#EuroFigure

Europe’s top skaters of the season are ready to light up the ice with their spectacular performances at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2025 in Tallinn (EST) January 28-February 2, the first ISU Figure Skating Championships of the year. While two-time Champions Adam Siao Him Fa (FRA/pictured top) and Charlène Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA) are aiming to defend their titles, new champions will be crowned in the Women’s and Pairs disciplines. Exciting medal battles are to come with many of the World’s best athletes competing at Tondiraba Ice Hall. A total of 161 Skaters/Couples representing 34 ISU Members have been entered for this 116th edition of the European Championships: 34 Men, 31 Women, 18 Pairs and 30 Ice Dance couples. Tallinn hosts the ISU European Figure Skating Championships for the third time after 2010 and 2022.

‘Mr Backflip’ Adam Siao Him Fa (FRA) back in action 

Two-time and reigning ISU European Champion Adam Siao Him Fa (FRA) is back in action and wants to go for his third consecutive title. The Frenchman had to withdraw from the ISU Grand Prix Final in December due to an ankle injury but he is back on track. The 2024 ISU World bronze medalist comes to Tallinn with a season’s best of 272.38 points – and he wants to bring his backflip. “The competition energy is building up again and training is going well, so far so good. I can’t wait,” Siao Him Fa told his fans via Instagram. Stay tuned and find out how many backflips Siao Him Fa will perform.

 Adam Siao Him Fa (FRA) performs at the 2024 ISU Grand Prix de France in Angers, France © ISU

However, the field is deep and competition will be tough. Kevin Aymoz (FRA/season’s best 282.88) celebrated a strong comeback this season after a disappointing outing at the ISU European Championships a year ago. The three-time ISU Grand Prix Finalist is going for his first European medal at the seventh attempt and wants to put his hands on some hardware in Estonia. Daniel Grassl (ITA/season’s best 267.08) continued his great comeback with a silver medal at the recent World University Games in Torino. The 22-year-old has good memories of Tallinn having won the silver medal here three years ago. The ISU European silver medalist Aleksandr Selevko (EST/season’s best 234.56) made history by winning Estonia’s first European Championship medal in 2024. He can count on the support of the home crowd as can his brother Mihhail (season’s best 245.06). 

 Aleksandr Selevko (EST) in action during the 2024 Finlandia Trophy in Helsinki, Finland © ISU

Other medal contenders include 2023 ISU European bronze medalist Lukas Britschgi (SUI), 2022 ISU European bronze medalist Deniss Vasiljevs (LAT), two-time and current ISU European bronze medalist Matteo Rizzo (ITA) and Nika Egadze (GEO).

Exciting Women’s event ahead

The Women’s event looks especially open with several skaters hoping to get on to the podium. Who will take the top prize? Current ISU European silver medalist and 2023 ISU European Champion Anastasiia Gubanova (GEO/season’s best 195.91 points) headlines the field but must expect tough competition from the 2023 ISU European bronze medalist Kimmy Repond (SUI/season’s best 195.91) and the 2024 ISU European bronze medalist Nina Pinzarrone (BEL/193.61). They all have set their eyes firmly on the podium. But don’t forget Lara Naki Gutmann (ITA/198.49) who has emerged as a new contender after claiming her first ISU Grand Prix medal last fall. She recently finished fifth at the World University Games.

Kimmy Repond (SUI) competes at the Cup of China 2024 in Chongqing, China © ISU

Meanwhile, Gubanova is getting ready. “My preparation goes according to plan, everything is fine,” she said. “We are working a lot on functionality, skating programs and we added working with a parachute (on the ice),” Gubanova shared. “At (the) Europeans, I would like to show the work I’ve done and enjoy skating.”

Anastasiia Gubanova (GEO) at the Cup of China 2024 in Chongqing, China © ISU

Others to watch include Niina Petrokina (EST), Ekaterina Kurakova (POL) and Anna Pezzetta (ITA).

The 2024 ISU European Champion Loena Hendrickx (BEL) has withdrawn due to injury. 

