Ekaterina Kurakova

Kurakova began learning to skate in 2006.[2] She was coached first by Natalia Dubinskaya and later by Inna Goncharenko at CSKA Moscow.[1] Representing Russia, she competed internationally in the advanced novice category for two seasons beginning in 2013–14 and then as a junior for two seasons.

In the summer of 2017, Kurakova decided to represent Poland and began training in Toruń, coached by Sylwia Nowak-Trębacka. After receiving financial support from an unpublicized sponsor, she decided to move to Toronto to train under Brian Orser at the Toronto Cricket Club, beginning in December 2018.[5] Later that month, she won the Four National Championships in Budapest,[6] thus becoming the 2019 Polish national champion. However, due to the recent change of her country of representation, she was unable to compete in any ISU events until after June 2019.[6]

On July 1, 2019 Kurakova received her clearance certificate, allowing her to officially represent Poland in international figure skating competitions and ISU championships.[7]

In her international senior debut at the Minto Summer Skate in Ontario, Canada she placed first, scoring overall 182.77 points.[8] She then competed at two ISU Junior Grand Prix events, placing fifth in Riga and seventh in Gdańsk. In November, she won gold at the 2019 CS Warsaw Cup, ahead of Bradie Tennell. In December, she defended her national title at the Four National Championships in Ostrava.

Kurakova competed at her first European Championships in January, placing tenth.[9] She finished the season at the 2020 World Junior Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, where she placed seventh. Kurakova remarked afterward "I'm so happy, because we did hard work with Brian and it was important for me to show what Brian made for me. I’m really grateful to my coaches and parents."[10] She was scheduled to make her senior World Championship debut in Montreal, but this was prevented by the event's cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11]

Due to the pandemic, Kurakova was unable to return to Canada to train in Toronto. She temporarily began training in Italy under Lorenzo Magri, while receiving virtual coaching from Orser. Kurakova was assigned to compete at the 2020 Skate Canada International, but withdrew on October 7th.[12]

After winning the Four National Championships for the third consecutive year, Kurakova made her World Championship debut in March at the 2021 World Championships in Stockholm. She placed 32nd in the short program after falling on her the triple Lutz in her planned opening triple Lutz-triple toeloop combination. She managed to tack on a double toeloop onto a triple loop later in the program, but her reduced technical content was not enough to advance her to the free skate.[13]

Kurakova began the season at the 2021 CS Lombardia Trophy, where she won the silver medal.[14] She next competed at the 2021 CS Nebelhorn Trophy, seeking to qualify a berth for Poland at the 2022 Winter Olympics. She placed sixth in the short program after a combination error, but a second-place free skate saw her rise to the silver medal position, in the process securing the second of six available Olympic spots.[15]

Following the Challenger series, Kurakova made her Grand Prix debut at the 2021 Skate America, where she placed ninth. Returning to Poland to compete at the 2021 CS Warsaw Cup, she won the bronze medal, notably finishing first in the free skate.[16] At her second Grand Prix, the 2021 Rostelecom Cup, Kurakova finished in ninth place.[17]