Maria Igorevna Petrova (; born 29 November 1977) is a Russian pair skater. With partner Alexei Tikhonov, she is the 2000 World champion and a two-time (1999, 2000) European champion
Career Petrova was a sickly child and her doctor recommended she take up a sport; her parents got her into figure skating when she was seven. She started out in singles but always preferred pair skating and admired Ekaterina Gordeeva / Sergei Grinkov so she made the switch to pairs at 13.
She initially competed with Anton Sikharulidze with whom she is the 1994 and 1995 World Junior Champion. They split in 1996 and she teamed up with Teimuraz Pulin, winning the silver medal at the 1997 World Junior championships.
Petrova teamed up with Alexei Tikhonov in the summer of 1998. Together, they won the World Championship in 2000. They placed 6th at the 2002 Winter Olympics and 5th at the 2006 Games. They won a silver medal at the 2005 Worlds, and a bronze in 2006.
After making the decision to retire following the 2006 Worlds, Petrova and Tikhonov eventually consented to compete one more year at the Russian Skating Federation's request. During their final season, they finished 6th at the Grand Prix Final, and withdrew from the World Championships due to injury.
Petrova and Tikhonov trained in Saint Petersburg with Ludmila Velikova. After retiring from competition, they performed in ice shows, including Russian television project Ice Age.
Programs With Tikhonov Season Short program Free skating Exhibition 2006–2007 Sarabande by George Frideric Handel (modern arrangement) Moonlight Sonata by Ludwig van Beethoven 2005–2006 Winter from Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi
Fellini soundtracks 2004–2005 Tango by Astor Piazzolla The Circus Princess by Emmerich Kalman You Present Me Roses () by Nochnye Snaipery 2003–2004 Music by Baxter Mister X The Circus Princess by Emmerich Kálmán 2002–2003 Rainy Blues by Raimonds Pauls Symphony Dances by Sergei Rachmaninoff Black Cat, White Cat 2001–2002 Adagio from The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Chess by Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson et al. 2000–2001 Russian Fantasie
Francesca de Rimini by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Le tourment Vision de Paradis by Saint-Preux
Gospodin Oformitel (film) Diva by Jean-Michel Jarre The Fifth Element by Éric Serra
Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi 1999–2000 Francesca de Rimini by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi
Mr. Bureaucrat (film soundtrack) 1998–1999 Doctor Zhivago by Maurice Jarre Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi
With Sikharulidze Season Short program Free skating Exhibition 1994–1995 Romeo and Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev 1995–1996 sound of nature from Swan Lake by Pyotr Tchaikovsky Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi
Competitive highlights With Alexei Tikhonov Results International Event 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 Olympics 6th 5th Worlds 4th 1st 4th 4th 3rd 4th 2nd 3rd WD Europeans 1st 1st† 4th 3rd 3rd 2nd 3rd 3rd 2nd Grand Prix Final 3rd 4th 6th 5th 3rd 3rd 2nd 4th 6th GP Bompard 2nd 1st GP Cup of China 3rd 1st GP Cup of Russia 1st 2nd 2nd 2nd GP NHK Trophy 5th 1st 3rd 4th 1st 1st GP Skate America 2nd GP Skate Canada 2nd 3rd 2nd GP Sparkassen/Bofrost 1st 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Goodwill Games 3rd National Russian Champ. 2nd 2nd 2nd 3rd 2nd 2nd 2nd 1st GP = Grand Prix; WD = Withdrew †Pairs champions Elena Berezhnaya / Anton Sikharulidze were stripped of their title.
With Teimuraz Pulin International Event 1996–1997 1997–1999 Nations Cup 1 1st NHK Trophy 1st Blue Swords 1st Winter Universiade 2nd International: Junior Junior Worlds 2nd National Russian Champ. 1st 1st
With Anton Sikharulidze International Event 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 Worlds 8th 6th Europeans 6th 5th NHK Trophy 7th Skate Canada 2nd Trophée de France 5th Goodwill Games 7th International: Junior Junior Worlds 2nd 1st 1st National Russian Champ. 6th 2nd 4th Russian Jr. Champ. 1st
References
External links
Official website of Maria Petrova and Alexei Tikhonov