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Maxim Staviski
Maxim Staviski at the 2011 Worlds.
Born	(1977-11-16) 16 November 1977 (age 47) Rostov-on-Don, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Figure skating career
Country	Bulgaria
Partner	Albena Denkova
Skating club	SC Ice Dance Denkova/Staviski
Began skating	1981
Retired	2007
Medal record Figure skating Ice dancing Representing  Bulgaria World Championships 2007 Tokyo Ice dancing 2006 Calgary Ice dancing 2004 Dortmund Ice dancing 2003 Washington, D.C. Ice dancing European Championships 2007 Warsaw Ice dancing 2004 Budapest Ice dancing 2003 Malmö Ice dancing Grand Prix Final 2006–07 St. Petersburg Ice dancing 2004–05 Beijing Ice dancing 2003–04 Colorado Springs Ice dancing 2002–03 St. Petersburg Ice dancing

Maxim Staviski (Bulgarian: Максим Стависки, born 16 November 1977) is a Russian-born naturalized Bulgarian ice dancer. With partner and fiancée Albena Denkova, he is a two-time (2006–2007) World champion, a two-time (2003–2004) European silver medalist, and the 2006 Grand Prix Final champion. Denkova and Staviski are the first Bulgarians to medal at the World Figure Skating Championships.

Career

Staviski began skating at the age of four because his parents wanted to improve his health. 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. 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. In 1996, Staviski had a successful tryout with Albena Denkova in Moscow and he moved to Sofia to compete for Bulgaria. They soon became a couple off-ice, as well. Staviski received Bulgarian citizenship, allowing him to compete with Denkova at the 1998 Olympics. In September 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.

Denkova / Staviski withdrew from the 2000 European Championships after Staviski fell ill with pneumonia. During the last practice session before the free dance at the 2000 World Championships, Peter Tchernyshev's blade slashed Denkova's leg above her boot, severing two tendons and a muscle and leaving her unable to walk for three months. 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. 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.

Denkova / Staviski took the silver medal at the 2003 European Championships, becoming the first skaters to medal for Bulgaria at an ISU Championships. They then became the first Bulgarians to medal at Worlds, winning bronze at the 2003 World Championships. The following season, they repeated as silver medalists at Europeans and went on to become World silver medalists.

In 2004–05, Denkova / Staviski withdrew from Europeans and finished 5th at Worlds. At the end of the season, they parted ways with Gorshkov and moved to Newark, Delaware, U.S., to train with Natalia Linichuk and Gennadi Karponosov. They finished 5th at their third Olympics. At the 2006 World Championships, they became the first Bulgarians to win World gold in figure skating.

In 2006–07, Denkova / Staviski won gold at the Grand Prix Final, bronze at Europeans, and gold once again at Worlds. On 10 April 2007, they were awarded the Stara Planina Order, Bulgaria's highest award. On 19 April 2007, they received a star on Bulgaria's Walk of Fame.

On 18 October 2007, after being put on trial for a drunk driving case which left one person dead and his wife in coma, Staviski announced he would end his competitive career. Denkova / Staviski continued to skate in shows around the world and have also done choreography, working with Brian Joubert a few times. Staviski has also worked with Nelli Zhiganshina / Alexander Gazsi. The couple have a skating school in Sofia called SC Ice Dance Denkova/Staviski. Staviski coaches occasionally in Moscow. He and Denkova have also participated in the Russian television show Ice Age.

Personal life

Staviski is Jewish. His surname is sometimes written Staviyski. Denkova and Staviski are engaged to marry. Their son Daniel was born on 30 January 2011.

Car crash

On 5 August 2007, Maxim Staviski caused a car accident in Primorsko, Bulgaria, which killed 24-year-old Petar Petrov and left Petrov's fiancée, 18-year-old Manuela Gorsova, in a coma. Staviski had a blood alcohol content of 1.1‰ while the legal limit in Bulgaria is 0.5‰. 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.

On 30 January 2008, Staviski received a suspended sentence of two years and six months, with a five-year probation period, after pleading guilty on all counts. Staviski could have gone to prison for up to ten years. 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. 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). 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.

