Marina Pestova

Marina Pestova
Personal information
Full name	Marina Nikolayevna Pestova
Alternative names	Marina Akbarov
Country represented	Soviet Union
Born	(1964-12-20) December 20, 1964 Sverdlovsk, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Former partner	Stanislav Leonovich
Former coach	Stanislav Zhuk, Igor Ksenofontov
Former training locations	Moscow Sverdlovsk
Began skating	1968
Retired	1983
Medal record Representing Soviet Union Pairs' Figure skating World Championships 1982 Copenhagen Pairs 1980 Dortmund Pairs European Championships 1982 Lyon Pairs 1980 Gothenburg Pairs

Marina Nikolayevna Pestova, married surname: Akbarov, (Russian: Марина Николаевна Пестова, born December 20, 1964) is a former competitive pair skater who competed for the Soviet Union. With Stanislav Leonovich, she is the 1982 World and European silver medalist, 1980 World and European bronze medalist, and a three-time Soviet national champion. The pair competed at the 1980 Winter Olympics, placing fourth.

Career

Pestova began skating in 1968 at the Spartak Skating Club in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg) with coach Igor Ksenofontov. She teamed up with Stanislav Leonovich in 1974. The pair moved to Moscow in 1976 to train with Stanislav Zhuk.

In the 1977–78 season, Pestova/Leonovich won silver at the Soviet Championships and were granted their European and World Championship debuts, placing 7th at both competitions. They began the next season by winning gold at the Prize of Moscow News. They placed fourth at Europeans and 5th at Worlds in 1979.

In the 1979–80 season, Pestova/Leonovich won their first national title and went on to win bronze at the 1980 European Championships. The pair was sent to the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid and finished fourth. They were bronze medalists at their final event of the season, the 1980 World Championships.

The following season, Pestova/Leonovich placed fourth at the Soviet Championships and did not receive any assignments. They rebounded in 1981–82, taking their second national title and then winning silver at both the 1982 European Championships and 1982 World Championships.

In their final competitive season, Pestova/Leonovich won their third national title and placed sixth at the 1983 World Championships.

After retiring from competition, Pestova performed with the Russian All Stars under the direction of Tatiana Tarasova. She now coaches at the Wheaton Ice Skating Academy in Wheaton, Maryland.

Personal life

Pestova married fellow pair skater Marat Akbarov, with whom she has a daughter, Angela.

Competitive highlights

(pair skating with Leonovich)

Results
International
Event	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83
Winter Olympics			4th
World Championships	7th	5th	3rd		2nd	6th
European Championships	7th	4th	3rd		2nd
Prize of Moscow News		1st
National
Soviet Championships	2nd	2nd	1st	4th	1st	1st