World Champs spots on the line as Europe's best descend on Espoo

Europe's figure skating elite will square off at the ISU Figure Skating European Championships next week, and you can watch all the action from every event LIVE on SBS On Demand.

isu.jpg

Italian Daniel Grassl competes in the Men's and Great British pair Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson compete in the Ice Dance category at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2022. Source: Getty

First-time champions are set to be crowned across all four disciplines, with coveted spots at the upcoming World Championships in March also up for grabs in a vital opportunity for all competitors.

In some disciplines, there are no clear favourites and the podium is uncertain, while others will see decorated skaters looking to make a statement on their continent's biggest figure skating stage.

Let's take a look at the field of skaters who could take the podium in each of the disciplines.

Men

30 skaters will fill out the men's events with winners and podium placers everywhere you look. Italian Daniel Grassl returns to the European Championships off the back of a silver medal last year coupled with a win at the Sheffield Grand Prix, while France's Adam Siao Him Fa holds the French Grand Prix trophy.

Along with those two are those looking to go one better after podium finishes last year. Latvia's Deniss Vasiljevs took third in Sheffield while Italy's Matteo Rizzo boasts a bronze medal at the 2019 European Championships and finished third in Canada last year.

Frenchman Kévin Aymoz also looms as a podium threat, familiar with the Espoo ice after finishing third at the Finland Grand Prix in 2022.

Women

Belgian Loena Hendrickx comes into the European Championships after a mammoth 2022 which saw her win the French Grand Prix, take silver at the World Championships and claim bronze in the Grand Prix Finals.

Her accolades and pedigree make her the clear favourite, but she will have to take on Georgian Anastasiia Gubanova, Sheffield bronze medallist and Polish Warsaw Cup champion Ekaterina Kurakova which will be no easy task.
Loena Hendrickx of Belgium competes in the Women's Free
Loena Hendrickx of Belgium competes in the Women's Free Skating during day three of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. Source: LightRocket, Getty / Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images

Pairs

Italy bring an impressive roster of three different pairs teams to the European Championships led by star skaters Sara Conti and Niccolo Macci. The duo were recently crowned 2023 national champions after taking out silver in Sheffield and bronze at the Grand Prix Finals and are looking placed to beat last year's seventh place finish at the European Championships.

2022 Junior World Champion Georgian duo Karina Safina and Luca Berulava return after a fourth-place finish last year, while Camille and Pablo Kovalev represent France as national champions after a silver medal at their native Grand Prix.

Ice Dance

Italian pair Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri have already won bronze twice at the European Championships and head up the ice dance category as seasoned competitors.

Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson will represent Great Britain after a 2022 where they took silver at the Canadian Grand Prix and competed in the Grand Prix Finals, while Lithuania's Saulius Ambrulevičius and Allison Reed are another strong chance for the podium.

ISU European Championships on SBS

Wednesday, January 25

ISU European Figure Skating Championships - Espoo, Day 1, Pairs

10:00pm-12:27am AEDT

LIVE on SBS On Demand


Thursday, January 26


ISU European Figure Skating Championships - Espoo, Day 1, Opening Ceremony

1:35am-2:18am AEDT

LIVE on SBS On Demand


ISU European Figure Skating Championships - Espoo, Day 1, Men

2:20am-6:56am AEDT

LIVE on SBS On Demand


ISU European Figure Skating Championships - Espoo, Day 2, Women

10:00pm-2:57am AEDT

LIVE on SBS On Demand


Friday, January 27

ISU European Figure Skating Championships - Espoo, Day 2, Pairs

4:05am-7:18am AEDT

LIVE on SBS On Demand


ISU European Figure Skating Championships - Espoo, Day 3, Ice Dance

10:44pm-1:58am AEDT

LIVE on SBS On Demand


Saturday, January 28

ISU European Figure Skating Championships - Espoo, Day 3, Men

2:55am-7:18am AEDT

LIVE on SBS On Demand


ISU European Figure Skating Championships - Espoo, Day 4, Women

10:00pm-1:56am AEDT

LIVE on SBS On Demand


Sunday, January 29

ISU European Figure Skating Championships - Espoo, Day 4, Ice Dance

3:30am-7:15am AEDT

LIVE on SBS On Demand


ISU European Figure Skating Championships - Espoo, Day 5, Exhibition

11:15pm-2:03am AEDT

LIVE on SBS On Demand

Share
Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España, Dakar Rally, World Athletics / ISU Championships (and more) via SBS On Demand – your free live streaming and catch-up service. Read more about Sport
Have a story or comment? Contact Us

Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España, Dakar Rally, World Athletics / ISU Championships (and more) via SBS On Demand – your free live streaming and catch-up service.
Watch nowOn Demand
Follow SBS Sport
4 min read
Published 21 January 2023 2:13pm
Updated 25 January 2023 9:40am
By SBS Sport
Source: SBS


Share this with family and friends