Natalja Zabijako

Natalja Zabijako
Zabijako and Zaboev in 2013.
Personal information
Country represented	Russia
Former country(ies) represented	Estonia
Born	15 August 1994 Tallinn, Estonia
Height	1.62 m (5 ft 4 in)
Partner	Alexander Enbert
Former partner	Yuri Larionov, Alexandr Zaboev, Sergei Kulbach, Sergei Muhhin
Coach	Nina Mozer, Vladislav Zhovnirski, Robin Szolkowy
Former coach	Andrei Kriukov, Pavel Dimitrov, Stanimir Todorov
Choreographer	Alla Kapranova, Guiseppe Arena, Igor Tchiniaev
Former choreographer	Pavel Dimitrov, Stanimir Todorov
Former skating club	FSC Medal Tallinn
Training locations	Moscow
Former training locations	Ashburn, Virginia
Began skating	1998
ISU personal best scores
Combined total	196.22 2015 Mordovian Ornament
Short program	67.64 2015 Mordovian Ornament
Free skate	128.58 2015 Mordovian Ornament

Natalja Aleksandrovna Zabijako (Russian: Наталья Александровна Забияко, born 15 August 1994) is a Russian-Estonian pair skater. She competed for Estonia until 2014, partnered with Sergei Muhhin, Sergei Kulbach, and Alexandr Zaboev. With Zaboev, she placed tenth at the 2014 European Championships. Although they qualified a spot for Estonia in the pairs' event at the 2014 Winter Olympics, they did not compete in Sochi because Zaboev's fast-track citizenship application was declined. She currently competes for Russia and teamed up with Alexander Enbert.

Personal life

Zabijako was born in Tallinn, Estonia. Her mother is an Estonian citizen, her father is a stateless person in Estonia, and her grandparents are Russian citizens living in Novorossiysk.^[1]

From 2010 to 2014, Zabijako lived in the United States with a Russian emigrant family.^[1] In April 2014, she said she planned to move to Moscow and apply for Russian citizenship.^[2][1] She became a Russian citizen on 19 December 2014.^[3]

Career

Zabijako began skating when she was four years old. At age 15, she switched from singles to pairs, partnering with Sergei Muhhin.^[1] They made their international debut at the 2009 ISU Junior Grand Prix in Belarus and placed 16th at the 2010 World Junior Championships.

Later in 2010, Zabijako teamed up with Ukrainian skater Sergei Kulbach to represent Estonia. After debuting at the 2010 Nebelhorn Trophy, the pair placed 13th at the 2011 European Championships and 16th at the 2011 World Championships. Zabijako injured her back as a result of a fall at the NRW Trophy in December 2011, preventing them from competing at the 2012 European Championships.^[4] On 15 February 2012, it was reported that Zabijako and Kulbach had parted ways.^[4]

In October 2012, Zabijako teamed up with Russian-born skater Alexandr Zaboev to compete for Estonia.^[5] By finishing ninth at the 2013 Nebelhorn Trophy, they earned a spot for Estonia in pair skating at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Zaboev applied for Estonian citizenship, required to represent the country at the Olympics,^[5] but in November 2013, Estonia denied his fast-track application.^[6] Zabijako/Zaboev placed tenth at the 2014 European Championships and 19th at the 2014 World Championships. In late March 2014, Zabijako ended their partnership, saying he was too difficult to work with^[7] and the Estonian Skating Federation did not provide them with equal financial support.^[8] In early April 2014, the Secretary General of the Estonian Skating Union submitted an official rebuttal to Zabijako’s statements. The Secretary General called Zabijako’s statements concerning the Skating Union and her partner slanderous and untrue;“Sport - is voluntary, and each person has a right to make decisions, but to justify their actions do not have to lie and defame their partners.”^[9]

In April 2014, Zabijako said she would move to Moscow to work with Nina Mozer and try out with different skaters,^[7] intending to compete for Russia.^[1] ISU rules require skaters to sit out a certain period of time after a country change.^[10] In summer 2014 Zabijako and Yuri Larionov decided to skate together.

Partnership with Enbert

In June 2015 Zabijako said that she and Yuri Larionov had ended their partnership. In July 2015 it became known that Zabijako and Alexander Enbert would skate together in season 2015-2016. Zabijako also confirmed that she and Enbert were free to represent Russia at any international event. ^[11] In October 2015 Zabijako/Enbert started their international career by competing in an ISU Challenger Series at the 2015 Mordovian Ornament where they won silver medal. In November Zabijako/Enbert skated their 1st Grand Prix competition when they placed 5th at the 2015 Rostelecom Cup. In December 4-6, Zabijako/Enbert competed in Challenger Series at the 2015 Golden Spin of Zagreb. They placed 4th and also became 3rd at the 2015-16 ISU Challenger Series ranking. On December 24-27, Zabijako and Enbert competed at the 2016 Russian Championships finishing in 5th place after placing fifth in the short program and free skate.

Programs

With Enbert

Season	Short program	Free skating	Exhibition
2015–2016 [12]	Juno and Avos by Alexey Rybnikov	God's Thunder by Georges Garvarentz	Juno and Avos by Alexey Rybnikov

With Larionov

Season	Short program	Free skating
2014–2015	The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber	Requiem pour un Fou by Lara Fabian

With Zaboev

Season	Short program	Free skating
2013–2014 [13]	Russian folk music	Conquest of Paradise by Vangelis

With Kulbach

Season	Short program	Free skating
2011–2012 [14]	Russian folk music	Conquest of Paradise by Vangelis
2010–2011 [15]	Middle Eastern composition	Tribute Nostalgia Until the Last Moment by Yanni

With Muhhin

Season	Short program	Free skating
2009–2010 [16]	Charlie Chaplin	Dark Eyes

Competitive highlights

GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

With Enbert for Russia

International
Event	2015–16
GP Rostelecom Cup	5th
CS Golden Spin	4th
CS Mordovian Ornament	2nd
National[17]
Event	2015–16
Russian Championships	5th

With Larionov for Russia

National[17]
Event	2014–15
Russian Championships	7th

With Zaboev for Estonia

International[18]
Event	2013–14
World Championships	19th
European Championships	10th
Golden Spin of Zagreb	2nd
Nebelhorn Trophy	9th

With Kulbach for Estonia

Zabijako competes with Sergei Kulbach at the 2011 World Championships

International[19]
Event	2010–11	2011–12
World Championships	16th
European Championships	13th
NRW Trophy	5th	3rd
International: Junior
JGP Estonia		4th
National
Estonian Championships	1st

With Muhhin for Estonia

International[20]
Event	2009–10
World Junior Championships	16th
JGP Belarus	13th
National
Estonian Championships	1st

Detailed results

(Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships – Worlds, Europeans, and Junior Worlds. At team events, medals awarded for team results only.)

With Enbert

2015–2016 season
Date	Event	SP	FS	Total
23–27 December 2015	2016 Russian Championships	5 70.60	5 134.43	5 205.03
2–5 December 2015	2015 Golden Spin of Zagreb	4 60.96	4 112.66	4 173.62
20–22 November 2015	2015 Rostelecom Cup	5 60.77	5 119.79	5 180.56
15–18 October 2015	2015 Mordovian Ornament	2 67.64	2 128.58	2 196.22

References

1. Kuznetsova, Inna (8 April 2014). Наталья Забияко: иногда, чтобы чего-то достичь, нужно рискнуть [Natalja Zabijako: Sometimes you have to take a risk to achieve something]. team-russia2014.ru (in Russian).
2. Mikhailov, Sergei (7 April 2014). Наталья Забияко: я все обдумала и буду брать российское гражданство [Natalja Zabijako: I've thought it over and decided to apply for Russian citizenship]. Eesti Rahvusringhääling (Russian version) (in Russian).
3. Medvedev, Gennadij (23 December 2014). ФОТО: Чемпионка Эстонии получила российское гражданство [Estonian champion receives Russian citizenship]. Delfi (web portal) (Russian version) (in Russian).
4. Värv, Maarja (15 February 2012). "Eesti paarissõitjate teed läksid lahku" [Estonian pair skaters part ways]. Postimees (in Estonian). Archived from the original on 12 March 2012.
   • Värv, Maarja (16 February 2012). Дороги эстонской пары фигуристов разошлись [Estonian pair skaters part ways]. Postimees (Russian version) (in Russian). Archived from the original on 12 March 2012.
5. "Russian Figure Skater Seeks Estonia Switch for Sochi Dream". R-Sport (RIA Novosti). 4 October 2013. Archived from the original on 7 October 2013.
6. "Estonia stops Russian figure skater's Sochi hopes". Associated Press (ESPN). 14 November 2013.
7. Фигуристка Наталья Забияко рассказала Delfi всю правду о своем бывшем партнере [Figure skater Natalja Zabijako speaks to Delfi about her former partner]. Delfi (web portal) (Russian version) (in Russian). 8 April 2014.
8. "Kodakondsusest loobuv Natalja Zabijako: Eestis on tippu jõudmine ebareaalne [Renouncing Nationality, Natalya Zabijako: Getting to the Unrealistic Topl]". Delfi. Delfi Sport. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
9. "Союз конькобежцев Эстонии опровергает высказывания Натальи Забияко [Estonian Skating Union Refutes Statements Of Natalia Zabijako]". Delfi. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
10. Mikhailov, Sergei (6 April 2014). Руководство фигурного катания Эстонии в шоке от решения Забияко [Estonian skating association shocked by Zabijako's decision]. Eesti Rahvusringhääling (Russian version) (in Russian).
11. http://www.team-russia2014.ru/article/22207.html
12. Фигуристы группы Нины Мозер показали новые программы [Nina Moser's skaters group showed the new programs] (in Russian). Russian Figure Skating Federation. 12 August 2015.
13. "Natalja ZABIJAKO / Alexandr ZABOEV: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 6 April 2014.
14. "Natalja ZABIJAKO / Sergei KULBACH: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2 October 2012.
15. "Natalja ZABIJAKO / Sergei KULBACH: 2010/2011". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 25 January 2011.
16. "Natalja ZABIJAKO / Sergei MUHHIN: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 14 March 2010.
17. Наталья Александровна Забияко [Natalja Aleksandrovna Zabijako] (in Russian). fskate.ru.
18. "Competition Results: Natalja ZABIJAKO / Alexandr ZABOEV". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 6 April 2014.
19. "Competition Results: Natalja ZABIJAKO / Sergei KULBACH". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012.
20. "Competition Results: Natalja ZABIJAKO / Sergei MUHHIN". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 14 October 2012.

External links

• Natalja Zabijako / Alexander Enbert at the International Skating Union
• Natalja Zabijako / Alexandr Zaboev at the International Skating Union

Media related to Natalja Zabijako at Wikimedia Commons