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Povilas Vanagas
Drobiazko and Vanagas in 2024
Born	(1970-07-23) 23 July 1970 (age 54) Šiauliai, Lithuania
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Figure skating career
Country	Lithuania
Partner	Margarita Drobiazko
Skating club	Sports School Baltu Ainiai
Began skating	1974
Retired	2002, 2006
Medal record Figure skating Ice dancing Representing  Lithuania World Championships 2000 Nice Ice dancing European Championships 2006 Lyon Ice dancing 2000 Vienna Ice dancing Grand Prix Final 2001-2002 Kitchener Ice dancing 2000-2001 Tokyo Ice dancing 1999-2000 Lyon Ice dancing

Povilas Vanagas (Lithuanian pronunciation: [ˈpôːvʲɪɫɐs ˈvaːnɐɡɐs]; born 23 July 1970) is a Lithuanian ice dancer. With his wife Margarita Drobiazko, he is the 2000 World bronze medalist, a three-time Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, a two-time European bronze medalist (2000, 2006), the 1999 Skate Canada champion, and competed in five Winter Olympics, finishing as high as 5th.

Career

Vanagas began skating at age three. His mother, Lilija Vanagiene, was Lithuania's national skating coach. Vanagas won six national titles in men's singles. At age 18, he was drafted into the Soviet Union army and sent to Moscow, Russian SFSR. Given a choice between becoming a soldier or skating full-time, Vanagas chose to become an ice dancer.

Tatiana Tarasova paired Vanagas with Russian ice dancer Margarita Drobiazko in Moscow. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, they decided to represent Lithuania. Vanagas said, "It was difficult at the beginning because there was a lot of friction between Russia and Lithuania. Since Rita is Russian, it caused many problems." They moved to Kaunas, Lithuania and began training with Elena Maslennikova. In 1995, they began working also in England with Betty Callaway, Jayne Torvill, and Christopher Dean.

In 1999, Drobiazko and Vanagas began spending time with Elena Tchaikovskaia in Moscow, while continuing to work with Maslennikova in Kaunas. They were also coached by Lilija Vanagiene and Anatoliy Petukhov. Drobiazko and Vanagas retired from competition following the 2001–2002 Olympic season, but returned to competition in 2005 to compete at their fifth Olympics. In preparation for the 2005–2006 season, they worked with Maslennikova, Rostislav Sinicyn, Igor Shpilband, Marina Zueva, Gintaras Svistunavicius, and David Liu, in the United States, Germany, Russia, and Lithuania. Drobiazko and Vanagas became the first and only figure skaters to compete at five Olympics. They retired again in 2006 following the World Championships.

Their choreographers included Elena Maslennikova, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, Elena Tchaikovskaia, Tatiana Pomerantseva, Elena Kholina, Yuri Puzakov, Vasily Kleimenov, and Gintaras Svistunavicius.

In the summer of 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Vanagas played a role in a ballet Swan Lake on ice with Drobiazko in Sochi that was organized by the Kremlin. On August 10, Lithuania's president Gitanas Nausėda signed a decree stripping off the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas from both skaters.

He appeared in the first seven seasons of ice show contest Ice Age.

Personal life

Vanagas is fluent in Lithuanian, Russian, Polish, and English. While competing, he was a caregiver for an elderly woman. Vanagas has been married to Drobiazko since June 2000.

In the summer of 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Vanagas and Drobiazko played a role in a ballet Swan Lake on ice in Sochi that was organized by former Olympic champion Tatiana Navka. On August 10, 2022, Lithuania's president Gitanas Nausėda signed a decree stripping off the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas from both skaters.

On September 15, 2023, Lithuania's president Gitanas Nausėda signed a decree stripping Povilas Vanagas' wife and professional partner, Margarita Drobiazko, of her Lithuanian citizenship due to her "public support for the Russian federation" during its invasion of Ukraine.

Programs

(with Margarita Drobiazko)

Competitive highlights

(ice dance with Margarita Drobiazko)

References

1. ^ Mittan, J. Barry (2000) . "Lithuanian Skaters Finally Achieve Success". Archived from the original on 14 May 2012.
2. Castellaro, Barbara (14 November 2012). "Un incontro con Margarita Drobiazko e Povilas Vanagas" [A meeting with Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas]. ArtOnIce.it (in Italian).
3. ^ "Margarita DROBIAZKO / Povilas VANAGAS: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 17 October 2002.
4. ^ "Basic Facts". Official website of Margarita Drobiazko & Povilas Vanagas. Archived from the original on 7 July 2010.
5. ^ Mittan, Barry (15 November 2005). "Lithuania's Drobiazko and Vanagas Return for Fifth Olympics". Skate Today.
6. ^ "Margarita DROBIAZKO / Povilas VANAGAS: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 28 August 2006.
7. ^ "Lithuanian Figure Skaters Lose State Award After Taking Part In Event In Russia". Radiofreeeurope/Radioliberty. 10 August 2022.
8. Zverko, Natalia (15 November 2010). Дробязко и Ванагас: если верить прессе, у нас гарем [Drobiazko and Vanagas: If you believe the press, we have a harem] (in Russian). ru.delfi.lt. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012.
9. "Lithuania strips citizenship from retired Olympic ice skater for support for Russia".
10. "President strips Russian ice dancer Drobiazko of Lithuanian citizenship".
11. "Prezidentas atėmė išimties tvarka suteiktą Lietuvos pilietybę iš Drobiazko". tv3.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 15 September 2023.
12. "Фигуристку Маргариту Дробязко лишили гражданства Литвы. Спортсменка принимает участие в ледовых шоу Татьяны Навки Дробязко пять раз выступала за Литву на Олимпиадах — и 13 раз становилась чемпионкой страны" [The ice skater Margarita Drobiazko has been stripped of Lithuanian citizenship. The athlete is participating in the ice shows of Tatyana Navka | Drobiazko represented Lithuania at the Olympic Games 5 times - and was the champion of Lithuania 13 times]. Meduza (in Russian). Retrieved 15 September 2023.
13. ^ "Programs". Official website of Margarita Drobiazko & Povilas Vanagas. Archived from the original on 8 July 2010.
14. "Margarita DROBIAZKO / Povilas VANAGAS: 2000/2001". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 18 April 2001.

External links

• Drobiazko & Vanagas - Official website
• Margarita Drobiazko / Povilas Vanagas at the International Skating Union
• Care to Ice Dance? - Drobiazko & Vanagas

• 1970 births
• Lithuanian male ice dancers
• Olympic figure skaters for Lithuania
• Figure skaters at the 1992 Winter Olympics
• Figure skaters at the 1994 Winter Olympics
• Figure skaters at the 1998 Winter Olympics
• Figure skaters at the 2002 Winter Olympics
• Figure skaters at the 2006 Winter Olympics
• Living people
• World Figure Skating Championships medalists
• European Figure Skating Championships medalists
• Sportspeople from Kaunas
• Winter World University Games medalists in figure skating
• Lithuanian emigrants to Russia
• Lithuanian expatriate sportspeople in Russia
• FISU World University Games silver medalists for Lithuania
• Competitors at the 1993 Winter Universiade