Ilia Averbukh was Junior World Champion of 1990 and 1992 with Marina Anissina, when he fell in love with Irina Lobacheva, who skated in the same group but with another partner. In 1992, they joined forces and they got married in 1995. They moved to the USA in 1995, but they still consider Russia to be their home. The couple missed all Grand Prix competitions in 2001 as Lobacheva injured her left knee in a practice accident in September 2001. Following their skating career, Lobacheva wants to open a fitness club and Averbukh aspires to work as a TV journalist. He has already done commentary for Russian TV.