Vasily Rochev

Vasily Rochev made his international début at the 1974 World Championships, where he won silver in the relay and bronze in 15 km. The next two championships were not as successful for Rochev, as he was only tenth at 30 km and 12th in the 50 km at the 1976 Olympics and fourth in the relay and eighth at 15 km at the 1978 World Championships. Rochev made his last international appearance at the 1980 Winter Olympics, where he won gold in the relay, silver at 30 km and was 13th in the 15 km. Domestically Rochev won five individual Soviet titles – at 15 km in 1974 and 1975, at 30 km in 1974 and 1977 and at 50 km in 1979 – and seven Soviet relay titles (1972-76, 1978, 1980). After his sporting career Rochev worked as a cross-country skiing coach, with his most famous pupil Aleksey Prokurorov. His wife Nina, his son Vasily, his daughter Olga, as well as his daughers-in-law Olga Rochewa and Yulia Chepalova were also cross-country skiers, Nina won silver at the 1980 Winter Olympics and son Vasily a bronze at the 2006 Winter Olympics.