Igor Ksenofontov

Ksenofontov was born in Sverdlovsk in the family of metallurgical engineer Boris Maksimovich Ksenofontov, professor at the Ural State Technical University, and Galina Seregina, professor at the Ural State Mining University. He had a younger sister Tatyana. Although his parents didn't consider it a serious occupation, he liked sport from the very young age and took part in regional competitions in volleyball, swimming, figure skating. As a member of Sverdlovsk figure skating team, he was coached by Evgeny Kuzminykh.[4]

After he graduated from school Ksenofontov spend a year working in metallurgy, which he later remembered as a job for "strong men", but monotonous.[4] In 1958 he moved to Omsk and entered the Siberian Academy of Physical Culture, after graduation in 1962 taught at the Faculty of Cycle Sport and Speed Skating. Since 1963 he had been working as a figure skating judge. In 1964 he returned to Sverdlovsk and started teaching at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport (Ural State Technical University).[4]

He founded the first figure skating school (Russian: СДЮСШОР №11) for children in Sverdlovsk, opened on March 1, 1969. Ksenofontov became a headmaster.[2] Among the coaches were Agnessa Dunayeva, Nelya Dronova, Valery Dolgov, Anatoly Mikhalev, Leonid Rakultsev and others. They helped to create a unique system of skaters' selection and training.[4] In the 1970s sportsmen from Ksenofontov's school started to show noticeable results at the international competitions (particularly in pair skating, later in ladies' single skating[2]). By the 1980s his school was widely known in the USSR.[4] In 1981 the USSR Sport Committee ordered Ksenofontov's school to create a group to train specifically for the national team. Ksenofontov left the headmaster's position to coach this group, and moved to Pervouralsk, which had a better ice rink.[4]

Since 1990 he coached many figure skaters and coaches from China, the Israel Olympic team at the 1994 Winter Olympics; national team of Uzbekistan in 1993—1999.[1][3]

Ksenofontov died from a heart failure in a train on his way to Bulgaria, in Kazan.

In 1975 Ksenofontov met his wife Galina Abramycheva (Sizova), an architect. Their son Alexey was born in 1979.[4]

He was also known for culinary skills; his mastery in sharpening and fixing figure skate blades;[3] the ability to recognize the skaters's potential almost instantly;[5] and for long-term close friendship with other coaches including Igor Moskvin, Edouard Pliner, Viktor Kudryavtsev, Vladislav Petukhov, Valentin Nikolaev, Galina Zmievskaya, Mikhail Drey, and Vladimir Kaprov.[4]

• Order of the Badge of Honour (1971)
• Merited Coaches of the RSFSR (1974)
• Medal "Veteran of Labour" (1988)