Nikolai Morozov (figure skater)


Nikolai Alexandrovich Morozov is a Russian former competitive ice dancer, figure skating coach and choreographer. He represented Russia, Belarus and Azerbaijan in competition. He coached Shizuka Arakawa to the 2006 Olympic gold medal and Miki Ando to two World titles. He is a former competitive ice dancer who appeared with Tatiana Navka for Belarus at the 1998 Winter Olympics, placing 16th, and at the 1998 World Championships, placing 10th. Earlier in his career, he competed with Olga Pershankova for Azerbaijan and with Ekaterina Gvozdkova for Russia.

Personal life

Morozov was born in Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union. He was formerly married to French ice dancer Caroline Douarin, with whom he has a daughter, Annabelle Nicole, born in 2001. He was married to Canadian ice dancer Shae-Lynn Bourne from August 2005 to July 2007. He briefly dated his former pupil Miki Ando while he was coaching her. In May 2016, Morozov married another student of his, Vasilisa Davankova. In July 2019 during an interview Davankova revealed that she and Morozov were divorced.

Competitive career

Early career

Morozov's parents introduced him to skating when he was five after doctors advised them that he needed more exercise. He was a singles skater until the age of 16 when he took up ice dancing. He spent one year working with coach Natalia Linichuk in Switzerland and was paired with Olga Pershankova. Representing Azerbaijan, they placed 21st at the 1994 World Championships.
In the 1994–95 season, Morozov began competing with Ekaterina Gvozdkova for Russia. They won the bronze medal at the 1995 Lysiane Lauret Challenge.

Partnership with Navka

Morozov teamed up with Tatiana Navka in 1996. They represented Belarus. At their first practice at the 1997 World Championships, he sustained a torn meniscus in his knee but they finished 14th at the event and he then underwent surgery.
Navka/Morozov earned an Olympic berth by winning gold at the 1997 Karl Schäfer Memorial. 90 seconds into their free dance at the 1998 Winter Olympics, nearly three-quarters of the floodlights turned off but Navka/Morozov did not interrupt their performance. They finished 16th at the Olympics in Nagano, Japan, and 10th at the 1998 World Championships in Minneapolis. They were coached by Alexander Zhulin and Bob Young at the International Skating Center in Simsbury, Connecticut. When Navka decided to skate with another partner, Morozov tried skating with another woman for three months but then decided to retire.

Coaching and choreography career

After his competitive retirement, Morozov became a coaching assistant for Tatiana Tarasova, with whom he choreographed for Alexei Yagudin, Barbara Fusar-Poli / Maurizio Margaglio, and Isabelle Delobel / Olivier Schoenfelder. In 2002 or 2003, he left Tarasova and began coaching and choreographing on his own. Morozov initially coached in Newington, Connecticut and later at the Ice House in Hackensack, New Jersey. He returned to Moscow after the Russian government asked him to help in the preparation for the 2014 Sochi Olympics. He was based mainly at the Novogorsk national training center near Moscow and spent some time in New Jersey during summers.
His current and former students include:
Ladies' single skaters
Men's single skaters
Ice dancers
Pair skaters
His current and former choreography clients include
GP: Champions Series

With Pershankova for Azerbaijan

With Gvozdkova for Russia

With Navka for Belarus

Programs

SeasonOriginal danceFree dance
1997–98
by The Contours
1996–97
  • La cumparsita
    • by Gerardo Matos Rodríguez
    • Magda
    by René Aubry