SHORT TRACK

Fontana (ITA) extends legendary European Championship record with two golds in Dresden

19 Jan 2025

#ShortTrackSkating

Fontana extends legendary European Championship record with two golds in Dresden

Arianna Fontana (ITA) won her 25^th and 26^th career ISU European Short Track Championships medals in Dresden on Saturday, further adding to an already remarkable run in the competition.

It would have been impressive enough for the seven-time overall European Champion, now 34, to achieve this against a glut of talented young racers under normal circumstances.

The fact, however, that she did it while also skating Long Track this season – with all the extra travel and training it entails – makes the achievement all the more impressive.

Arianna Fontana (ITA) leads the pack in the Women’s 1000m at the ISU European Short Track Championships, Dresden, Germany © ISU

Fontana won an incident-packed 1000m title, before taking the anchor laps for the Italian women’s 3000m relay team, who beat off competition from Hungary and Poland.

“It was difficult to even sing the national anthem”

Fontana’s experience steered her to victory in the 1000m. Her compatriots Gloria Ioriatti (ITA) and Elisa Confortola (ITA) led the pack early before she took over, looking to avoid crowding; the equally savvy Petra Jaszapati (HUN) got into her slipstream.

The pair drew clear and chaos broke out behind them: Kamila Stormowska (POL) and Zoe Deltrap (NED) both committed fouls, Ioriatti and Confortola ended up on the deck as a result.

Petra Jaszapati (HUN), Arianna Fontana and Elisa Confortola (ITA) compete in the Women 1000m Final at the ISU European Short Track Championships, Dresden, Germany © ISU

Fontana made a trademark last-lap pass on Jaszapati and turned on the burners, meanwhile, proving just a little too quick for the Hungarian. Confortola made it off the ground quicker to trail round for the bronze.

“I knew who I was racing against, it started slow, and I needed to get to the front to avoid chaos, which happened,” said Fontana. “I tried to race smart and use my experience, lap by lap, then give everything I had.

“It was difficult even to sing the national anthem, I was still breathing hard. But I’m really happy.”

Jaszapati was also pleased. “I tried to race brave, and it paid off today,” she said. “The first half of the season was pretty good and I’m happy to show some more in the second half of the season. It’s the usual, racing against Arianna, she is pretty clever with how she races.”

Confortola admitted to some confusion at the end. “It was a weird race because there were a lot of passes, a lot of falls,” she said. “It was fast, then slow. At the end I thought I was sixth, but then there were penalties, people a lap behind.

“After the fall I stood up as quick as possible, so I’m happy to get a medal. It’s better to finish on your legs. I feel good.”

(L-R) Petra Jaszapati (HUN) takes silver , Arianna Fontana (ITA) gold and Elisa Confortola (ITA) bronze in the Women’s 1000m, European Short Track Championships in Dresden, Germany © ISU

Italians combine brilliantly to take relay gold

Fontana’s fine day didn’t end there. Relays can often be manic, but this was as smooth as they come for the Italian team. Led by the experienced champion, a trio of promising young racers –Ioriatti, Confortola and Chiara Betti (ITA) combined perfectly to keep distance between them and Hungary, who finished second, and third-placed Poland.

The victory was made easier by an error by the Netherlands, who are the top ranked relay team but had an off day here.

Fontana admitted she’d started the day exhausted, having only flown in from Long Track training in the United States two days earlier. Aiming for her fifth Olympic Games on home ice at Milano-Cortina 2026, Italy’s most successful Winter Olympian, male or female, is trying her hand at both disciplines for the first time.

“I got here Thursday morning, I still feel the jetlag, I had to take it race by race and focus on that,” she said. “I’m still tired. I took a nap at 11 this morning. I passed out. I was so tired. But I’m happy.

“We train through [the Long Track and Short Track events], I knew I was tired from training and travel but this season we need to try new things and experiment and understand what I can actually do.

“This time we trained, raced, got here late and raced a little easier. The level is high but you don’t have the Asians, Americans, Canadians – so I can race more tactically, not give everything all the time.

“The last time I competed at the European Championships was in 2018, it’s been a long time. I’m happy to be here. I remember my first overall title in Latvia.”

Confortola was certainly impressed. “Ariana has so much experience, she is one of the hardest, and tactically, she is one of the best,” she said.

She also believes the future of Italian Short Track is strong. “We are training well, we are a solid group, and a big group. So our level is increasing a lot - we push each other."