Marika Humphreys

Marika Humphreys
Full nameMarika Humphreys-Baranova
Born (1977-01-03) 3 January 1977 (age 47)
Chester, England
HometownDeeside, Wales
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Figure skating career
Country Great Britain
Skating clubDeeside Ice Skating Club
Began skating1983
Retired2004

Marika Humphreys-Baranova OLY (born 3 January 1977) is a British Ice Dance Coach, Choreographer, retired ISU Technical Specialist & Moderator, former competitor & British Winter Olympian.

Personal life

Marika Humphreys was born on 3 January 1977 in Chester.[1] She and Baranov were married in March 1999.[1] The two formerly resided in Shotton, Flintshire.[2] In 2009, Humphreys-Baranova graduated from Glyndwr University with an honours degree in sports and exercise sciences.[2]

Career

Early career

Marika Humphreys began learning to skate in 1983.[1]

Partnership with Justin Lanning

Humphreys & Lanning paired following a national partner search event or “mix and match” in early 1989.

The young couple benefitted from sponsorship by the ice drink company Slush Puppie. Coached by James Young they took the 1989 British Junior Championship title at just 12 and 16 respectively. Representing GB at the 1990 Junior World Championships in Colorado Springs they placed 12th.

Old ISU regulations saw the team age up to Senior category when Lanning turned 18 in 1991 with Humphreys just 14 as they competed in their first Senior Championship under the guidance of Betty Callaway.

In the 1992–93 season, she became the youngest ice dancer ever to win the British senior title, winning at age 15 Justin Lanning.[2] They placed 12th at the 1993 European Championships in Helsinki, Finland, and 17th at the 1993 World Championships in Prague, Czech Republic. The following season, they took silver behind Jayne Torvill / Christopher Dean and finished 16th at the 1994 World Championships in Chiba, Japan.

Partnership with Askew

In the 1995–96 and 1996-97 season, Humphreys won the British national title with Philip Askew and represented Great Britain at European & World Championships 96 & 97.

Partnership with Baranov

Humphreys met Ukrainian ice dancer Vitaliy Baranov while auditioning for the Blackpool Hot Ice show.[3]

Humphreys/Baranov won the British Championship in 2000 & 2001, representing Great Britain at European & World Championships and ultimately the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Post-competitive career

Officiating for International Skating Union

Humphreys-Baranova was a technical specialist for the ISU from 2005 to 2017.[4] She served as the Technical Specialist for the Ice Dance event at the 2010 Olympics,[4][5] the European Championships in Warsaw 2007,[6] and as the ice dancing Assistant Technical Specialist at the 2008[7] and 2006[8] World Figure Skating Championships. Humphreys-Baranova also trained new Technical Specialists for the ISU until her retirement from ISU service. In 2019, she was presented with an ISU Long Service medal for her contribution and services to International Ice Dance.

Academic Study

In 2006, Humphreys-Baranova commenced studies of Applied Sport and Exercise Sciences at Glyndwr University (North Wales) as a mature student, graduating BSc in 2009.

Coaching - Deeside Ice Rink

Humphreys-Baranova coached at Deeside ice rink between 1996 and 2013. Notably forming a Synchronised skating team (then called Precision Skating)for the Deeside Ice Skating Club and coaching the team to 2 British Championships in 1996 and 1997 while still competing herself.

In the 2012/13 season, she was recruited to coach and choreograph for Pernelle Carron and Lloyd Jones for their pre-Olympic season,[9] coordinating the team to attain a 10th place finish at the European Championships in Zagreb,[10] and 12th at the World Championships in Canada.[11]

Coaching - Lee Valley Ice Centre

In April 2013, she became the Elite Skating Coordinator for the Lee Valley Ice Centre in London.

Full time students trained at Lee Valley include 2013 British Junior Silver medallists Mina Zdravkova & Henry Aiken, 2019 Bulgarian Champions and European Championship competitors, Christopher Martin Davis and Mina Zdravkova.

Programs

(with Baranov)

Season Original dance Free dance
2003–04
[1]
  • Hey Pachuco
  • Swing Lovor
  • Hey Pachuco
  • Sirocco
    by Momo and Christophe Goze
  • Sahara
    arranged by Haylie Ecker and Brian Gascoigne
    performed by Bond
2002–03
[12]
2001–02
[13]
  • Passionata
    by Georges Bizet
  • Carmen Fantasy
    by Georges Bizet
    performed by Anne-Sopie Mutter
    and the Vienna Philharmonic
  • Spanish waltz: Prelude from Carmen
    by Georges Bizet,
    Manhattan Pops Orchestra
2000–01
[14]

Results

GP: Champions Series / Grand Prix

With Baranov

International[15]
Event 98–99 00–01 01–02 02–03 03–04
Winter Olympics 15th
World Champ. 16th 14th
European Champ. 12th 11th
GP Cup of Russia 7th
GP NHK Trophy 6th WD
GP Trophée Lalique 8th
Finlandia Trophy 3rd 2nd
Golden Spin 3rd
Nebelhorn Trophy 3rd
Schäfer Memorial 1st
National[15]
British Champ. 3rd 1st 1st 3rd
WD = Withdrew

With Askew

International
Event 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98
World Champ. 17th 16th
European Champ. 11th 15th
GP Nations Cup 8th
GP Skate Canada 9th
Lysiane Lauret 3rd
Schäfer Memorial 5th
National
British Champ. 1st 1st

With Lanning

International
Event 1992–93 1993–94
World Champ. 17th 16th
European Champ. 12th
Piruetten 6th
National
British Champ. 1st 2nd

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Marika HUMPHREYS / Vitali BARANOV: 2003/2004". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 26 June 2004.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ a b c Goodban, Dave (11 February 2010). "Flintshire skater Marika Humphreys makes Winter Olympics return". Chester Chronicle. Archived from the original on 26 August 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ Stevenson, Sandra (16 January 2002). "Ice Skating: Humphreys goal orientated after 15 years". The Daily Telegraph.
  4. ^ a b "Communication No. 1467". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009.
  5. ^ "2010 Winter Olympics". International Skating Union.
  6. ^ "2007 European Championships". International Skating Union.
  7. ^ "2008 World Championships". International Skating Union.
  8. ^ "2006 World Championships". International Skating Union.
  9. ^ "Biography | Ice Dance | Pernelle CARRON (FRA), Lloyd JONES (FRA)". www.isuresults.com. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  10. ^ "Results – 2013 European Championships". www.ice-dance.com. 11 February 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  11. ^ "Competition results | Pernelle CARRON / Lloyd JONES". www.isuresults.com. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  12. ^ "Marika HUMPHREYS / Vitali BARANOV: 2002/2003". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 8 June 2003.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  13. ^ "Marika HUMPHREYS / Vitali BARANOV: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 13 February 2002.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  14. ^ "Marika HUMPHREYS / Vitali BARANOV: 2000/2001". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 April 2001.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  15. ^ a b "Marika HUMPHREYS / Vitali BARANOV". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 15 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.