Favourite European Figure Skaters | Golden Skate

Favourite European Figure Skaters

ladyjane

Medalist
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Country
Netherlands
Sk8kirsty started a thread about favourite Russian Figure Skaters (including ones from the past), so I thought I could do the same thing. Only for European Figure Skaters excluding Russians (because they have got one of their own). I'll start with my own list of memorable and favourites.

In Pair Skating both Aljona/Robin and Aljona/Bruno come to mind with a personal preference for the last couple (also they won Olympic Gold). Innovative, classy, and just beautiful to watch.
Another European pair I liked at the time were the Czech skaters Radka Kovarikova and Rene Novotny. World champions in 1995. Beautiful skaters, but could be a bit inconsistent.
Vanessa James and Morgan Cypres are my current favourites. They did some pretty amazing things to transform pair skating. Great. They're not the first from France. I loved Sarah Abitbol and Stephan Bernardis.

In ladies I always like the Finnish and French. Finland had quite some success with Kiira Korpi, Laura Lepisto and Susanna Pyokio. I hope the bronze medal at Europeans last season for Viveca Lindfors is the start of another Finnish Renaissance. France has so many good lady skaters, although often a bit inconsistent. Venessa Guzmoroli comes to mind on the inconsistency bit. Suraya Bonaly was one very succesfull lady but had some problems with the artistic part (not very good on edges). However her back flip with a one foot landing is gorgeous. And that girl could jump. Very athletic.

In men it's the South. The French, the Italians and the Spanish. Well, only one Spanish skater - Javier. France has more of a history with Brian Joubert in first place (6 world medals, 11 european medals). But they've also got Florent Amodio, Philippe Candeloro (two Olympic medals!) and the rather inconsistently skating Stannick Jeannette who could be superb if he was on. Of course they've got a new talent on the rise now: Kevin Amoz. Italy had Samuel Contesti for a time (who originally skated for France) and now has Matteo Rizzo and Daniel Grassl, both looking good.

In Ice Dance France has the top guns. Of course everybody knows Gabrielle and Guillaume who are the current leaders, but they also gave us Marina Annessina and Gwendal Peizerat (Olympic champions). And let us not forget Sophie Moniot and Pascal Lavanchy and - more recent - Nathalie Pechelat and Fabian Bourzat. One of my secret favourite teams are Isobel Delobel and Olivier Schonfelder (2008 WC). The Italians have quite a few good examples as well: Barbara and Maurizio, Federica and Massimo, Anna and Luca, and currently Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabri. Looking good for them. The Finnish had an excellent couple too, Suzanna and Petri. Spain is on the rise currently with two good couples in the mix.

What do you think? Any other ones, skaters I forgot? For good order, mentioning skaters from former USSR members is fine, as long as it's after Russia as a single country again came into being. Skaters from Ukraine can be part of this from app. 1993 for example.
 

sk8kirsty

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 24, 2019
Sk8kirsty started a thread about favourite Russian Figure Skaters (including ones from the past), so I thought I could do the same thing. Only for European Figure Skaters excluding Russians (because they have got one of their own). I'll start with my own list of memorable and favourites.

In Pair Skating both Aljona/Robin and Aljona/Bruno come to mind with a personal preference for the last couple (also they won Olympic Gold). Innovative, classy, and just beautiful to watch.
Another European pair I liked at the time were the Czech skaters Radka Kovarikova and Rene Novotny. World champions in 1995. Beautiful skaters, but could be a bit inconsistent.
Vanessa James and Morgan Cypres are my current favourites. They did some pretty amazing things to transform pair skating. Great. They're not the first from France. I loved Sarah Abitbol and Stephan Bernardis.

In ladies I always like the Finnish and French. Finland had quite some success with Kiira Korpi, Laura Lepisto and Susanna Pyokio. I hope the bronze medal at Europeans last season for Viveca Lindfors is the start of another Finnish Renaissance. France has so many good lady skaters, although often a bit inconsistent. Venessa Guzmoroli comes to mind on the inconsistency bit. Suraya Bonaly was one very succesfull lady but had some problems with the artistic part (not very good on edges). However her back flip with a one foot landing is gorgeous. And that girl could jump. Very athletic.

In men it's the South. The French, the Italians and the Spanish. Well, only one Spanish skater - Javier. France has more of a history with Brian Joubert in first place (6 world medals, 11 european medals). But they've also got Florent Amodio, Philippe Candeloro (two Olympic medals!) and the rather inconsistently skating Stannick Jeannette who could be superb if he was on. Of course they've got a new talent on the rise now: Kevin Amoz. Italy had Samuel Contesti for a time (who originally skated for France) and now has Matteo Rizzo and Daniel Grassl, both looking good.

