by Matteo Morelli | Characteristic picture by Yoriko Suzuki
The 2025 European Championships returned to Tallinn, Estonia, after final being hosted there in 2022. The occasion was characterised by quite a lot of motion from the rhythm dance to free dance and plenty of groups incomes new private bests, demonstrating how European ice dance is rising quick.
Italy’s Charlene Guignard & Marco Fabbri gained a 3rd consecutive title, an historic and vital outcome that showcases the consistency of this skilled staff. They had been adopted by Evgeniia Lopareva & Geoffrey Brissaud of France in second place, incomes a medal they didn’t assume was attainable for them. Closing the rostrum, Nice Britain’s Lilah Worry & Lewis Gibson added a 3rd European medal to their assortment, confirming their place of management on the continent.
Earlier than diving into the detailed outcomes, it is very important point out that the lives misplaced from the tragedy of the American Airways Flight 5342 had been in everybody’s thoughts at this occasion. Many skaters and groups expressed their disappointment, and as a neighborhood we gathered to mourn and assist one another in such tough instances.
Occasion Recap
Charlene Guignard & Marco Fabbri proceed to make historical past for Italy, successful a 3rd consecutive title (their second consecutive win final season was already historical past making for his or her nation) and reaching a complete of 5 continental medals, determine solely achieved earlier than by Anna Cappellini & Luca Lanotte.
Their rhythm dance allowed them to take the lead with 84.23 factors, offering a margin of just about two factors from second place.
“Not every part was actually good as we speak, however general it was a superb efficiency for us,” Fabbri shared. “I used to be most likely a bit bit stiff in my legs initially, so the twizzles weren’t good after which I recovered from that and from the second ingredient of the rhythm dance it was significantly better.”
They shared that they made enhancements to their robot-themed free dance, which labored properly in securing their lead with 127.89 factors, virtually equalling their season finest, and a complete of 212.12 factors.
“Initially of the season, we tried an excessive amount of to maneuver like robots, and that was too stiff for determine skating,” Fabbri mentioned. “It has been a giant problem for us to maintain this choreography and on the similar time hold our knees smooth, however now I feel we’ve discovered that stability.”
This third consecutive win, which has a vital which means for them, can be the results of a unique method getting into the occasion.
“This time, we benefit from the competitors extra,” Guignard shared. “I feel our first win in Finland was the worst, we had been burdened, and the following yr was a bit higher however now we loved our efficiency.”
Regardless of of that and a six-point lead, they didn’t wish to neglect {that a} competitors is a contest, and that one can by no means be too relaxed.
“We all the time really feel the stress, it’s the Europeans and it’s not the best competitors,” Fabbri mirrored on. “The extent was very excessive right here, and even with these scores, which might be fairly good for us, we felt stress.”
Their rhythm dance scored 82.75 factors, a brand new private finest for them, sending a message that they had been severe a few podium end.
“We had been hoping for a excessive rating, we felt that we did a clear efficiency and the remaining was as much as the judges and I’m glad that they preferred our efficiency,” Lopareva mentioned.
This staff is having fun with a profitable season, with a primary Grand Prix medal and Grand Prix Last attendance.
“We improved quite a bit this season, we labored arduous on the standard of what we do and step-by-step we develop and we proceed on this manner,” Brissaud shared.
Their authentic free dance was delivered with confidence, permitting them to earn 124.01 factors and a complete of 206.76 factors, with new private finest throughout the board.
“It’s a shock to complete second, we labored for the medal this yr however to get the second (place) is wonderful, we weren’t anticipating that and we’re glad,” Brissaud mentioned.
They’re now aiming to stay focussed for the remainder of the season, persevering with to develop as a staff.
“Earlier than going to the free dance as we speak, we mentioned to one another that it doesn’t matter what the outcome might be, it is not going to change something in our course of and after we are going to return to our ice rink and we’re going to hold working arduous,” Lopareva shared.
