Stenin trained at VSS Trud ('Labour') in Sverdlovsk. Having been selected for the Soviet national team in 1957, Stenin steadily made progress and after a few international competitions in 1958 and 1959, he had a great year in 1960: He became Soviet Allround Champion, then he won silver at the European Allround Championships, then his wife Valentina became World Allround Champion, then he himself became World Allround Champion (with a rather large margin of 2.758 points over the second place score), and then at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, he won bronze on the 1,500 m, while Valentina won silver on the 3,000 m. For his accomplishments he received the 1960 Oscar Mathisen Award.