In Ice Dance France has the top guns. Of course everybody knows Gabrielle and Guillaume who are the current leaders, but they also gave us Marina Annessina and Gwendal Peizerat (Olympic champions). And let us not forget Sophie Moniot and Pascal Lavanchy and - more recent - Nathalie Pechelat and Fabian Bourzat. One of my secret favourite teams are Isobel Delobel and Olivier Schonfelder (2008 WC). The Italians have quite a few good examples as well: Barbara and Maurizio, Federica and Massimo, Anna and Luca, and currently Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabri. Looking good for them. The Finnish had an excellent couple too, Suzanna and Petri. Spain is on the rise currently with two good couples in the mix.

What do you think? Any other ones, skaters I forgot? For good order, mentioning skaters from former USSR members is fine, as long as it's after Russia as a single country again came into being. Skaters from Ukraine can be part of this from app. 1993 for example.
Wow there's a lot of great skaters there!! [emoji108][emoji960] I feel honoured to have been mentioned in this [emoji13]x
 

lappo

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 12, 2016
As for the European ladies, gotta add Carolina Kostner.
Another one whose programs I always check is Ivett Toth, who is a bit different in her choices from most other ladies.
 

el henry

Go have some cake. And come back with jollity.
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2014
Country
United-States
Don’t we need to include the British?

Torvill & Dean:yay:

John Curry :yay:

Robin Cousins :yay:
 

ladyjane

Medalist
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Country
Netherlands
As for the European ladies, gotta add Carolina Kostner.
Another one whose programs I always check is Ivett Toth, who is a bit different in her choices from most other ladies.

How terrible. I didn't mention Carolina, although I love her skating. Especially her 2014 Olympic's programmes, both the Short and the Free. She got her first World medal in 2005! Speaking of longevity, because she got herself a medal at Europeans in 2018. That's 13 years of successes. Although there was of course a time out in-between.

Like your mentioning of Iveth too. Yes, she is different, and that's admirable.

I also forgot Loena and Kevin, both from Belgium. Loena has had some injuries regrettably (which applies to any skater with injuries) but it was looking so good for her. And Kevin..well, I'll never forget his quad toe-triple toe-triple toe at world's 2010.
 

ladyjane

Medalist
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Country
Netherlands
Don’t we need to include the British?

Torvill & Dean:yay:

John Curry :yay:

Robin Cousins :yay:

Definitely. Torvill and Dean are of course the Ice Dancers who made it all really start (sorry earlier champions), and both John and Robin were icons of the sport. One for his beautiful balletic vision of Figure skating and the other for his musicality and jumping ability (even though his olympic skate wasn't his best on that score). Thanks El Henry!
 

Seven Sisters

Medalist
Joined
Jul 17, 2018
Paul & Isabelle Duchesnay, France—among my all time favorites!

Also, Drobiazko/Vanagas, Lithuania; Denkova/Staviski, Bulgaria; and—perhaps a bit less distinguished, but equally memorable—— Zhiganshina/Gazsi, Germany
 

ladyjane

Medalist
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Country
Netherlands
Thank you seven sisters. Paul & Isabelle illustrate the point that the French are top guns in Ice Dance. They were the only ones to be able to compare with Marina klimova and Sergei Ponamarenko. The French always have nice skaters, or a good couple coming up. Yeah, nice.

And of course I recall Drobiasko/Vanagas (the only couple I really thought 'was robbed' of a medal once. I hardly ever use this term because it's so nasty towards other skaters) as well as Denkova/Stavinski. Loved them at the time as well. While the Germans definitely were fun.
 

WeakAnkles

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
I went through the list of European Figure Skating Championship participants from 1980-2000 who haven't been mentioned yet:


Rahkamo and Kokko

Poor Drobiazko and Vanagas, the Rodney Dangerfield couple of their day. They never got the respect they deserved

Denise Biellmann

Petr Barna

Surya Bonally

Krisztina Czakó [for her Addams Family program, which is still one of my all time fave raves]

Mandy Wötzel/Ingo Steuer

Anna Rechnio

Laetitia Hubert [though whether she is truly French or simply out of this world is still up for debate!]


I know most people would include Barbara Fusar-Poli and Maurizio Margaglio. but frankly I was never a fan. Same for Sophie Moniot and Pascal Lavanchy. And Mr Ham and Cheese himself - Phillipe Candeloro.
 

