European Figure Skating Championships
| European Figure Skating Championships | |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Genre | International championship event |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Inaugurated | 1891 |
| Previous event | 2025 European Championships |
| Next event | 2026 European Championships |
| Organised by | International Skating Union |
The European Figure Skating Championships are an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU). Medals are awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. The event is the sport's oldest competition. The first European Championships were held in 1891 in Hamburg, Germany, and featured one segment – compulsory figures – with seven competitors. They have been held since 1891 with only five interruptions. Women were allowed to compete for the first time in 1930, which was also when pair skating was added to the competition. Ice dance was added in 1954. Only eligible skaters from ISU member countries in Europe are allowed to compete, while skaters from countries outside of Europe instead compete in the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships.
Ulrich Salchow of Sweden holds the record for winning the most European championship titles in men's singles (with nine), while Irina Slutskaya of Russia holds the record in women's singles (with seven). Irina Rodnina and Alexander Zaitsev of the Soviet Union hold the record in pair skating (with eleven), although Rodnina won an additional four titles with a previous partner. Lyudmila Pakhomova and Aleksandr Gorshkov of the Soviet Union hold the record in ice dance (with six).
The 2026 European Championships are scheduled to be held 13–18 January in Sheffield, England, in the United Kingdom.[1]
History
Although they have not been held continuously, the European Championships are the oldest championship competition in figure skating.[2] The first European Championships were held in 1891 in Hamburg, Germany, and featured only one segment: compulsory figures.[2] The event was sponsored by the Austrian and German skating federations after they had combined to become one federation.[3] All of the medalists were from Germany: Oskar Uhlig won the first gold medal, A. Schmitson finished in second place, and Franz Zilly was third.[2]
The 1893 European Championships were the first time that the event was held under the jurisdiction of the International Skating Union (ISU), which was formed in the summer of 1892.[2] The championships were sponsored by the Berlin Skating Club and organized by the German/Austrian federation.[2] Figure skating historian James Hines called the 1893 European Championships "clearly a success from a skating standpoint",[2] but it also marked figure skating's "first major controversy", due to "different interpretations of the scoring rules, which could result in a tie depending upon one's interpretation of them".[2] The Berlin Skating Club had declared Henning Grenander the winner, but the ISU declared Eduard Engelmann Jr. of Austria the winner.[2] According to Hines, the discrepancy in scoring was due to the interpretation of the scoring rules, resulting in a possible tie.[4] The problem was never resolved, but in 1895, the ISU declared the 1893 results invalid and rules were established that made sure that discrepancies due to differences in scoring interpretations would not occur again.[2][4] ISU historian Benjamin T. Wright said that the controversy "nearly led to the demise" of the newly formed ISU.[2]
The next two European Championships, 1894 and 1895, "experienced a marked decrease in participation, perhaps a result of the scoring debacle".[2] There were no European Championships for two years, which Hines speculated was due to the small number of contestants in 1894 and 1895, although the competition returned in 1898.[2] Hines also reported that the European Championships were cancelled in 1902 and 1903 "for lack of ice".[5] By the beginning of World War I, twenty European Championships had been held.[5] There were three more interruptions of the European Championships: between 1915 and 1922 due to World War I, between 1940 and 1946 due to World War II, and in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5][6]
Only men competed at the European Championships until 1930, when women's singles and pair skating were added.[2] All members of the ISU, not just skaters from Europe, were allowed to compete at the Europeans Championships until 1948.[2] After Barbara Ann Scott of Canada and Dick Button of the United States won the 1948 European Championships, while Eva Pawlik of Austria and Hans Gerschwiler of Switzerland were awarded the silver medals, the competition was restricted to European skaters.[7][8][2] Ice dance was added in 1954.[5] Competitions were held in outdoor rinks until 1967, when the ISU ruled that both the European and World Championships had to be held in covered ice rinks.[5]
Qualifying
Only those competitors who are "members of a European ISU Member" are eligible to compete in the European Championships.[9] Each ISU member country can send at least one competitor per discipline, with a maximum of three competitors per discipline if they have earned the minimum total element scores, which is determined and published each season by the ISU, during the current or immediately previous season.[9]
Age restrictions have changed throughout the history of the European Championships. Until the 2023–24 figure skating season, skaters had to be at least 15 years old before 1 July of the previous year.[10] At the ISU Congress held in June 2022, members of the ISU Council accepted a proposal to gradually increase the minimum age limit for senior competition to 17 years old beginning from the 2024–25 season. To avoid forcing skaters who had already competed in the senior category to return to juniors, the age limit remained unchanged during the 2022–23 season, before increasing to 16 years old during the 2023–24 season, and then to 17 years old during the 2024–25 season.[11]
Medalists
Men's singles
- Note
- ^ a b The 1903 European Championships were first reassigned to Stockholm, Sweden, before they were ultimately cancelled due to a small number of entrants.
