Maxim Reznikov
Pairs - United States

Full name: Maxim Reznikov Division: pairs, eligible (with Inola Hawkins) Representing: United States (previously Russia, then France) Coach: Tom Ashdown Choreographer: Caelan O'Connor Best skating element: Max is a powerful skater, able to perform lifts and throws effortlessly--which is fortunate, because his partner Inola loves unique and physically demanding lifts. Together, they have invented several new moves and variations, such as the throw backflip and split death spiral. They have an exciting, on-the-edge style, which is best served by rock music. Hometown: Kazan, Russia Birthdate: August 6, 1970 Height: 5'9" Hair color: brown Eye color: hazel-green Physical description: Well-built and darkly handsome, with a rather feline quality about him. He is not particularly tall for a pairs skater, but is far more powerful than his appearance suggests. Fastidious in his personal habits, he is always perfectly groomed. Family: daughter, Cordelia (born March 3, 1995); father, Anton (business executive); mother, Galina; older brother, Vadim (hockey player) Personality: Maxim's suave, charming, somewhat mysterious facade conceals a self-centered predator with no compunctions about using other people. He craves dominance in every aspect of his life, and will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. His temper can be dangerous, and he is extremely vain. His only redeeming quality is his devotion to his daughter Cordelia. Hobbies/interests: Max likes the finer things in life--designer clothes, expensive cars, exclusive clubs and restaurants. He smokes, drinks moderately, and has been known to gamble. He is also a "ladies' man"--especially with young girls--and because of his good looks and glamorous image, a successful one. Yet in spite of his vices, he also spends a great deal of time doting on his daughter. Because of his brother, Max has an interest in hockey. He also took an interest in the art and weaponry of medieval Japan while competing once at NHK Trophy. Personal history: Born into a well-to-do family, Maxim began to skate at age four, after much fussing to try ice hockey like his brother. He actually did train to play hockey for a couple of years, but as he was growing to be slimmer and shorter than his brother, it was suggested that figure skating might be the better sport for him. He enjoyed it more, and proved to be very promising. At age eleven he took up pairs, and began a successful junior career with partner Elena Saratova. However, she ended their partnership when he was eighteen, for undisclosed reasons. Max was then paired with a fifteen-year-old Israeli skater named Hannah Zahavi. She did not want to skate pairs, and her independent ways frustrated him, but for a little while things seemed to be working out--until they had a brief, rocky romance that destroyed both their personal and professional relationships. Disgruntled, Max gave up his pairs career and returned to men's singles for two years, but he was only moderately successful. Finally at a competition he met French pairs skater Francoise Delacourt, whose partner had just suffered an injury--and by the time the man was skating again, Francoise was long gone with Max. The romance was brief, but Francoise knew Max was her ticket to success, and stuck with him. Skating for France, their partnership earned five world medals, including one gold, and finally an Olympic bronze in 2002. Their mutual goals achieved, the pair split up. While Francoise went shopping for a new partner back in France, Max moved to America, where he took some time off and worked as a choreographer. A year later, American pairs skater Inola Hawkins presented herself as a new partner--and Max found that he had met his match, in more ways than one. Anything else: Max's older brother Vadim competed in two Olympics as a member of Russia's hockey team. Cordelia's mother, Chantal, is one of Max's American ex-girlfriends. Three years after they broke up, she reappeared in his life just long enough to leave him with the child he never knew he had, then returned to California to pursue an acting career. Cordelia, or "Cordya" for short, is a quiet, serious and precocious child; Max has taught her to skate, but she is more interested in acting or singing. Cordelia keeps a pampered Yorkshire terrier with a yard-long pedigree, who goes by the somewhat ignominious name of Truffle. Max is not fond of the yappy little dog, but tolerates him for Cordya's sake.

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