Lyudmila Smirnova

Lyudmila Smirnova Stanislawowna (Russian Людмила Станиславовна Смирнова; born July 21, 1949 in Leningrad) is a former Russian figure skater, which was launched in pair skating for the Soviet Union.

Smirnova began in 1955 with the figure skating. Her first figure skating partner was Andrei Suraikin. The pair became the strongest contenders for the outstanding Irina Rodnina and Alexei Ulanov. Starting with their debut at the World and European Championships in 1970 up to and including 1972 ended Smirnova and Suraikin all three World Championships ( Ljubljana, 1970, Lyon 1971, Calgary 1972) and all three European Championships (Leningrad, 1970, Zurich 1971, Gothenburg 1972) on the silver medal behind Rodnina and Ulanov. Resulted in this ranking also at the 1972 Olympics in Sapporo.

Smirnova fell in love with Alexei Ulanov. This led to the separation of the two pairs figure skating. The separations were decided before the 1972 Olympics thing. Lyudmila Smirnova married Alexei Ulanov and started from 1973 with him in pair skating. At the European Championships in Cologne and the World Championships in Bratislava Smirnova and Ulanov won the silver medal, both times behind Rodnina and her new partner Alexander Zaitsev. At the European Championships 1974 in Zagreb, it was only enough for the bronze medal behind their compatriots and Romy Kermer and Rolf Oesterreich from the GDR. The DDR pair they could at the World Championships in Munich defeat again and were again runners-up behind Rodnina and Zaitsev. Then Smirnova and Ulanov 1974 ended their active figure skating career.

Smirnova studied at the Russian State Pedagogical University in the heart of Leningrad. She trained children and was director of a figure skating school in her hometown of St. Petersburg.

Results

Pair of running

( with Andrei Suraikin )

( with Alexei Ulanov )