Victoria Sinitsina/Nikita Katsalapov (RUS) competing at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2022 in Tallinn (EST) ©International Skating Union
Reigning World Champions Victoria Sinitsina/Nikita Katsalapov of Russia took a slim lead of 1.44 points over teammates Alexandra Stepanova/Ivan Bukin in the Rhythm Dance at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships Friday in Tallinn (EST). Italy’s Charlene Guignard/ Marco Fabbri are currently ranked third.
Sinitsina/Katsalapov delivered a confident performance of their “funky” dance to “You Can Leave Your Hat On” and “Brickhouse”. The 2021 World Champions earned a level four for the twizzles, the Midnight Blues Pattern Dance and the rotational lift while the two step sequences merited a level three. The defending European Champions set a seasons best with 87.89 points.
“It’s amazing we are really happy to be here at the Europeans. It was a great event today and we keep going for tomorrow,” Katsalapov said. “It’s a good competition and we haven’t seen them (Stepanova/Bukin) skating but we are sure they skated well, they said it was their best skate. We also worked, we went through the injures, yet we are continuing going up and it’s the first day of the competition and it’s a great set up for the rest of the event,” he added referring to the close gap between them and Stepanova/Bukin.
Alexandra Stepanova/Ivan Bukin (RUS) competing at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2022 in Tallinn (EST) ©International Skating Union
Stepanova/Bukin entertained the crowd with their Backstreet Boys medley, producing a level-four straight line lift, twizzles and Blues pattern. The four-time European medalists picked up a personal best of 86.45 points.
“We feel great about it, we are glad about the season best, we worked so much since the last Grand Prix and almost everything worked for us today,” Bukin noted. “We all work and we all progress and we all have our goals. The competition is a great motivation. We did our best, I am sure they (Sinitsina/Katsalapov) did the best they could so it will be interesting.”
Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA) competing at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2022 in Tallinn (EST) ©International Skating Union
Guignard/Fabbri put out a lively dance to songs by Michael Jackson. The 2019 European bronze medalists collected a level four for two elements and a level three for three elements to score 83.35 points, a new seasons best.
“We are very satisfied with our performance today. Finally, as we have struggled with this dance this season. So we finally got it and the score is great,” Fabbri shared. “We had a good feeling today when we did the warm-up and it was quite easy. Sometimes you step on the ice and you feel comfortable with everything you do, today was like that for us. Some competitions you struggle and fight for each element, but not today.”
Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson (GBR) competing at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2022 in Tallinn (EST) ©International Skating Union
Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson (GBR) came fourth with an upbeat Disco medley (79.97 points). Olivia Smart/Adrian Diaz (ESP) finished fifth with another strong performance on 77.99 followed by their teammates Sara Hurtado/Kirill Khaliavin (ESP) on 75.83 points.
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