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Figure skater Surya Bonaly closed out her competitive career 18 years ago by pulling off a perfect back flip at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, a feat that left hundreds of millions of viewers around the world in awe. 

And now Bonaly is back with another shocking move, as the 43-year-old athlete recently revealed in an interview that she has been living in Minnesota for over a year.

Bonaly, who was born on the French Riviera in Nice and then moved to Paris as a child, said she settled down in Minneapolis for the sake of love.

The 43-year-old is engaged to professional skating coach Peter Biver, who grew up in the Midwest and teaches in Minneapolis.

With Biver's career making it near impossible for him to move, Bonaly decided that she would have to pack up her bags and leave Las Vegas after over a decade living in Sin City. 

Bonaly moved there in 2004 after becoming an American Citizen. 

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New home: Surya Bonaly revealed in a recent interview that she has been living in Minneapolis, Minnesota for the past 16 months with fiance Peter Biver (above)

Nailed it: Bonaly became the first skater to land a back flip in competition at the 1998 Nagano Games

The couple had been trying to make their  long distance relationship work prior to the move Bonaly said in her interview with the Star Tribune, but it became to difficult to manage over time. 

Sixteen months into their new living arrangement, Bonaly seems to be adjusting to her new life quite well, save for the frigid temperatures.

'Freeze your butt for love,' joked Bonaly at one point during the interview. 

The shift in weather is likely torture for Bonaly after her years in Vegas, a city that she only moved to by chance.

The figure skater had been planning to live in San Francisco, but changed her mind at the last minute thanks to the three weeks of classes she took at the Cirque du Soleil acrobatics camp.

In addition to skating, Bonaly was also a competitive gymnast and trampolinist.  

Her decision to move to Minneapolis was also rather last second as well, with Bonaly initially just going out for three weeks in September of 2015 to get a feel for things.

She has not left since that time. 

Bonaly, whose sharp tongue and quick wit was frequently on display during interviews and press conferences in her skating days, said that initially she expected Biver to move to her when their relationship got serious.

'I’d tell my agent, "Change my layover to Minneapolis so I can see Peter,' explained Bonaly. 

She then added: 'My motto for many years was the guy is supposed to move for love, if he loves.' 

The problem however was that there is little to no skating scene in Las Vegas. 

Ice queens: Bonaly, 43, is one of the greatest figure skaters of all time, having medaled at nearly every single major event during her career (Nancy Kerigan, Bonaly and Paul Wylie above in 2008 at a benefit gala)

Power over poise: Bonaly's scores often seemed far too low as judges during the time favored artistry over athleticism (Bonaly above competing at the 1992 Olympics)  

One with the ice: Bonaly is now working with some young skaters, and said of her teaching abilities: ''I’m kind of like a chef, with a special recipe'

Bonaly is now teaching students as well, much to the chagrin of her pupil's longtime coaches who believe she may try to poach some of their star skaters.

'People are jealous of me,' said Bonaly.

'I have no intention of stealing people. I come here, No. 1 for love, to be with my companion. No. 2, I do love skating. I’m not an evil person just because I have a name.'

She was not shy however to praise her own teaching abilities, saying that she focuses on every single aspect of the sport unlike other coaches.

'I’m kind of like a chef, with a special recipe,' said Bonaly.

There was also some talk of her flip, which has only ever been completed by herself and a few men.

None of the men were able to land on one foot however like Bonaly.

'I’m the only lady in the world who can do it,' said Bonaly, though she added her last back flip came two years ago because she does not want to end up 'crippled.' 

So in love: Biver asked Bonaly to marry him in September of this year (couple above earlier this year)

Royal: Bonaly and Princess Caroline of Hanover at the 2012 World Figure Skating Championships in Nice

Bonaly ended her lengthy career as one of the most decorated women in the history of the sport, winning medals at almost every major event - except the Olympics.

She was the 1991 World Junior Champion, a five-time European champion and a three-time silver medalist at the World Figure Skating Championship.

There were never any Olympic medals however, with her athletic approach to skating failing to impress the judges in each of her appearances.

She managed to earn a spot representing France in three straight Winter Games starting in 1992, where she placed fifth while completing in Albertville.  

Two years later she placed fourth in Lillehammer during the 1994 Games, just missing out on a spot on the podium.

Then came Nagano. 

Bonaly's hopes for a medal were quickly dashed after the short program, with her score too low to land her on the podium no matter how good she was in her free skate.

She also suffered an injury before the free skate that left her unable to complete her planned routine.

And so she ended her final skate ever as an amateur with a picture-perfect back flip that earned the ire of the judges and took major deductions of her score.

Bonaly still finished in tenth place.

'I knew it was my last Olympics,' said Bonaly, who retired immediately after. 

'You should be able to do what you want.'

Up and over: Bonaly frequently performed her flips at exhibitions after retiring from competitive skating (above in 2006)

Jumping with joy: Bonaly mid-flip during the Exhibition Program of the European Figure Skating Championship in 1995 (above), the day after she won first place

Olympic judges had scolded Bonaly previously about her back flips, growing angry when she competed one during a practice session for the 1992 Games that nearly caused her to collide with eventual silver medalist Midori Ito. 

The back flip never appeared again during those Games, though it was in 1992 that Bonaly became the first woman to attempt a quadruple toe loop in Olympic competition.

She was unsuccessful however as she underrotated the jump.  

Those more difficult elements were often in Bonaly's program at a time when the scoring system valued artistry over athleticism.

That is why Bonaly famously refused to stand on the podium and later removed her medal after winning silver at the 1994 World Figure Skating Championship despite a program that was notably more difficult than the winner.

'I haven’t been lucky,' said Bonaly.

And while winning Gold at Nagano may have been her a dream, that is something that has been done by 21 women in the ladies' individual event at the Olympics.

There is only one woman however to effortlessly glide across the ice of her final pass, briefly go still, and then execute a stunning back flip which she landed on one foot.