"The St.Petersburg Times" June 21, 2005

Russian figure skater and three times world champion Yevgeny Plushenko, 24, got married to St. Petersburg State University student Maria Yermak in St. Petersburg on Saturday.

The wedding ceremony took place in the restaurant of the Astoria hotel from where the guests walked to St. Petersburg's Wedding Palace No. 1, where the union was registered, Smena newspaper reported Monday.

In keeping with a city tradition, Plushenko himself and his new bride went to the Strelka on Vasilyevsky Island, where newlyweds traditionally break a bottle of champagne, drink champagne and dance. They also went to the Summer Garden.

Plushenko's wife, the daughter of a St. Petersburg businessman, is a third-year sociology student.

The couple became acquainted a year ago when Plushenko drove around the city in his red Maserati and saw a pretty dark-haired girl driving in an open-top sports car. Plushenko did his best to catch up with the sports car, local media reported.

It said the future bride did not recognize Plushenko. Her friend who sat next to her in the car told her who he was.