Igor Rusakov died yesterday

[Orable]

Ilia Klimkin's longtime coach (13 years) lost his battle with leukemia and died yesterday, according to sports.ru and confirmed by Artur Werner. He also coached Daria Timochenko. :( the skating world has lost a wonderful man and innovative coach who always looked for new and interesting ways to create programs. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

I have linked a nice article on Klimkin from GS where the reader can appreciate teh depth of his relationship with Rusakov.

"Unlike many skaters who change coaches, Klimkin has remained with coach Igor Rusakov for 13 years. "He does everything for me," Klimkin said. "Music, choreography, costumes, everything." "

http://www.goldenskate.com/articles/2002/050603.shtml

[antilles]

That's sad to hear. My thoughts ae with his family. I wonder what Ilia will do now?

[Orable]

I wonder too, what Ilia will do this season. I did some searching and found out that Ilia's father had passed away several years ago as well... I found this interview with IFS in Jan/Feb 2000:

His use of French music is not coincidence, since Klimkin has been spending a lot of his time in Paris, where his coach, Igor Rusakov, is receiving treatment for leukemia. Klimkin's transition to adult skating was not made any easier by the death of his father in the past year and the illness of his coach.

"When my own father died, my coach became like a second father to me. It is hard to find anyone better," Klimkin said.
Thankfully, Rusikov has received excellent medical treatment due to donations made by members of the skating world. As well, a bone-marrow transplant was performed at the expense of the French government.

I'm sorry, this is really sad...My thoughts and prayers are with all of Igor Rusakov's loved ones.

the rest of the article:

IFS interview (http://groups.msn.com/IliaKlimkin/article02.msnw)

[danibellerika]

This is something really sad. I really did enjoy watching what he did for Ilia. I wish Ilia all the luck in the world and hope that he can still keep that innovative style since he's had 13 years of it which I find really amazing. It has to be so hard though b/c his coach did everything so Ilia could feel like he's lost everything right now(and that's completely understandable). My thoughts and prayers are with everyone who is affected by this.