Women's singles
On 29 January 2024, the Court of Arbitration for Sport disqualified Kamila Valieva of Russia for four years retroactive to 25 December 2021 for an anti-doping violation.[38] Thus, her scores from the 2022 European Championships were annulled.[39] As a result, Anna Shcherbakova of Russia was elevated to gold medalist, Alexandra Trusova of Russia to silver, and Loena Hendrickx of Belgium to bronze, breaking what had otherwise been an all-Russian sweep of the women's podium that year.[40]
Pairs
Ice dance
Records
| Discipline | Most championship titles | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skater(s) | No. | Years | Ref. | |
| Men's singles | 9 | 1898–1900; 1904; 1906–07; 1909–10; 1913 |
[44] | |
| Women's singles | 7 | 1996–97; 2000–01; 2003; 2005–06 |
[45] | |
| Pairs | 7 | 1973–78; 1980 |
[46] | |
| [a] | 11 | 1969–78; 1980 | ||
| Ice dance | 6 | 1970–71; 1973–76 |
[47] | |
- ^ Irina Rodnina won four championship titles while partnered with Alexei Ulanov (1969–72) and seven with Alexander Zaitsev (1973–78, 1980).
Cumulative medal table
- Countries that no longer participate are indicated in italics with a dagger (†).
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Russia †[a] | 70 | 64 | 56 | 190 |
| 2 | Soviet Union † | 51 | 58 | 46 | 155 |
| 3 | Austria | 45 | 37 | 37 | 119 |
| 4 | France | 32 | 31 | 28 | 91 |
| 5 | Great Britain | 27 | 38 | 42 | 107 |
| 6 | East Germany † | 23 | 10 | 18 | 51 |
| 7 | Czechoslovakia † | 16 | 13 | 14 | 43 |
| 8 | Italy | 14 | 17 | 16 | 47 |
| 9 | West Germany † | 13 | 16 | 18 | 47 |
| 10 | Germany | 12 | 21 | 16 | 49 |
| 11 | Sweden | 11 | 1 | 6 | 18 |
| 12 | Hungary | 10 | 14 | 12 | 36 |
| 13 | Spain | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 14 | Netherlands | 6 | 3 | 3 | 12 |
| Norway | 6 | 3 | 3 | 12 | |
| 16 | Switzerland | 5 | 10 | 5 | 20 |
| 17 | Ukraine | 3 | 6 | 8 | 17 |
| 18 | Finland | 2 | 3 | 9 | 14 |
| 19 | Commonwealth of Independent States † | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| 20 | Belgium | 2 | 1 | 7 | 10 |
| 21 | Canada | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 22 | Georgia | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 |
| 23 | Czech Republic | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 24 | United States | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 25 | Estonia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 26 | Poland | 0 | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| 27 | Bulgaria | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 28 | Israel | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Yugoslavia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 30 | Lithuania | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 31 | Latvia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (31 entries) | 363 | 363 | 363 | 1,089 | |
- ^ Skaters from Russia have been banned from competing at all international skating events since 2022 due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[49]
References
- ^ "ISU Figure Skating European Championships Sheffield 2026". Europeans 2026. Archived from the original on 1 March 2025. Retrieved 1 March 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Hines, James R. (2015). Figure Skating in the Formative Years: Singles, Pairs, and the Expanding Role of Women. University of Illinois. pp. 49–52. ISBN 978-0-252-03906-5.
- ^ "The European Figure Skating Championships – An Annual Competition Organised by the ISU". Europeans 2012. European Figure Skating. 2019. Archived from the original on 8 February 2011. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
- ^ a b Hines (2011), p. 63
- ^ a b c d e Hines, James R. (2011). Historical Dictionary of Figure Skating. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. pp. xxii–xxiv, 6, 83, 96. ISBN 978-0-8108-6859-5.
- ^ "European Figure Skating Championships Canceled for First Time Since World War II". ESPN. Associated Press. 10 December 2020. Archived from the original on 15 March 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
- ^ "Eva Pawlik and Rudi Seeliger". International Figure Skating Magazine. February 2009.
