Ilia Kulik

Kulik
IKilikActionLarge
OLYMPIC CHAMPION

Residence: California
Birth Date: May 23, 1977
Birth Place: Moscow, Russia
Competitive Highlights
Amateur
1998 Winter Olympics – 1st
1998 Champions Series Final – 1st
1998 Russian National Championships – 1st
1998 NHK Trophy Championship – 1st
1998 Skate Canada – 2nd
1997 World Championships – 5th
1997 European Championships – 4th
1997 Russian National Championships – 1st
1997 Champions Series Final – 1st
1996 World Championships – 2nd
1996 European Championships – 3rd
1996 Russian National Championships – 2nd
1995 European Championships – 1st
1995 World Juniors – 1st
1995 Russian National Championships – 2nd
1995 World Championships – 9th

When 20-year-old Ilia Kulik stood at the top of the Olympic podium in Nagano, Japan in February 1998, he was only the second man in figure skating singles history to achieve a Gold Medal on his first trip to the Winter Games (the first being the United States’ Dick Button in 1948).

In Nagano Ilia placed first with both his short and long programs, “Revolutions” and “Rhapsody in Blue.” “Rhapsody in Blue,” one of the most ambitious Olympic programs ever successfully skated, included a flawlessly executed quadruple toe loop, 8 triple jumps, intricate footwork, multiple spins and sweeping connective choreography. In total, Ilia achieved an “overpowering” Olympic performance according to Time magazine.

Ilia’s “big dream” as he has called it, started when he was five-years-old in his hometown, Moscow. His mother took him to a children’s skating class to see if skating might be his sport. After watching her son fall and fall again at his first try on skates, Mrs. Kulik thought they should try out another sport right away. She was surprised to hear the teacher ask her to bring Ilia back.

“But why? He keeps falling.”

“Yes,” said the teacher, “but he keeps getting up.”

Fifteen years later, with days marked by the same determination, an Olympic champion emerged.

Ilia’s talent in his formative years enabled him to work with the distinguished Russian coach, Viktor Kudriavtsev. Later in his eligible career, he worked with Russian coach and choreographer, Tatiana Tarasova, well known to the American skating community.

His first significant international win, at the age of 13, was a gold in the 1990 Piruetten Juniors competition in Norway. Early competitive achievements include gold at 1994 Russian Junior Nationals (age 16), 1994 Nebelhorn Trophy, 1995 Junior Worlds (age 17), and most importantly, a gold medal at 1995 European Championship in Dortmund, Germany. On his way to the gold medal in Nagano, Ilia won a wide variety of skating honors including two Russian national championships (1997, 1998).

As a professional skater, Ilia has distinguished himself as an innovative choreographer and as a mature skater who continues to stress classic skills and technical elegance. Off ice, Ilia has explored other avenues, the most noticeable being a major role in the 2000 dance film, Center Stage.

In the past several years, Ilia has become more active as a coach, working with promising young skaters and Olympic contenders. He has often observed that he is committed to passing along the excellent coaching he received. Ilia is married to Olympic and World champion, Ekaterina Gordeeva. They live in California with their daughters, Daria (Dasha) Grinkova, 15 and Elizaveta (Liza) Kulik, 6.