Irina Slutskaya won World Figure Skating Championships twice, in 2002 and 2005. She was the World silver medalist in 1998, 2000 and 2001.

The Moscow-born skater was a silver medalist at the 2002 Winter Olympics and bronze medalist at the 2006 Games.

In 1996, Slutskaya, became the first Russian woman to win a European title. Ten years later, in 2006, she was the first woman to register seven Euro figure skating championships.

In 2000, Slutskaya was the first woman to land a triple lutz–triple loop combination in competition. In 2001, she was the first woman to land a triple salchow–triple loop-double toe-loop combination. And, she invented the double Biellman spin with foot change.