Tallinn, Estonia

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Europe’s best figure skaters are getting ready for the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2022 in Tallinn, Estonia (January 10-16), the last opportunity to test themselves at a major stage before the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing (CHN). Tallinn will host the ISU European Figure Skating Championships for the second time since 2010 and has hosted as well the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships in 2015 and 2020. The ISU European Championships are back after the event had to be cancelled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.     

171 Skaters from 37 ISU members have been entered for this 114th edition of the European Championships:  34 Men, 37 Ladies, 21 Pair Skating couples and 29 Ice Dance couples.  

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. 2020 European Pair Skating Champions Aleksandra Boikova/Dmitrii Kozlvoskii (RUS) and 2020 European Ice Dance Champions Victoria Sinitsina/Nikita Katsalapov (RUS) are back at the event and hope to defend their titles.  

Aleksandra Boikova Dmitrii Kozlovzkii ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Skate America 2021©ISU 1348162071 (1)

Aleksandra Boikova/Dmitrii Kozlovzkii (RUS) skating during the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Skate America in Las Vegas, Nevada. © International Skating Union (ISU)

Overview of the top contenders

In the Men’s event, a group of strong contenders is aiming at the top of the podium in Tallinn and the competition looks wide open.  Gran Premio d’Italia bronze medalist Daniel Grassl (ITA/seasons best with 269.00 points) is looking to move up from his fourth-place finish from Graz in 2020.  

 Daniel Grassl ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Turin 2021©International Skating Union 1351553231

Daniel Grassl (ITA) competing during the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Turin, Italy. © International Skating Union (ISU)

Reigning European bronze medalist Morisi Kvitelashvili (GEO/seasons best with 266.33 points) hopes to continue his success after winning his first ISU Grand Prix gold medal at Rostelecom Cup in November. French Champion Kevin Aymoz (FRA) and 2013 European bronze medalist Michal Brezina (CZE) are eyeing the podium as well.  

Other contenders include Deniss Vasiljevs (LAT), the new Russian Champion Mark Kondratiuk and his teammate Evgeni Semenenko (RUS), who will both debut at the European Championships. 2020 World Junior Champion  Andrei Mozalev (RUS) comes in as a last minute-replacement for 2018 World bronze medalist Mikhail Kolyada (RUS), who suffered an injury in practice. 

Following her spectacular performances at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating earlier this season, rising star Kamila Valieva (RUS) wants to conquer Europeans in her debut. The 15-year-old comes armed with quads and the triple Axel and her seasons best of 272.71 points is currently the highest women’s total score.  

Competition should mainly come from her teammates, 2021 World Champion and 2020 European silver medalist Anna Shcherbakova (RUS/seasons best 236.78) as well as 2021 World and 2020 European bronze medalist Alexandra Trusova (RUS/seasons best 232.37). These two have quadruple jumps in their arsenal as well.  

Anna Shcherbakova ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Internationaux de France 2021©ISU 1354701968

Anna Shcherbakova (RUS) performs during the 2021 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Internationaux de France in Grenoble, France. © International Skating Union (ISU)

Others to watch include 2021 Gran Premio d’Italia bronze medalist Loena Hendrickx (BEL),  Alexia Paganini (SUI), Golden Spin Champion Anastasia Gubanova (GEO), Ekaterina Kurakova (POL) and Estonian hopefuls Eva-Lotta Kiibus and Niina Petrökina.  

The Pairs event features 2021 ISU World Champions Anastasia Mishina/Aleksandr Galliamov (RUS), who will compete in their first ISU European Championship. The couple collected two gold medals on the ISU Grand Prix circuit as well as the national title on their way to Tallinn and scored a seasons best of 227.28 points.  

Anastasia Mishina  Aleksandr Galliamov ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Rostelecom Cup 2021©ISU 1236819736

Anastasia Mishina and Aleksandr Galliamov (RUS) compete at the 2021 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Rostelecom Cup in Sochi, Russia.© International Skating Union (ISU)

The challenge should come from defending ISU European Champions Aleksandra Boikova/Dmitri Kozlovskii (RUS), who come with a seasons best of 216.96 points and from two-time European Champions Evgenia Tarasova/Vladimir Morozov (RUS), who posted the highest seasons best with 228.49 points so far. Several couples want to get to the podium as close as possible. Challengers include  Minerva Fabienne Hase/Nolan Seegert (GER) and Ioulia Chtchetinina/Mark Magyar (HUN). Newcomers Karina Safina/Luka Berulava (GEO) and Laura Barquero/Marco Zandron (ESP) want to leave their mark as well.   

Reigning World Champions Victoria Sinitsina/Nikita Katsalapov (RUS) are the top favorites in the Ice Dance event following the withdrawal of Olympic silver medalists Gabriella Papadakis/ Guillaume Cizeron (FRA). The Russian couple won their two ISU Grand Prix events and picked up a seasons best of 215.44 points, but had to withdraw from the Russian National Championships due to injury.  

Victoria Sinitsina Nikita Katsalapov ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Rostelecom Cup 2021©ISU 1236861613

 Golden medalists Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov (RUS) at the 2021 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Rostelecom Cup in Sochi, Russia.© International Skating Union (ISU)

2019 European bronze medalists Charlene Guignard/ Marco Fabbri (ITA/seasons best 208.88) and four-time European medalists  Alexandra Stepanova/Ivan Bukin (RUS/seasons best 202.18) have set their eyes on to the podium as well. Other teams to watch include 2021 NHK Trophy bronze medalists Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson (GBR), 2021 Skate Canada bronze medalists  Olivia Smart/Adrian Diaz (ESP), Sara Hurtado/Kirill Khaliavin (ESP) and newcomers Diana Davis/Gleb Smolkin (RUS). 

Olivia Smart Adrian Diaz ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Skate Canada 2021©ISU 1350125514

Olivia Smart and Adrian Diaz (ESP) skate during the 2021 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Skate Canada in Vancouver, British Columbia. © International Skating Union (ISU)

Please note that for the seasonal best total scores only the ISU Grand Prix competitions (senior and junior) and ISU Challenger Series events have been taken into consideration, not other international competitions or National Championships. 

Prize Money

The ISU awards a global prize money of US$ 294, 000 at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships to Single Skaters, Pair Skating and Ice Dance couples placed 1st to 6th. The prize money is awarded as follows:

Men and Ladies                                                          Pairs and Dance (per couple)

1st place US$ 21,000                                                 1st place US$ 30,000

2nd place US$ 16,000                                                2nd place US$ 20,000

3rd place US$ 11,000                                                 3rd place US$ 12,000

4th place US$ 7,000                                                   4th place US$ 10,000

5th place US$ 5,000                                                   5th place US$ 7,000

6th place US$ 3,000                                                   6th place US$ 5,000

 

Event Schedule

The schedule of the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2022 is as follows:

 

Wednesday, January 12: Men and Pairs Short Program, Opening Ceremony

Thursday, January 13: Women’s Short Program, Pairs Free Skating

Friday, January 14: Rhythm Dance, Men’s Free Skating

Saturday, January 15: Free Dance, Women’s Free Skating

Sunday, January 16: Exhibition Gala

 

For more information, full entry lists and results please see the ISU event website and the official event website. Follow the discussion on social media using #EuroFigure and #FigureSkating.

 

Where to watch and follow the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2022:

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.

 

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