Programs

Competitive highlights

With Denkova for Bulgaria

With Belova for Russia

References

1. ^ Mittan, Barry (3 December 2001). "Bulgarian Dancers Triumph Over Injuries to Reach Top Ten". GoldenSkate.com. Retrieved 22 December 2010.
2. Oreiller, Céline; Zibung, Jacqueline (2005). "Interview with Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski: Part I". Absolute Skating. "Interview with Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski: Part II".
3. ^ "Albena DENKOVA / Maxim STAVIYSKI: 2000/2001". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 April 2001.
4. Slater, Paula (18 March 2004). "Interview: Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski". GoldenSkate.com. Retrieved 22 December 2010.
5. ^ "Albena DENKOVA / Maxim STAVIYSKI: 2002/2003". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 August 2003.
6. ^ "Albena DENKOVA / Maxim STAVISKI: 2003/2004". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 April 2004.
7. ^ "Albena DENKOVA / Maxim STAVISKI: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 25 April 2006.
8. Motchane, Asli (2006). "Albena Denkova: "Now we enjoy every single practice!"". Absolute Skating. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
9. "Purvanov: Bulgaria's Denkova and Staviski have the potential to get Olympic gold". The Sofia Echo. 10 April 2007. Archived from the original on 22 November 2012.
10. "Albena and Maxim Star Shining on Bulgaria's Walk of Fame". Novinite. 19 April 2007. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011.
11. "Bulgaria's Maxim Staviiski ends his career". The Sofia Echo. 18 October 2007. Archived from the original on 25 March 2010.
12. Gazave, Romain (2009). "Albena Denkova & Maxim Staviski: Behind the Boards". Absolute Skating. Retrieved 22 December 2010.
13. ^ Korsakova, Emilie (4 March 2014). "Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski: "We devoted everything to figure skating"". Absolute Skating.
14. Gerontiev, Yavor (13 June 2011). "Двойка от Германия иска на олимпиада с Максим" [Pair from Germany consults Maxim] (in Bulgarian). 24 Chasa. Archived from the original on 22 November 2012.
15. ^ "Albena DENKOVA / Maxim STAVISKI: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 6 August 2007.
16. Simonenko, Andrei (27 April 2012). Жулин исправит фигуристам Бобровой/Соловьеву технику – Ставиский [Staviski: Zhulin is correcting Bobrova/Soloviev's technique]. rsport.ru / RIA Novosti (in Russian).
17. "World Skating Champions to Finally Tie the Knot". Novinite. 23 March 2007. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011.
18. Petrova, Ruslana (30 January 2011). "Даниел изплака за Албена и Максим" [Daniel born to Albena and Maxim] (in Bulgarian). Standart News. Archived from the original on 22 November 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
19. "World skating champion from Bulgaria involved in car accident near Ropotamo River". The Sofia Echo. 6 August 2007. Archived from the original on 22 November 2012.
20. "World champ involved in car accident". Stuff.co.nz. Reuters. 7 August 2007.
21. "World Figure Skating Champion Maxim Staviski Causes Severe Car Accident". News.bg. 6 August 2007. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011.
22. "Bulgaria's World Skating Champ Still Not Arrested for Causing Deadly Crash". Novinite. 7 August 2007. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012.
23. "Tests Prove Staviski Was Tipsy". Standart News. 7 August 2007. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
24. Savova, Elitsa (30 January 2008). "Staviiski given suspended sentence in drink driving case". The Sofia Echo. Archived from the original on 22 November 2012.
25. "Bulgaria's World Champ Maxim Staviiski: My Life is Turned Upside Down Forever". Novinite. 7 August 2007. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012.
26. Savova, Elitsa (12 February 2008). "Plaintiffs to appeal Staviski's sentence". The Sofia Echo. Archived from the original on 22 November 2012.
27. "Maxim Staviski to do Prison Time". International Figure Skating. 5 January 2009. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
28. Kostadinov, Petar (12 May 2009). "Two-time World Champion ice skater Maxim Staviski will not go to jail". The Sofia Echo. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011.
29. ^ "Albena DENKOVA / Maxim STAVISKI: 2004/2005". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 5 April 2005.
30. ^ "Albena DENKOVA / Maxim STAVIYSKI: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2 June 2002.

External links

• Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski at the International Skating Union
• Official Denkova & Staviski web site

• 1977 births
• Living people
• Bulgarian male ice dancers
• Russian male ice dancers
• Figure skaters at the 1998 Winter Olympics
• Figure skaters at the 2002 Winter Olympics
• Figure skaters at the 2006 Winter Olympics
• Olympic figure skaters for Bulgaria
• Sportspeople from Rostov-on-Don
• Jewish Russian sportspeople
• Bulgarian Jews
• Russian emigrants to Bulgaria
• Russian expatriates in Bulgaria
• Naturalised citizens of Bulgaria
• World Figure Skating Championships medalists
• European Figure Skating Championships medalists
• Season-end world number one figure skaters