Oleg Vladimirovich Ovsyannikov (; born 23 January 1970) is a Russian former competitive ice dancer. With partner Anjelika Krylova, he is the 1998 Olympic silver medalist and two-time (1998, 1999) World champion.
Career As a four-year-old, Ovsyannikov fell ill with pneumonia. After he recovered, doctors recommended to his parents that he enroll in some kind of sport, preferably in a fresh air environment. Initially a singles skater, he switched to ice dance at the age of 10.
With Maria Orlova, he won the bronze medal at the 1988 World Junior Championships. With Elizaveta Stekolnikova he won the gold medal at the 1989 Golden Spin of Zagreb. He later formed a partnership with Elena Kustarova and won bronze medals at the 1992 Grand Prix International de Paris and the 1993 Nations Cup, as well as two medals at the Russian Nationals.
In mid-1994 he teamed up with Anjelika Krylova. They were coached by Natalia Linichuk and Gennadi Karponosov in Newark, Delaware. Krylova injured her back in training shortly before they were set to leave for 1994 Skate America. Aggravated by intense training, the injury would plague her throughout their career.
In their first season together, Krylova and Ovsyannikov won the Russian national title and took bronze at the European Championship. They were fifth at the World Championships.
During the 1995–96 season, Krylova and Ovsyannikov won silver at Skate America and gold at Nations Cup to qualify for the Champions Series Final (later renamed the Grand Prix Final) where they took silver. They also won silver at the Russian, European and World Championships. They were second at these events to Oksana Grishuk and Evgeni Platov.
During the 1996–97 season, Krylova and Ovsyannikov won three gold medals on the Champions Series at Skate America, Nations Cup and Cup of Russia. They qualified for the Champions Series Final in Canada where they were placed second to Canadians Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz. Krylova and Ovsyannikov won the silver medal at the European and World Championships, second at both events to Grishuk and Platov.
During the 1997–98 season, Krylova and Ovsyannikov won gold medals at Nations Cup and Cup of Russia but did not compete at the Champions Series Final. They won silver at the European Championships and followed it up with silver at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan. They were second at both events to Grishuk and Platov who retired after the Olympics. At the 1998 World Championships, they won their first World title ahead of Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat. They used music from the opera Carmen for their free skate. Figure skating writer and historian Ellyn Kestnbaum called it "a dramatic interpretation" and said that it included many hunched-over and distorted angled positions, as well as "over-the-top" facial expressions, especially from Ovsianmikov. Kestnbaum stated that the program "seemed to depict a struggle or sexual encounter in which she retained the upper hand". Kestnbaum also reported that one reporter called the program "an updated, playful version of Carmen".
During the 1998–99 season, Krylova and Ovsyannikov won gold at Sparkassen Cup (formerly Nations Cup) and Cup of Russia to qualify for the Grand Prix Final. They won the title ahead of Anissina and Peizerat. They won their first European title and then capped off their career with their second World title.
Krylova and Ovsyannikov were planning to compete the following season and had prepared programs and costumes, however, doctors advised her to retire due to a risk of paralysis stemming from her back problem. She suggested that he team up with another skater but he declined. After a year, she felt more confident and they began performing in the less demanding world of professional skating. They won the 2001 World Professional title.
Personal life Ovsyannikov formerly coached in Newark, Delaware with his wife Angelika Kirchmayr, an ice dancer from Russia who won the 1989 World Junior Championships. Their daughter Michelle Ovsyannikov was born in 2006 in Austria. In 2007, Ovsyannikov was appointed the chief coach of the Russian national synchronized skating team and moved back to Moscow. He coaches at the KPRF Sport Club in Moscow.
Programs Eligible career with Krylova: Season Original dance Free dance Exhibition 1998–1999 Waltz: Brindisi (from La traviata) by Giuseppe Verdi vocals by Luciano Pavarotti Tabalat and Bastem by Bellu Dance With Amany Still Got the Blues by Gary Moore 1997–1998 Jive: Five Months, Two Weeks, Two Days by Louis Prima & the Witnesses Carmen Suite by Georges Bizet and Rodion Shchedrin Malagueña by Ernesto Lecuona 1996–1997 Tango: Black Eyes by Feodor Chaliapin Masquerade Waltz by Aram Khachaturian Tosca by Giacomo Puccini 1995–1996 Paso doble: España cañí performed by Sergei Shushko Unknown Russian folk music 1994–1995 Quickstep: Sing, Sing, Sing by Benny Goodman Fiesta Flamenca by Salvador Bacarisse and Kelly
Show/professional career with Krylova: Season Programs 2002–2004 Cleopatra & Caesar
Ave Maria 2001–2002 Doctor Zhivago by Maurice Jarre
The Last of the Mohicans by Trevor Jones, Randy Edelman 2000–2001 Ave Maria
Gladiator by Hans Zimmer, Lisa Gerrard
Carmina Burana by Carl Orff performed by the London Symphony Orchestra
Competitive highlights With Krylova International Event 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 Winter Olympics 2nd World Championships 5th 2nd 2nd 1st 1st European Championships 3rd 2nd 2nd 2nd 1st Champions Series/Grand Prix Final 2nd 2nd 1st GP Cup of Russia 1st 1st 1st GP Nations Cup/Sparkassen Cup 1st 1st 1st 1st GP Skate America 2nd 1st Goodwill Games 1st Centennial On Ice 2nd National Russian Championships 1st 2nd 1st 1st GP = Part of Champions Series from 1995; renamed Grand Prix in 1998
With Kustarova International Event 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 International de Paris 3rd Nations Cup 3rd Piruetten 3rd National Russian Championships 2nd 3rd Soviet Championships 4th
With Stekolnikova Event 1989–1990 Golden Spin of Zagreb 1st
With Orlova Event 1987–1988 World Junior Championships 3rd
References
External links Official website: Krylova & Ovsyannikov