Maria Mokhova and Ivan Mokhov were practically skating before they walked. With parents like Andrey Mokhov and Oksana Yakusheva, skating is part of the whole family's DNA.
"Our dad was a pairs skater and we both always wanted to do pairs," Mokhova said. "My mom was a singles skater. They skated together professionally for a while too in ice shows after their competitive careers. We really look up to them."
The siblings have always been coached by their parents, and those people just happen to also be their skating idols. Their younger brother Mikhail is also an up-and-coming singles skater, rounding out an impressive team.
"Our family really supports each other," Mokhov said. "Our younger brother also skates and is starting to compete more. He even goes to some of the same competitions as us. We try to go to as many of our brother's competitions as we can. If not, we anxiously watch the scores to see how he did. He does the same for us."
Navigating sibling relationships can be tricky enough at home, and most siblings aren't throwing and lifting each other over ice. Nonetheless, Maria and Ivan consider each other to be more than just siblings or skating partners.
"Honestly, we are best friends," Mokhov said. "I think that is our secret weapon as pairs skaters. We do everything together and trust each other completely. We will put in an even 50/50 and we are stronger together."
Mutual trust and respect is key to any pair's success, especially when you are around your partner 24/7.
"We are always very supportive of each other through the ups and downs," Mokhova said. "We don't really argue and have a good relationship on and off the ice."
Since officially teaming up in 2015, Mokhova and Mokhov have climbed the ranks in domestic competition. They won intermediate gold in their first U.S. Figure Skating Championships appearance in 2017, and went on to medal at the event in their next two seasons at the novice and junior levels. Mokhova and Mokhov made their senior debut in 2020 and placed seventh at the 2023 event. The 2022-23 season was also their introduction to the senior international circuit.
"Our first international competitions were still in the U.S., which was a nice way to transition to senior international events," Mokhova said. "We then had a competition in Finland which was a very different experience for us with the travel and navigating another country. A few days after that competition, we got the call about Skate America. We were so excited to have that opportunity and we felt ready to get on Grand Prix ice."
The Mokhovs were called up after Anastasiia Smirnova and Danil Siianytsia withdrew from the event. With just a few weeks' notice, Maria and Ivan prepared to make their Grand Prix debut just months after their first international competition.
"We really approached it with nothing to lose," Mokhov said. "We already made it here, which was the biggest hurdle, and now we just had to show our elements and our programs. The audience at Skate America was super supportive and cheered us on the whole time during our programs and during practices, too."
With a successful fourth-place finish in Norwood, Massachusetts, the new kids on the block earned a second Grand Prix spot at the Internationaux de France, where they set international bests for their free skate and overall score. All in all, Mokhova and Mokhov finished in the top eight of their five international competitions.
"Last season we had a total of 10 competitions - both domestic and international - starting in early June," Mokhova said. "Our competitions started really building up with competitions almost every two weeks. We were busier than ever, which really helped us stay in the competition spirit."
"I think it really helped us build as a pairs team," Mokhov said. "I felt less and stressed going into each competition. The more we compete, the better we get."
Looking forward to their sophomore international season, the Mokhovs are bringing back their "Benise-Malaguena" short program paired with a new free skate to music from
My Fair Lady. The new Waltzy tunes from the musical will contrast the high energy from their short program.
"We really liked this music (from
My Fair Lady) and we thought it worked well with our skating style," Mokhov said. "We always try to skate to really positive programs. We want the audience to have a positive attitude and feel joy when they watch us. Good vibes are the goal. I think this program has a lot of contrast throughout with different paces and moods."
"We really enjoy skating for the audience," Mokhova said. "We want the audience to enjoy the program and come along the journey with us. I hope they will embrace the story we are telling with this program."
After a strong first outing at John Nicks Pairs Challenge earlier this month, Maria and Ivan are slated for Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf, Germany, as well as a Grand Prix assignment at Cup of China. This year, they are bringing even more confidence and bigger goals as they continue their journey around the world.
"We are a lot more confident this year," Mokhov said. "We didn't really know what to expect during our first international season and now we feel more ready for the flow and travel."
"Of course we always want to skate clean," Mokhova added. "We are really looking forward to having some more international events. Plus, we would like to medal in the top-three at the U.S. Championships."
No matter what comes next, their friendship and familial support will be the key to their success.
"We are in it together for both the good performances and the not so good programs," Mokhov said. "If one of us makes a mistake, we don't hold it against each other and just move on to the next element. I think that helps relieve some of the stress that comes from competing."
Follow Mokhova and Mokhov at Nebelhorn Trophy Sept. 20-23 in Germany. For more information on the event, including results, streaming information and more, visit the Challenger Series Competition Central.