- ^ "Erinnerungen an Eva Pawlik (Memories of Eva Pawlik)". Pirouette: 37–38. August 2007.
- ^ a b "Special Regulations & Technical Rules Single & Pair Skating and Ice Dance 2024" (PDF). International Skating Union. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 March 2025. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
- ^ "China Eyed over Eight Athletes' Ages". ESPN. Associated Press. 14 February 2011. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ Nair, Aadi (7 June 2022). "ISU to Raise Minimum Age for Senior Competitions to 17". Reuters. Archived from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "European Figure Skating Championships: Men" (PDF). International Skating Union. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "European Figure Skating Championships 2001". International Skating Union. 16 September 2001. Archived from the original on 1 September 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "European Figure Skating Championships 2002". International Skating Union. 19 January 2002. Archived from the original on 10 June 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "2003 European Figure Skating Championships". International Skating Union. 21 January 2003. Archived from the original on 15 June 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "2004 ISU European Figure Skating Championships". International Skating Union. 1 February 2004. Archived from the original on 8 February 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2005". International Skating Union. 29 January 2005. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2006". International Skating Union. 21 January 2006. Archived from the original on 29 October 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2007". International Skating Union. 27 January 2007. Archived from the original on 8 February 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2008". International Skating Union. 26 January 2008. Archived from the original on 3 April 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2009". International Skating Union. 24 January 2009. Archived from the original on 6 November 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2010". International Skating Union. 25 January 2010. Archived from the original on 6 November 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2011". International Skating Union. 29 January 2011. Archived from the original on 2 April 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2012". International Skating Union. 28 January 2012. Archived from the original on 27 January 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2013". International Skating Union. 26 January 2013. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2014". International Skating Union. 29 January 2014. Archived from the original on 6 November 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2015". International Skating Union. 2 February 2015. Archived from the original on 13 February 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2016". International Skating Union. 30 January 2016. Archived from the original on 17 July 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2017". International Skating Union. 28 January 2017. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2018". International Skating Union. 21 January 2018. Archived from the original on 17 January 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2019". International Skating Union. 26 January 2019. Archived from the original on 27 December 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2020". International Skating Union. 25 January 2020. Archived from the original on 20 January 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Update on ISU Event Calendar Season 2020/21". International Skating Union. 10 December 2020. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2022". International Skating Union. 15 January 2022. Archived from the original on 10 September 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2023". International Skating Union. 28 January 2023. Archived from the original on 6 August 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2024". International Skating Union. 13 January 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2025". International Skating Union. 28 January 2025. Archived from the original on 28 January 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ "Kamila Valieva Is Found to Have Committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation and Sanctioned with a Four-Year Period of Ineligibility Commencing on 25 December 2021". Court of Arbitration for Sport. 29 January 2024. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
- ^ Connor, Sarah (30 January 2024). "Kamila Valieva Olympic Doping Case: Breaking Down the Timeline". WBAL-TV. Archived from the original on 25 July 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ "ISU Statement – Decision of CAS – Kamila Valieva (ROC)". isu.org. 30 January 2024. Archived from the original on 4 May 2024. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
- ^ "European Figure Skating Championships: Ladies" (PDF). International Skating Union. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "European Figure Skating Championships: Pairs" (PDF). International Skating Union. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "European Figure Skating Championships: Ice Dance" (PDF). International Skating Union. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
- ^ "Ulrich Salchow". Olympedia. Archived from the original on 29 July 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ^ "Competition Results – Irina Slutskaya". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 24 January 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ "Irina Rodnina". Sports-Reference. Archived from the original on 21 April 2011.
- ^ Russell, Susan D. (5 January 2013). "Lyudmila Pakhomova and Aleksandr Gorshkov". International Figure Skating Magazine. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
- ^ "Sportstatistik/Sports Statistics: Eiskunstlauf/Figure Skating". Sport-Record.de. Archived from the original on 17 March 2024.
- ^ "ISU Statement on the Ukrainian crisis - Participation in international competitions of Skaters and Officials from Russia and Belarus". International Skating Union. 1 March 2022. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022.
Works cited
- Hines, James R. (2011). Historical Dictionary of Figure Skating. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-6859-5.
- Hines, James R. (2015). Figure Skating in the Formative Years: Singles, Pairs, and the Expanding Role of Women. Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0-252-03906-5.
See also
- European Figure Skating Championships cumulative medal count
- Four Continents Figure Skating Championships
External links
- ISU Championship events
- European Championships at Skating Scores