Irina Shtork

Irina Shtork
Shtork and Rand in 2012
Full name	Irina Shtork
Born	(1993-04-07) 7 April 1993 (age 31) Tallinn, Estonia
Height	1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
Figure skating career
Country	Estonia
Partner	Taavi Rand
Coach	Lea Rand, Elena Kustarova, Olga Riabinina
Skating club	Jääkild FSC
Began skating	1997
Retired	2015

Irina Shtork (born 7 April 1993) is an Estonian former ice dancer. With partner Taavi Rand, she is the 2013 International Cup of Nice bronze medalist, the 2013 Ukrainian Open silver medalist, and a four-time Estonian national champion.

Career

Early in her career, Shtork skated with Alexei Trokhlev and Roman Zakharov.

She began competing with Taavi Rand in the 2004–05 season. They debuted on the ISU Junior Grand Prix circuit in 2006 and placed 22nd in their first appearance at Junior Worlds in 2007. The following season, the duo again finished 22nd at Junior Worlds. They parted ways at the end of the season.

Prior to the 2009–10 season, Shork and Rand decided to re-form their partnership. They competed on the junior level in the first half of the season. At the 2009 Nebelhorn Trophy, Rand's brother Kristjan Rand and his American partner Caitlin Mallory earned a spot for Estonia in the Olympic ice dancing event. Mallory/Rand ultimately decided not to use it because she would have to renounce her U.S. citizenship in order to receive Estonian citizenship (required only at the Olympics).^[1] Estonia gave the spot to its second ice dance team, Shtork/Rand. Making their senior international debut, they placed 23rd at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Shtork/Rand returned to the junior level for the first half of the 2010–11 season, placing 6th and 8th at their two JGP events. They also appeared at one senior event, the 2011 European Championships, finishing 21st. They ended their season at the 2011 World Junior Championships where they placed 10th.

In the 2011–12 season, Shtork/Rand continued to move between the junior and senior levels. They won the silver medal at a JGP event in Estonia. They then placed 14th at the 2012 European Championships, 11th at the 2012 World Junior Championships, and 22nd at the 2012 World Championships.

In 2012–13, Shtork/Rand won their first senior international medals—bronze at the 2013 Cup of Nice and silver at the Volvo Open Cup. They placed a career-best 11th at the 2013 European Championships before finishing 25th at the 2013 World Championships.

In 2015, Shtork announced her competitive retirement.

Programs

(with Rand)

Season	Short dance	Free dance
2014–2015	Malagueña Salerosa Malagueña performed by Brian Setzer	Exogenesis: Symphony Act III by Muse
2013–2014 [2]	Booty Swing by Parov Stelar Sixteen Tons by Paul Robeson Do You Thing by Basement Jaxx	The Umbrellas of Cherbourg by Michel Legrand
2012–2013 [3]	Polka: Cotton Eyed Joe Waltz: Old Country Waltz Polka: Cotton Eyed Joe	A Los Amigos
2011–2012 [4][5]	Rhumba: Bésame Mucho Samba: Mujer Latina by Thalía Cha Cha: El Diablo anda Suelto Samba: Mujer Latina by Thalía	The Story of Michael Strogoff (soundtrack)
2010–2011 [6]	Waltz: Once Upon a December (from Anastasia)	El Dia Que Me Quieras by Raúl di Blasio
	Original dance
2009–2010 [7][8]	Estonian folk: Pärnu Polka Waltz by Erni Kasesalu Pärnu Polka	Nothing Else Matters by Metallica Mind's Eye by Vasyl Popadiuk Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 in D minor by Johann Sebastian Bach
2007–2008 [9]	Irish jig: Losing My Religion by R.E.M.	Equilibrium by Klaus Badelt, James Cullum
2006–2007 [10]	That Lucky Old Sun by Louis Armstrong	It's a Dog's Life by Charlie Chaplin City Lights by Charlie Chaplin The Gold Rush by Charlie Chaplin

Competitive highlights

(with Rand)

Results[11]
International
Event	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08	2009–10	2010–11	2011–12	2012–13	2013–14	2014–15
Olympics					23rd
Worlds							22nd	25th		23rd
Europeans						21st	14th	11th	14th	13th
Cup of Nice								3rd
Finlandia								5th	6th
Ice Challenge								6th
Nebelhorn									19th
Toruń Cup										5th
Ukrainian Open									2nd
Volvo Cup								2nd	5th
International: Junior
Junior Worlds			22nd	22nd		10th	11th
JGP Austria				10th		8th
JGP Czech Rep.			11th
JGP Estonia				10th			2nd
JGP Germany					17th
JGP Great Britain						6th
JGP Hungary					18th
JGP Norway			13th
JGP Romania							7th
NRW Trophy					9th J.
Pavel Roman		1st N.
National
Estonian Champ.	3rd	3rd	1st J.	1st J.	1st	1st	1st	1st		1st
JGP = Junior Grand Prix; Levels: N. = Novice; J. = Junior

References

1. Clarey, Christopher (27 January 2010). "Switching Nations to Find New Skating Partners". The New York Times.
2. "Irina SHTORK / Taavi RAND: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013.
3. "Irina SHTORK / Taavi RAND: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 22 August 2013.
4. "Irina SHTORK / Taavi RAND: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 30 May 2012.
5. "Irina SHTORK / Taavi RAND: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 30 November 2011.
6. "Irina SHTORK / Taavi RAND: 2010/2011". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 May 2011.
7. "Irina SHTORK / Taavi RAND: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 23 February 2010.
8. "Irina SHTORK / Taavi RAND: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 30 October 2009.
9. "Irina SHTORK / Taavi RAND: 2007/2008". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 7 June 2008.
10. "Irina SHTORK / Taavi RAND: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 5 March 2007.
11. "Competition Results: Irina SHTORK / Taavi RAND". International Skating Union.

External links

Media related to Irina Shtork at Wikimedia Commons

• Irina Shtork / Taavi Rand at the International Skating Union