Figure skating European Championship: Eisanz duo from Germany dances past top ten

After the gold triumph in pairs, the ice dancers Jennifer Janse van Rensburg and Benjamin Steffan missed another German surprise at the European Championship in Tallinn despite the top performance.

The Oberstdorfer, who were in ninth place after the short program, ended the European Championship in eleventh place. The disappointment was to be seen by Janse van Rensburg and Steffan on Saturday (1.2.2025), because serious mistakes were not recognizable in their freestyle with excerpts from “Phantom of the Opera”, but the judges evaluated very strictly. The German duo tumbled out of the top ten with only 111.4 points.

No second EM starting place 2026

With a result of the first ten couples, Janse van Rensburg/Steffan had secured a second starting place for the German ice cream dancers for the European Championship 2026 in Sheffield. “Of course we would have liked to do that“, said Janse van Rensburg.”Nevertheless, we can be satisfied with the fact that we have shown our best season performance so far. But of course there is always something to improve, we are now working on this up to the World Championships in March.“The two had already completed the EM 2024 in eleventh place.

Dortmund Dietz dances for Spain

Nevertheless, a German cheered about a top position: Dortmund Tim Dietz, who starts with his English partner Olivia Smart for Spain, danced to a strong fifth place. Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri from Italy (212.12 points) cheered on gold. They defended their leadership after the rhythm dance with an athlete freestyle and crowned themselves as European champion.

Hase/Volodin fetch awaited gold

At the beginning of the European Championship, Minerva Hase and Nikita Volodin had taken care of German happiness at the beginning of the European Championship. Her gold medal was the first since 2011. In contrast to the figure skating, jumps, throw jumps, overhead lifter and other acrobatic movements are prohibited in the ice dance.

Instead, it is about interpretation, the agreement of movement and music and performance. And from the point of view of the judges, the German duo Janse van Rensburg/Steffan had too many weak points.

Free of the men: decision in the stream

In the evening there is another decision at the European Championship. The men’s freestyle finals will take place from 6 p.m. (Livestream on Sportschau.de) without German participation. While the Frenchman Adam Siao Him FA is in the lead with 93.12 points, Nikita Starostin missed the qualification for the freestyle after a failed short program.

The 22-year-old was the only German participant, with 63.54 points, only finished 27th. Only the best 24 men take part in the freestyle in Estonia’s capital. For the German ice skating union, the departure of Starostin is the next disappointment in a single competition at the European Championship. On Wednesday, Kristina Isaev had already missed the freestyle as 28th in the women’s short program.

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