Personal life

Tatiana Tarasova is the daughter of Anatoli Tarasov, a famed ice hockey coach, who introduced her to figure skating at the age of five. She lived for more than a decade in Simsbury, Connecticut before moving back to Russia in 2006. She is the widow of Vladimir Krainev, who died in April 2011.

Competitive career

Tarasova competed in pair skating with Aleksandr Tikhomirov and Georgi Proskurin. With Proskurin, she was a two-time Soviet national medalist. They finished 7th at the 1965 World Championships and 4th at the 1966 European Championships. At 18 years of age, Tarasova sustained a career-ending injury.

(with Proskurin)

International
Event	1963-1964	1964-1965	1965-1966
World Championships		7th
European Championships		6th	4th
Winter Universiade			1st
National
Soviet Championships	3rd	2nd

Later career

Tarasova started coaching at age 19, at her father's insistence. Her most notable students have been Alexei Yagudin, Ilia Kulik, Natalia Bestemianova / Andrei Bukin, Oksana Grishuk / Evgeni Platov, Ekaterina Gordeeva / Sergei Grinkov, Marina Klimova / Sergey Ponomarenko, and Irina Rodnina / Alexander Zaitsev.

In the mid-1980s, Tarasova launched the Russian All-Stars, an ice ballet. She coached for ten years at Simsbury, Connecticut's International Skating Center before announcing her retirement from full-time coaching and moving back to Russia in 2006.

Her students have included:

• Mao Asada. She coached Asada from 2008 until 2010. Asada won the 2010 World title and 2010 Olympic silver medal under Tarasova. Tarasova continues to choreograph for her.
• Shizuka Arakawa. Led her to win the World Championships in 2004 and Olympic gold medal in 2006 together with Nikolai Morozov.
• Maxim Kovtun. Coached and choreographed his programs starting 2012.
• Natalia Bestemianova / Andrei Bukin. Led them to four World Championships and the Olympic gold medal in 1988.
• Artem Borodulin. Coached him and choreographed programs for him.
• Shae-Lynn Bourne / Victor Kraatz. World champions in 2003 in ice dance.
• Galit Chait / Sergei Sakhnovski. World bronze medalists in 2002.
• Sasha Cohen. Coached her from 2002 until 2004. Was also her choreographer.
• Annette Dytrt. Choreographed programs for her.
• Barbara Fusar-Poli / Maurizio Margaglio. World champions in 2001 in ice dance.
• Elene Gedevanishvili. Has worked with her during multiple periods of her career.
• Timothy Goebel. Choreographed multiple programs for him.
• Oksana Grishuk / Evgeni Platov. Led them to win four World Championships and two Olympic gold medals in 1994 and 1998.
• Ekaterina Gordeeva / Sergei Grinkov. Four-time World Champions and twice Olympic gold medalists in 1988 and 1994.
• Brian Joubert: choreographed his programs in the 2004-5 season.
• Marina Klimova / Sergey Ponomarenko. Led them to three World Championships and the Olympic gold medal in 1992.
• Ilia Kulik. Was also his choreographer. Led him to win the Olympic gold medal in 1998.
• Michelle Kwan. Choreographed a lot of her programs.
• Evan Lysacek. Choreographed multiple programs for him.
• Kevin Reynolds. Choreographed some of his programs.
• Irina Rodnina / Alexander Zaitsev. Led them to win six World Championships and two Olympic gold medals in 1976 and 1980.
• Maxim Kovtun. Choreographed his programs.
• Adelina Sotnikova. Choreographed her programs.
• Denis Ten. Worked with him during periods of his career as well as choreographed programs for him.
• Sergei Voronov. Choreographed programs for him.
• Johnny Weir. Choreographed multiple programs for him.
• Alexei Yagudin. Coached and choreographed him from 1998 to his retirement in 2003. Led him to three World Championships and an Olympic gold medal in 2002.

Tarasova is assisted by choreographer Jeanetta Folle.

Honours and awards

Tarasova was awarded Order of Friendship of Peoples (1984). In March 2008, she was inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

• Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 3rd class (27 February 1998) - for outstanding athletic achievement at the XVIII Olympic Winter Games in 1998
• Order of Honour (13 February 2007) - for outstanding contribution to the development of physical culture and sport and many years of fruitful activity
• Order of the Red Banner of Labour, twice
• Order of the Badge of Honour (1976)
• Order of Friendship of Peoples (1984)
• Honoured coach of the USSR (1975)
• Honoured coach of the RSFSR (1972)
• Honoured Artist of the RSFSR
• Master of Sports of international class

[ Source: Wikipedia ]