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World silver medallist Loena Hendrickx (BEL), European silver medallist Daniel Grassl (ITA) and two-time European bronze medalists Charlene Guginard/Marco Fabbri (ITA) headline the ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Espoo (FIN) January 23 – 29. 29. A total of 131 Skaters/Couples representing 35 ISU Members have been entered for this 115th edition of the European Championships: 29 Men, 30 Women, 13 Pairs and 23 Ice Dance couples.

Overview of the competitors

Men: An open battle between equals
Daniel Grassl (ITA) ISU Grand Prix Final Turin (ITA) @ISU 1448136063

Daniel Grassl (ITA) celebrates during the ISU Grand Prix Final in Torino (ITA) @ISU

The battle for the podium in Espoo looks open in the Men’s event as several Skaters have similar seasons best scores. 2022 European silver medalist Daniel Grassl (ITA) looks back at a successful season so far with his first ISU Grand Prix victory. The Italian was the only European man to qualify for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final (senior-level) and comes with a seasons best of 264.35 points to Finland. Adam Siao Him Fa (FRA) celebrated a break-through this season and won his first ISU Grand Prix title as well. He recently secured his first National title and wants to challenge for the top spot on the podium (seasons best: 268.98).

Adam Siao Him Fa FRA GP France Day 2

Adam Siao Him Fa (FRA) competes during the  ISU Grand Prix in Angers (FRA) @ISU

Kevin Aymoz (FRA/seasons best: 258.02) and 2022 European bronze medalist Deniss Vasiljevs (LAT/ seasons best: 254.56) proved with medals in the Grand Prix that they are a force to be reckoned with. 2019 ISU European bronze medalist Matteo Rizzo (ITA/seasons best: 253.34) wants to return on to the podium. 2020 ISU European bronze medalist Morisi Kvitelashvili (GEO) hopes to return to form. Others to watch include Lukas Britschgi (SUI) and Nika Egadze (GEO).

Women:  Hendrickx (BEL) is the one to beat

Loena Hendrickx (BEL) ISU Grand Prix Final Turin (ITA) @ISU 1448205401

Loena Hendrickx (BEL) competes during the ISU Grand Prix Final in Torino (ITA) @ISU 

Reigning World silver medalist Loena Hendrickx (BEL) headlines the field and is the woman to beat in Espoo. She collected a gold and silver on the Grand Prix circuit as well as a bronze in the Final (seasons best: 216.34). ISU Grand Prix John Wilson Trophy bronze medalist Anastasiia Gubanova (GEO/seasons best: 197.56) is aiming at the podium in Espoo as is Polish Champion Ekaterina Kurakova (seasons best: 190.44) who could become the first Polish female Single Skater to win a medal at the ISU European Championships.

Ekaterina Kurakova (POL)  ISU Grand Prix Sheffield (GBR) @ISU 1441155398

Ekaterina Kurakova (POL) competes during the ISU Grand Prix in Sheffield (GBR) @ISU

Other contenders include Nicole Schott (GER), Niina Petrokina (EST) and Kimmy Repond (SUI).

Pairs: Focus on Italian and German teams

Rebecca Ghilardi and Filippo Ambrosini (ITA) ISU Grand Prix Turin (ITA) @ISU 1447989167 (1)

Rebecca Ghilardi and Filippo Ambrosini (ITA) competes during the ISU Grand Prix Final in Torino (ITA) @ISU

In the Pairs, couples from Italy and Germany lead the field. ISU Grand Prix Finalists Rebecca Ghilardi/Filippo Ambrosini (ITA) have the highest seasons best of the European pairs with 189.74 points and they achieved it on the ice in Espoo at the ISU Grand Prix event last November. Their teammates Sara Conti/Niccolo Macii won the bronze medal at the ISU Grand Prix Final and posted their seasons best of 187.02 points in Torino. The ice in Espoo was lucky for Alisa Efimova/Ruben Blommaert (GER) this season as well as they claimed silver at the ISU Grand Prix in Finland and at the Finlandia Trophy (seasons best: 186.17 points).

Alisa Efimova Ruben Blombaert (GER) ISU Grand Prix Espoo (FIN) @ISU 1245113284

Alisa Efimova and Ruben Blombaert (GER) pose during the ISU Grand Prix in Espoo (FIN) @ISU

ISU Grand Prix de France silver medalists Camille Kovalev/Pavel Kovalev (FRA) and ISU Grand Prix de France bronze medalists Annika Hocke/Robert Kunkel (GER) eye the podium as well.

Ice Dance: Guignard/Fabbri (ITA) aim for gold

Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri (ITA)  ISU Grand Prix Final Turin (ISU) ISU 1448188457

Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri (ITA) compete during the ISU Grand Prix Final in Torino (ITA) @ISU

The Ice Dance competition in Espoo features top favorites and two-time European bronze medalists Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA). The Italian couple looks back on their most successful season so far with two ISU Grand Prix gold medals and the bronze in the Final and want to cap it off with the European title. Guignard/Fabbri come with a seasons best of 213.74 points. Competition should come from ISU Grand Prix Finalists  Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson (GBR) who won two silver medals on the ISU Grand Prix circuit and have a seasons best of 209.18 points.

Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson (GBR) ISU Grand Prix Final Turin (ITA) @ISU 1448189465

Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson (GBR) compete during the ISU Grand Prix Final in Torino (ITA) @ISU

More teams will join the medal hunt in Espoo. ISU Grand Prix Espoo bronze medalists Juulia Turkkila/Matthias Versluis (FIN/seasons best 191.79) are counting on the home advantage. ISU Grand Prix de France bronze medalists Evgeniia Lopareva/Geoffrey Brissaud (FRA/seasons best: 192.85) and Allison Reed/Saulius Ambruvelicius (LTU/seasons best 189.98) are aiming for the podium as well.

 

Skaters/Couples need to have obtained a minimum total technical score in Short Program and Free Skating in order to compete at the European Championships.

Following the IOC recommendation and in order to protect the integrity of ice skating competitions and for the safety of all the participants of international ice skating competitions, the ISU Council based on Article 17.1.q)i) of the ISU Constitution, agreed that with immediate effect and until further notice, no Skaters belonging to the ISU Members in Russia (Russian Skating Union and the Figure Skating Federation of Russia) and Belarus (Skating Union of Belarus) shall be invited or allowed to participate in International ice skating competitions including ISU Championships and other ISU Events. The same applies to Officials listed in the respective ISU Communications and/or Regulations under Russia and Belarus (see ISU Communication 2469).

 

Schedule of the event

The schedule of the European Figure Skating Championships is as follows:

Wednesday, January 25:         Pairs & Men’s Short Programs
Thursday, January 26:             Women’s Short Program, Pairs Free Skating
Friday, January 27:                  Rhythm Dance & Men’s Free Skating
Saturday, January 28:              Women’s Free Skating & Free Dance
Sunday, January 29:                Exhibition Gala

For full entries and results, please see the ISU event page and the official website. Follow the discussion on social media using #EuroFigure and #FigureSkating.

 

Where to watch the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2023:

The ISU European Figure Skating Championships will be live streamed on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. Geo-restrictions will apply in markets where TV rights are in place. You will find the full list in the Where to Watch news here.

Subscribe to the Skating ISU YouTube Channel to receive alerts when the live streams start and when new videos are posted. 

 

Stay connected with the ISU:

ISU website:                 ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2023

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