Russian figure skaters swept the podium at the European Championships in Moscow

Russians Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov defended their European champions title in pairs skating, winning the tournament in Moscow. Silver was won by Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov, bronze – Natalia Zabiyako and Alexander Enbert

The first set of medals was decided at the European Figure Skating Championships in Moscow. In pairs skating the entire podium was occupied by Russian athletes. The continental title was won for the second year in a row by Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov. The day before they were only fifth in the short program, but won the free skate with a personal best (151.23 points). In total the reigning Russian champions scored 221.60 points.

“The tears (after the skate) were from joy. That’s not for comments. We got very angry after the short program,” Tarasova is quoted as saying by R-Sport. “We were very mad at ourselves, at our rivals, at the whole situation (with the failure in the short program) and skated all-out today,” Morozov added.

Silver was won by the Sochi 2014 Olympic team event champions Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov. They were third after the short program and moved one place up after the free skate, finishing with 211.01 points in total. For Stolbova and Klimov this is already their third European silver. Previously they were second in 2014 in Budapest and in 2015 in Stockholm.

“Personally I think it was bad. Lots of mistakes, again messed up the jumps and there were enough rough spots invisible to the eye. Maybe nobody saw them, but I was unhappy with them,” Klimov said.

Third place went to Natalia Zabiyako and Alexander Enbert, winning their first medal at a competition of this level. After the short program they were ahead of the other Russian duos, sitting in second place, but after the free skate they let their compatriots past. In the fight for bronze Zabiyako and Enbert won by one hundredth of a point over the French pair who had led after the short program, Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres (210.18 points versus 210.17).

One of the main favorites of the European Championships, Aliona Savchenko and Bruno Massot, representing Germany, withdrew from the European Championships before the tournament started. They cited the need to prepare optimally for the PyeongChang Olympics. Savchenko, skating with Robin Szolkowy, won five world championships, four European championships and two Olympic silvers. She has been competing with Massot since 2015.

 

Well, so Masso showed what matters most to him. But on the other hand, there will be less competition here, more chances for the other figure skaters.