Vladimir Semenovich Kuzin

Kuzin, Vladimir Semenovich

 

Born July 15, 1930, in the village of Lampozhnia, Arkhangel’sk Oblast. Soviet athlete; Honored Master of Sports (1954), Honored Coach of the USSR (1970), officer in the Soviet Army, and Candidate of Biological Sciences (1972).

Kuzin was the first Soviet athlete to become a world champion in cross country skiing (1954; 30 km and 50 km). He was a champion at the seventh Winter Olympic Games (1956, at Cor-tina d’Ampezzo, in the cross country relay) and a USSR cham-pion (1953 and 1958; 15 km). Since 1959, Kuzin has served as the head ski coach of the armed forces of the USSR. He has been awarded the Order of Lenin and various medals.