ^ "Bulgaria's World Champ Maxim Staviiski: My Life is Turned Upside Down Forever". Novinite. August 7, 2007. http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=83918. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 
  19. ^ Savova, Elitsa (February 12, 2008). "Plaintiffs to appeal Staviski's sentence". The Sofia Echo. http://sofiaecho.com/2008/02/12/658819_plaintiffs-to-appeal-staviskis-sentence. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 
  20. ^ "Maxim Staviski to do Prison Time". International Figure Skating. January 5, 2009. http://www.ifsmagazine.com/articles/319-maxim-staviski-to-do-prison-time. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 
  21. ^ Kostadinov, Petar (May 12, 2009). "Two-time World Champion ice skater Maxim Staviski will not go to jail". The Sofia Echo. http://www.sofiaecho.com/2009/05/12/717999_two-time-world-champion-ice-skater-maxim-staviski-will-not-go-to-jail. Retrieved June 15, 2011. 

External links