Anastasiia Gubanova Seizes Narrow Lead in Comeback Bid at European Figure Skating Championships

Women's Short Program Showdown

The 2025 European Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, delivered edge-of-your-seat drama on Wednesday as Anastasiia Gubanova snatched a wafer-thin lead in the women's short program. The reigning 2023 champion is staging a fierce comeback, and with defending titleholder Loena Hendrickx sidelined by an ankle injury, the path to gold is wide open—and the tension is palpable.

Gubanova, skating to a sultry cover of ABBA's 'Money, Money, Money,' landed a clean triple flip–triple toeloop combination, a double Axel, and a triple Lutz to earn 68.99 points. Her lead is a mere 0.05 points over Estonia's own Niina Petrokina, who electrified the home crowd with a flawless routine that included a triple Lutz–triple toeloop combination. Switzerland's Kimmy Repond, bronze medalist in 2023, sits third at 68.68 points—just 0.31 points separate the top three.

The paper-thin margins set up a high-stakes free skate on Friday, where every edge and landing will matter. Gubanova, who previously claimed the European title in 2023, now faces the pressure of defending her legacy against a hungry field.

The Comeback Narrative

For Gubanova, this championship represents more than just a title defense. After a quiet 2024 season, the Ukrainian-born skater representing Georgia is fighting to reclaim her throne. Her short program was not flawless—a slight hesitation on the final spin—but her competitive fire was unmistakable. Skating to a song about money and ambition, she channeled raw hunger to stay ahead.

Petrokina, meanwhile, is skating on home ice and thriving under the spotlight. The 20-year-old delivered a clean, expressive program that earned her the second-highest technical score of the night. The crowd erupted in cheers, waving Estonian flags as she took her bows. Kimmy Repond, though in third, remains a threat—the Swiss skater has momentum from her previous European bronze and could strike if the leaders wobble.

Pairs Competition Heats Up

In the pairs short program, Germany's Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin made a powerful statement. Coming off a victory at the Grand Prix Final last month, the duo skated a nearly perfect program—marred only by a one-point time violation—to score 71.59 points. They lead by just over three points from Italy's Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii, who dropped points when Conti put a knee down on a throw triple loop landing.

Hungary's Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko sit third with 65.88 points. The pairs free skate will take place on Thursday, setting up a compelling battle for the podium.

Heartbreak and Absence

The pairs competition is missing last year's European champions, Italy's Lucrezia Beccari and Matteo Guarise, due to a season-ending foot injury for Beccari that required surgery. Their absence opens the door for Hase and Volodin to claim their first European title. The German pair has been on a hot streak, combining power and artistry that earned them the highest technical elements score of the night.

The ice in Tallinn is proving to be a stage of high emotion and razor-sharp competition. With so little separating the top skaters, every performance will be dissected. Fans are already buzzing about Friday's free skate, where the women's title could be decided by the smallest of margins.

As the championships continue, the narratives of resilience, home-crowd passion, and the relentless pursuit of glory are gripping the figure skating world. Who will hold their nerve? Only the final skate will tell.

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