Figure skating European Championships: Hase/Volodin after a short program on a gold course

The German figure skating-tipenduo Minerva-Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin has a furious start at the European Championship in Tallinn/Estonia and is on a gold course.

The two Grand Prix winners from Berlin showed the song “You were mine“(Tami Neilson) an almost error-free short program and clearly took the lead with 71.59 points. The decision will be made on Thursday in the freestyle (from 6.45 p.m. in the sports show livestream).

The biggest rivals in the fight for their first European Championship titles are the Italians Sara Conti/Niccolo Macii, who, despite some mistakes, scored 68.52 points. In contrast, the lead in third place and the Hungarian Maria Pavlova/Alexei Sviatchenko (65.88 points) is already great.

Just a little flaw

“It was a work program. We are happy with our performance, it was a good start“, said Hase:”A little nervousness came from the inside, but now we can go into the freestyle a little more relaxed. “

Anything but the self-proclaimed first European Championship title would now be a bitter disappointment for the top favorites. The 25-year-old rabbit still looked puzzled when it was allocated. The reason: the German couple got a point off due to a time penalty. But that should only be a small flaw on this successful debut.

Hocke/Kunkel also have a look at the medal

The second Berlin duo Annika Hocke/Robert Kunkel can also be in fifth (62.68 points) at half -time. A mistake in the triple litter-rittberger from Hocke, which most recently had to deal with a foot injury, prevented a better placement. “The mistake was super annoying“, said the 24-year-old after her foot injury”not yet at 100 percent” be.

Letizia Roscher and Luis Schuster (12./55.18 points) complete the strong German result, the young duo from Chemnitz also ran under the top 16 couples and is there in the final on Thursday.

Open invoice for rabbit/volodine

Last year, Hase and her Russian partner Volodin also had a medal course at the European Championship in Lithuania after the short program, but were only fifth after a failed freestyle. At the World Cup in Canada, the Berlin duo won bronze, in December they recently defended their title at the prestigious Grand Prix final in Grenoble, French. For the European Championship and also the subsequent World Cup in Boston (March 24th to 30th), they are therefore considered top favorites.

Hase and Volodin have only been on the ice together for around two years. Nevertheless, they already harmonize extremely well. “We grew up well as a team and trust each other blindly“, said Hase in front of the European Championship.”We can say confidently that we want to run for the title. “Nevertheless, it will”A hard piece of work. “

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