Nice Britain’s Lilah Worry & Lewis Gibson added a bronze medal to their earlier two silver medals from the continental championships, persevering with to point out that they’re a high staff within the struggle for the very best spots obtainable.
They began the competitors with a 3rd place after the rhythm dance and a rating of 81.57 factors.
“I feel there was quite a bit we had been pleased with and in addition we left quite a lot of factors on the desk nevertheless it makes us hungry for tomorrow, we wish to go on the market, join with the group and entertain,” Worry shared.
“I feel as we speak we had been pleased with the efficiency,” Gibson added. “After all, there have been quite a lot of errors right here and there all through the efficiency however the vitality we gave rewarded us and we’re very pleased with that.”
Their free dance earned 124.45 factors, confirming their third place with a complete of 206.02 factors general.
“We had been actually over the moon with our skate as we speak and particularly the comeback from yesterday and the way we equipped mentally and actually went for it,” Worry shared. “That’s the feeling that lasts for us and we’re going to take ahead, but additionally all of the suggestions might be gasoline and motivation for Worlds.”
“We can not wait and we additionally hope to encourage the following technology to become involved on this sport after they see it first-hand,” Worry shared.
Finland’s Juulia Turkkila & Matthias Versluis had been impeccable of their programmes at this European event. They exceeded their private finest by a number of factors, going previous the 200 mark for the primary time of their profession.
After successful a bronze medal on the European Championships two years in the past, adopted by a sixth-place end final season, this season they confirmed that they’re a pressure to be reckoned with, ending in fourth place and lacking a podium end by simply 0.33 factors. Their tango was elegant, refined, image good in virtually each ingredient.
Pushing the bar and in addition persevering with to enhance is the opposite Finnish staff of Yuka Orihara and Juho Pirinen. They exceeded their private bests in all segments, ending in seventh place however with the sixth finest free dance.
Of their second yr collectively, Olivia Sensible & Tim Dieck of Spain competed at their first Europeans collectively, ending in fifth place and one-point shy from breaking the 200 factors mark for the primary time. They had been extremely pleased with their achievement, and are eager to proceed rising as a staff and permit Spain to realize extra spots at competitions.
Nonetheless treasuring the unimaginable emotions from final yr’s bronze medal in Lithuania, Allison Reed & Saulius Ambrulevičius led to sixth place, incomes new season bests even when not solely glad with their supply. This was Reed’s first Europeans as a Lithuanian citizen, having obtained her nationality in November final yr.
Each Czech groups had some errors that they needed to pay the value for: Natálie Taschlerová & Filip Taschler managed to maneuver from eleventh within the rhythm dance to tenth general, whereas Kateřina Mrázková & Daniel Mrázek led to twelfth place. Each groups had been hoping for extra, however we’re positive that with the World Championships being held within the Czech Republic in 2026, they may discover the drive to point out their dwelling nation what they’re able to.
James Hernandez, affected by meals poisoning, missed the free dance apply however nonetheless managed to compete with British accomplice Phebe Bekker, with each entertaining with their James Bond free and ending in thirteenth place.
Israel’s Alexei Kiliakov was concerned in an accident at apply that resulted in him being taken to the hospital for a examine. Fortunately, he and accomplice Elizabeth Tkachenko had been again on the rink the day after, cheering and supporting staff mates and mates.
On high of these already talked about, this occasion had quite a lot of new private finest throughout the board, together with: France’s Loicia Demougeot & Theo Le Mercier (rhythm dance); Germany’s Jennifer Janse van Rensburg & Benjamis Steffan (general); Hungary’s Mariia Ignateva & Danijil Szemko (free); Italy’s Victoria Manni & Carlo Roethlisberger (free); Lithuania’s Paulina Ramanauskaitė & Deividas Kizala (free and whole).
Historical past was additionally made for Romania, with Emilia Monika Ziobrowska & Shiloh Douglas Judd changing into the primary ever Romanian staff to entry the European Championships.