How well would Staviski & Denkova have done at the 2010 Olympics had they not retired

[Maofan7]

Maxim Staviski & Albena Denkova were the 2006 and 2007 Ice Dance World Champions. Then on the 5th August 2007, Maxim was unfortunately involved in a car accident in which 1 person was killed and another seriously injured. Maxim was found guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol. Staviski & Denkova retired soon after the car crash as the legal issues pertaining to the accident did not resolve until the 12th May 2009.

Extremely unfortunate and terrible set of circumstances for all involved.

Following the resolution of the legal issues in May 2009, Staviski & Denkova have been able to move on. They helped Brian Joubert choreograph some of his programs. They are now engaged and recently had a son. They have also skated in various shows around the world and started a skating school in Sofia called SC Ice Dance

Had the accident not occurred, they could have gone into the 2010 Olympic ice dance competition as one of the favourites and come away with at least a medal. So how well would Staviski & Denkova have faired against Virtue & Moir and Davis & White at the 2010 Olympics?

[PeterG]

I am going to go out on a limb and say that IMHO, they could have placed in the top 10 in Vancouver.

[Karpenko]

I think if they looked as they did in 2007, they would have won bronze (I would've personally had them 2nd, nobody was beating V/M that night).

[snoopysnake]

Such a waste of talent. They were favorites of mine in the mid 00's. I do think they would have medaled, and could well have beaten the other teams, if he had not made that terrible choice to drink and drive.

I wish S/S well and am glad for her sake that they are happy, but IMHO, he should be in prison.

[judgejudy27]

It is hard to say. They probably reached their career peak in the mid 2000s though. I doubt they would have been at their best anymore by Vancouver. Still a shot at the bronze I guess, as the field was really weak outside the first 2 with all the injuries teams had faced leading into Vancouver.

[RumbleFish]

What would have happened if Delobel had not gotten pregnant?

[judgejudy27]

What would have happened if Delobel had not gotten pregnant?

If they hadnt had their fluke injury in the exhibition at the 2009 GPF and then her unplanned pregnancy (or so was said at the time) IMO they would have easily defended their World title at the 2009 Worlds, and come no worth than silver at the 2010 Olympics.

[RumbleFish]

If they hadnt had their fluke injury in the exhibition at the 2009 GPF and then her unplanned pregnancy (or so was said at the time) IMO they would have easily defended their World title at the 2009 Worlds, and come no worth than silver at the 2010 Olympics.

ITA on this one. I don't know whether they would have beaten V/M at their home soil, but they were much better than Domshabs or Davis-White.

[PashaFan]

I was never their biggest fan & in 01,02 & 03 never saw them as future World champions but they did improve.
They were the best at the 2006 Worlds but I thought at the 2007 Worlds Dubreil & Lauzon were better.
It's a pity Dubreil & Lauzon did not hold on until Vancouver.
If I was ruling the figure skating world (In my dreams !) I would seperate each round as an event.
So there would be medals for the Compulsory then medals for the original then medals for the free !.
Maybe then other deserving couples would get a chance.

[zotza]

I was never a fan and I often found them extremely over rated and technically lacking in many cases.Being voidy and popular and good looking isn't really everything.But in 2007 although some of their fans didn't like their program,I personally found their dancing really interesting for the first time.And technically they,especially Albena, have improved a lot.I'm not sure they'd win in Vancouver,I believe that it was V/M to lose for the very beginning,but they could have finished on the podium.Nobody really knows if both the other D/S would get the titles they did if DenStas were still competing at that day.But what if Maxim wasn't injured,Isabelle hadn't got pregnant ,etc?
I could never see a Russian couple winning in Vancouver,not in Canada, not at the Olympics,but DenSta were representing Bulgaria so that's a different story.Maybe second, or third...

[nuge]

We'll just never know how things would have turned out. I know one thing
though my dream olympic podium 2010 would have been the three D/S
Gold for Denstas as they were my favs at that time then silver and bronze any order .I loved all the D/SSSS

[euterpe]

Their last Worlds was in 2007 and they didn't sound as if they wanted to continue as eligibles. In 2010 they would have been 35 and 32 and I suspect they would have been well past their prime. I don't think they would have been a medal candidate let alone on the podium.

[longingfornia]

My 08 World Champ results with everybody their and in top form are
1 Oksana DOMNINA & Maxim SHABALIN Russia
2 Isabelle Delobel & Olivier Schoenfelder France
3 Albena DENKOVA & Maxim STAVISKI Bulgaria

[julieann]

he should be in prison.

He really should be, I'm surprised he's not.

[mia joy]

^ Ditto. Everytime I see him at a competition or read about him choreographing for someone, this is the first thought that pops into my mind.

[Domshabfan]

He really should be, I'm surprised he's not.

Sorry, you should apply Bulgarian law and not US law in this case... fair or not is different question, however the accident happened in Bulgaria and whether any special rule where made to except him from jail sentence is the only question here.

Between Lutai and Staviski has a lot of similarities apart from being Russians don't they?

[julieann]

Sorry, you should apply Bulgarian law and not US law in this case... fair or not is different question, however the accident happened in Bulgaria and whether any special rule where made to except him from jail sentence is the only question here.

I wasn't aware it was Bulgaria's law to allow someone twice the legal limit who killed someone and left another comatose not to serve jail time. I would have assumed if they bother to have a legal limit they aren't tolerant with drunk drivers in their country. I guess if Bulgaria allows all it's drunk drivers who kill to walk then it's ok-but I doubt they do. Fair? I personally don't think so but you would have to ask the family of the kid he killed. I just hope he never gets a phone call that his wife and child were killed by a drunk driver.

But he is sorry...

"I am at a loss for words with which to express the way I feel. I am very distressed and shocked by what happened. I would like to express my deepest and most sincere sympathies with the families of the victims. This is a huge tragedy, it is very personal and affects everyone close to me. I know that this will turn upside down my life and the life of Albena forever."

To answer the original question, I think probably 5th, 6th at the very lowest.

[bek]

Sorry, you should apply Bulgarian law and not US law in this case... fair or not is different question, however the accident happened in Bulgaria and whether any special rule where made to except him from jail sentence is the only question here.

Between Lutai and Staviski has a lot of similarities apart from being Russians don't they?

Well Lutai didn't kill anyone.

[vivika1982]

Probably second or third if only....
We had too many "ifs" between the 2006 and 2010 OG:French D/S pregnancy,Russian D/S injuries and etc.And what if N/K decided to come back like Plushenko to defend their tittle and the honor of Russian's Ice Dance.We can go on and on but the truth is: it wasn't meant to be.And that's all.

Just for the sake of the facts in one interview Albena mentioned that before their final decision they went to Linichuk and Karponosov for advise about their chances and wheiter or not to compete at 2010 OG.

[mineko]

Probably second or third if only....
We had too many "ifs" between the 2006 and 2010 OG:French D/S pregnancy,Russian D/S injuries and etc.And what if N/K decided to come back like Plushenko to defend their tittle and the honor of Russian's Ice Dance.We can go on and on but the truth is: it wasn't meant to be.And that's all.

Just for the sake of the facts in one interview Albena mentioned that before their final decision they went to Linichuk and Karponosov for advise about their chances and wheiter or not to compete at 2010 OG.

ITA. It's a moot point to speculate.