Minerva Hase/Nikita Volodin (GER) the ones to beat

Reigning ISU Grand Prix Final Champions and ISU World bronze medalists Minerva Hase/Nikita Volodin (GER) lead the Pairs and also have the highest season’s best score with 218.44 points. The couple from Berlin is looking for redemption after placing fifth at the Europeans a year ago. However, the favorites have to watch out for strong competitors such as the current ISU European silver and ISU Grand Prix Final bronze medalists Anastasiia Metelkina/Luka Berulava (GEO/season’s best 213.05) and 2023 ISU European Champions Sara Conti/Niccolo Macii (ITA/season’s best 211.05). The Italians handed Hase/Volodin their only defeat this season so far at the ISU Grand Prix Cup of China. 

 Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava (GEO) in action at the 2024 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Grenoble, France © ISU

“Overall our preparation for the European Championships is productive and is going strictly according to plan as usual”, Volodin said. “Obviously with the holidays there was not so much time to make major changes but like from the beginning of the season we have been working on the split in the twist, the forward outside death spiral and the presentation of our programs. 

“We are in great spirits, in fighting mood. First of all, we want to show how we can skate, show the highest level in levels, emotions, commitment in our programs. We are looking forward to the maximum amount of positive emotions, to clean performances and a rink full of spectators. See you at Europeans,” Volodin added.

Minerva Hase/Nikita Volodin (GER) perform during the 2024 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Grenoble, France © ISU

More teams are looking to challenge the leaders: 2024 ISU Grand Prix Finlandia Trophy silver medalists Maria Pavlova/Alexei Sviatchenko (HUN), 2023 ISU European bronze medalists Annika Hocke/Robert Kunkel (GER) and two-time ISU European medalists Rebecca Ghilardi/Filippo Ambrosini (ITA).

The 2024 ISU European Champions Lucrezia Beccari/Matteo Guarise (ITA) have to sit out the season as Beccari is recovering from injury. 

Charlène Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA) aiming for the hat-trick

Two-time and reigning ISU European Champions Charlène Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA) are looking to complete the hat-trick by taking their third consecutive title in Tallinn. The 2024 ISU World bronze medalists come with confidence after claiming silver at the ISU Grand Prix Final and have a season’s best score of 215.63 points. 

Golden couple: Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri of Italy at the 2024 ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Kaunas, Lithuania © ISU

“For the first time in the season, we feel really ready to compete and prepared and aware of what are our abilities and what we can do in the programs in competition,” Fabbri said. “We made some changes and some adjustments but we mainly focused our work on being more precise, more together. We tried to polish everything, both as far as choreography is concerned and technique is concerned.

“To be honest, we are pretty relaxed so far,” Fabbri continued. “We worked well, we feel ready, and somehow the experience of last year's European Championship is helping us a lot to get to this competition quite relaxed and not feeling the pressure too much because we already know what it means to defend the title, we already know what we have to do.” 

However, Guignard/Fabbri will face stiff competition from two-time ISU European silver medalists Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson (GBR/season’s best 210.65). Will the ISU Grand Prix Final bronze medalists reach the top of the European podium this time?  

 Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson of Great Britain perform at the 2024 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Grenoble, France © ISU

The battle for bronze promises to be no less exciting with several teams in the mix: 2024 ISU European bronze medalists Allison Reed/Saulius Ambrulevicius (LTU/season’s best 195.52), 2023 ISU European bronze medalists Juulia Turkkila/Matthias Versluis (FIN/season’s best 196.60) and ISU Grand Prix de France Champions Evgeniia Lopareva/Geoffrey Brissaud (FRA/season’s best 201.89).

Others to watch include Natalie Taschlerova/Filip Taschler (CZE), Olivia Smart/Tim Dieck (ESP), Diana Davis/Gleb Smolkin (GEO) and Loicia Demougeot/Theo Le Mercier (FRA).

What and when 

The schedule of the ISU European Championships 2025 is as follows:

Wednesday, January 29: Pairs and Women’s Short Programs
 Thursday, January 30: Men’s Short Program and Pairs Free Skating
 Friday, January 31: Rhythm Dance & Women’s Free Skating  
 Saturday, February 1: Free Dance & Men’s Free Skating
 Sunday, February 2: Exhibition Gala

For more information, full entry lists and results, visit the ISU event page of the ISU European Championships 2025 and the official event website of the Championships. Check out the Facts & Figures for extra information. Follow the discussion on social media using #EuroFigure and #FigureSkating.

Where to watch the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2025:

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 2025 

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