Swiss Surprise: Britschgi Claims European Figure Skating Crown

Lukas Britschgi © Instagram / schluukas

Lukas Britschgi of Switzerland stunned the field at the European Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, capturing the gold medal with a remarkable free skate performance. Rising from eighth place after the short program, Britschgi delivered a dazzling routine, earning an overall score of 267.09 points and securing his first European title. His victory marks the first Swiss win in the event since 1947, a historic achievement for the 26-year-old skater.

Britschgi’s unexpected triumph came as two-time defending champion Adam Siao Him Fa of France faltered in his free skate. Despite leading after the short program, Siao Him Fa’s performance was marred by a fall and other mistakes, ultimately dropping him to third place with a total score of 257.99. Siao Him Fa, who has been battling an ankle injury, acknowledged his disappointment but emphasized the challenges of performing consistently at a high level.

Adding to Italy’s success at the championships, Nikolaj Memola secured the silver medal with a total score of 262.61. This achievement capped off a successful day for Italy, following Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri’s dominant victory in the ice dance competition. The Italian duo clinched their third consecutive European ice dance title, leading from the rhythm dance and solidifying their win with a commanding free dance performance.

Guignard and Fabbri’s victory was decisive, earning them a total score of 212.12 points. France’s Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud took silver with 206.76 points, while Great Britain’s Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson secured the bronze medal with 206.02 points. Fear and Gibson, who had previously won silver in both 2023 and 2024, were aiming for Britain’s first European ice dance title since Torvill and Dean’s victory in 1994.

By Vitalina Andrushchenko, Staff Writer