Galina Kulakova

Galina Kulakova
Kulakova at the 1968 Winter Olympics
Country Soviet Union
Full nameGalina Alexeyevna Kulakova
Born (1942-04-29) 29 April 1942
Logachi, Udmurtia, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Ski clubTrud Prokofyevsk
Trud Izhevsk
World Cup career
Seasons1 – (1982)
Indiv. starts3
Indiv. podiums0
Team starts1
Team podiums1
Team wins0
Overall titles0 – (22nd in 1982)
Medal record
Women's cross-country skiing
Representing the  Soviet Union
Olympic Games
1972 Sapporo5 km
1972 Sapporo10 km
1972 Sapporo3 × 5 km relay
1976 Innsbruck4 × 5 km relay
1968 Grenoble5 km
1980 Lake Placid4 × 5 km relay
1968 Grenoble3 × 5 km relay
1976 Innsbruck10 km
Disqualified1976 Innsbruck5 km
World Championships
1970 Vysoké Tatry5 km
1970 Vysoké Tatry3 × 5 km relay
1974 Falun5 km
1974 Falun10 km
1974 Falun4 × 5 km relay
1980 Falun20 km
1982 Oslo4 × 5 km relay
1970 Vysoké Tatry10 km
1978 Lahti4 × 5 km relay

Galina Alexeyevna Kulakova (Russian: Галина Алексеевна Кулакова, born 29 April 1942) is a Soviet-Russian former cross-country skier, arguably the best skier on distances shorter than 10 km in the early 1970s. She won four Olympic golds, two individual in 1972 and two relay golds in 1972 and 1976. She was the most successful athlete at the 1972 Winter Olympics, along with Ard Schenk of the Netherlands. Competing in the World Championships, she won three individual golds, two in 1974 and one in 1970, and also two relay golds in those years. Kulakova also won the 10 km event at the Holmenkollen ski festival in 1970 and 1979. Galina Kulakova was also 39 times Champion of the USSR between 1969 and 1981.

For her achievements she was awarded the Order of Lenin and the Order of the Badge of Honour. She was also awarded the silver Olympic Order in 1984 by the International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch. Galina Kulakova ended her sports career in 1982.