TallyT

Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 23, 2018
Country
Australia
I’m surprised no one has mentioned Stéphane Lambiel (SUI) or Michal Brezina (CZE)

I was going to say Stephane!!! - along with Kevin Aymoz, Florent Amodio, Torvill & Dean (my earliest memory of anyone on ice), Queen Aljona with both Robin and Bruno, Nelli Zhiganshina & Alexander Gazsi (personal quirky but deep love)... oh and my soft spot for Kevin Van Der Perren, it cannot be denied.

But of course and above all Javi :luv17:
 

pohatta

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 15, 2005
Two Frenchmen I always wanted to do well: Yannick Ponsero and Stanick Jeannette. Ponsero winning the LP and still missing out on a medal at Euros 2009 was an injustice.

Still the only Finn (men included) to skate a 7 clean triple program at major championships (Euros 2003): Alisa Drei.
 

medoroa

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 30, 2017
Marchai/Hotarek! Still heartbroken he didn't want to keep skating... but still hopeful for her return.

Agreed on Kostner, the Duchesnays, Rahkamo/Kokko, Jeannette... all skaters that delight me when I watch old videos. And Lindemann! KvdP!

In general, Italy and France for Olympic team medals in Beijing :cheer:
 

ladyjane

Medalist
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Country
Netherlands
I went through the list of European Figure Skating Championship participants from 1980-2000 who haven't been mentioned yet:


Rahkamo and Kokko

Poor Drobiazko and Vanagas, the Rodney Dangerfield couple of their day. They never got the respect they deserved

Denise Biellmann

Petr Barna

Surya Bonally

Krisztina Czakó [for her Addams Family program, which is still one of my all time fave raves]

Mandy Wötzel/Ingo Steuer

Anna Rechnio

Laetitia Hubert [though whether she is truly French or simply out of this world is still up for debate!]


I know most people would include Barbara Fusar-Poli and Maurizio Margaglio. but frankly I was never a fan. Same for Sophie Moniot and Pascal Lavanchy. And Mr Ham and Cheese himself - Phillipe Candeloro.

I think I mentioned Rahkomo and Kokko (except I did use first names) in my first post, and Surya too. But some nice additions..Denise Bielman of course. And mentioning her reminded me of Spin Queen Lucinda Ruh, also from Switzerland. Thinking of spins of course brought up Stephane from that same country!

I don't remember Petr Barma that well, so I'll go and find some programmes to watch. Laetitia I do remember, but still nice to look up some programmes. The funny thing is that I was looking at some of Mandy and Ingo's programmes just last week and I still forgot to mention them in my own post. Thank you WeakAnkles for these additions!
 

ladyjane

Medalist
Joined
Jun 26, 2012
Country
Netherlands
Marchai/Hotarek! Still heartbroken he didn't want to keep skating... but still hopeful for her return.

Agreed on Kostner, the Duchesnays, Rahkamo/Kokko, Jeannette... all skaters that delight me when I watch old videos. And Lindemann! KvdP!

In general, Italy and France for Olympic team medals in Beijing :cheer:

Yay! It certainly would be great to see some other countries on that team podium. Italy was pretty close at both events.
 

WeakAnkles

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 1, 2011
I think I mentioned Rahkomo and Kokko (except I did use first names) in my first post, and Surya too. But some nice additions..Denise Bielman of course. And mentioning her reminded me of Spin Queen Lucinda Ruh, also from Switzerland. Thinking of spins of course brought up Stephane from that same country!

I don't remember Petr Barma that well, so I'll go and find some programmes to watch. Laetitia I do remember, but still nice to look up some programmes. The funny thing is that I was looking at some of Mandy and Ingo's programmes just last week and I still forgot to mention them in my own post. Thank you WeakAnkles for these additions!

I had a big Doh! moment when you mentioned Lucinda Ruh -- how could I forget her???

I was trying not to duplicate names, but of course I did! More coffee! :coffee:
 

iluvtodd

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
United-States
Javi, The Kerrs, Sarah Meier, Lucinda Ruh, Matteo Rizzo, Capelinni & LaNotte, Michal Brezina, Alexey Bychenko (Israel is included in the European Championships), Carolina Kostner, Valentina Marchei, Silvia Fontana, Stephane Lambiel, Delobel & Schoenfelder, Ilia Kulik, Gordeeva & Grinkov, Denise Bielmann, James & Cipres, Aliona & Robin, Aliona & Bruno ...
 

Harriet

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2017
Country
Australia
Javi, The Kerrs, Sarah Meier, Lucinda Ruh, Matteo Rizzo, Capelinni & LaNotte, Michal Brezina, Alexey Bycehnko (Israel is included in the European Championships), Carolina Kostner, Valentina Marchei, Silvia Fontana, Stephane Lambiel, Delobel & