Marina Pestova

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

Marina Pestova
Full name	Marina Nikolayevna Pestova
Other names	Marina Akbarov
Born	(1964-12-20) 20 December 1964 Sverdlovsk, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Figure skating career
Country	Soviet Union
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

Personal life

Pestova was born on 20 December 1964 in Sverdlovsk, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union. She married fellow pair skater Marat Akbarov, with whom she has a daughter, Angela.

Career

Early years

Pestova began skating in 1968 at the Spartak Skating Club in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg) with coach Igor Ksenofontov. She moved to Moscow in 1976 to train with Stanislav Zhuk. In the 1976–77 season, she competed in partnership with Mikhail Vazhenin.

Partnership with Leonovich

Pestova teamed up with Stanislav Leonovich in 1977. In the 1977–78 season, they 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.

Post-competitive

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.

Competitive highlights

With Leonovich

International
Event	77–78	78–79	79–80	80–81	81–82	82–83
Winter Olympics			4th
World Champ.	7th	5th	3rd		2nd	6th
European Champ.	7th	4th	3rd		2nd
Prize of Moscow News		1st
National
Soviet Champ.	2nd	2nd	1st	4th	1st	1st

With Vazhenin

International
Event	1976–77
Prize of Moscow News	6th