Katia Alexandrovskaya

Ekaterina "Katia” Dmitriyevna Alexandrovskaya (Russian: Екатерина Дмитриевна Александровская; 1 January 2000 – 18 July 2020) was a Russian-Australian pair skater.

With her skating partner, Harley Windsor, she was the 2017 CS Tallinn Trophy champion, the 2017 CS Nebelhorn Trophy bronze medalist, the 2018 CS U.S. Classic bronze medalist, and a two-time Australian national champion (2016, 2018).

On the junior level, she was the 2017 World Junior champion, the 2017 Junior Grand Prix Final champion, the 2016 JGP Estonia champion and the 2017 JGP Latvia champion.

Personal life

Alexandrovskaya was born on 1 January 2000 in Moscow, Russia. Her father died in 2015. She became an Australian citizen in October 2017.

Alexandrovskaya committed suicide on 18 July 2020 in Moscow. Law enforcement officials found a note in her apartment containing the word "люблю" ("I love").

Career

Alexandrovskaya started learning to skate in 2004. After competing as a single skater through 2011–2012, she began appearing in pairs with Vladislav Lysoy in the 2012–2013 season. She skated with Aleksandr Epifanov in 2014–2015 and 2015–2016.

Responding to a query from Australian-based coaches Andrei and Galina Pachin, her coach Nina Mozer suggested a tryout between Alexandrovskaya and Harley Windsor in Moscow. The two began skating together in December 2015. Observing the tryout, the coaches believed that the skaters would make a good match due to similar technique and body types.

Alexandrovskaya was released by Russia after a request from the Australian skating association, with help from Mozer.

In early September, Alexandrovskaya/Windsor finished fourth at the 2017 JGP in Riga, Latvia.

Later in the month, they competed at the 2017 CS Nebelhorn Trophy, the final qualifying opportunity for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Ranked fourth in the short program and third in the free skate, they won their first senior international medal, bronze. Their result also allowed them to become the first Australian pair skaters to compete at the Olympics since Danielle Carr / Stephen Carr's appearance at the 1998 Winter Olympics.