Vassili MELNIKOV

Vasily Melnikov took up skiing at the age of 12 in the Arctic Kirovsk. In 1960, 16-year-old Vasily fulfilled the standard of the “Master of Sports of the USSR”, and a year later was named to the Alpine skiing national team.

Melnikov competed at the 1964 and 1968 Olympic Winter Games, and skied at the World and European Championships between 1961-71. He won 12 titles in Alpine skiing at the Soviet Nationals, still an all-time best after 45 years. Melnikov later became a a trainer-teacher at the regional youth sports school in Alpine skiing, and then became a trainer-teacher at the Kirovsk sports school, before retiring in 2002.

For his sports career Melnikov received numerous accolades, including Honored Master of Sports of the USSR, Honored Trainer of the RSFSR (1983), Honored Worker of Physical Culture of the Russian Federation1999), and he was made an honorable citizen of the city of Kirovsk.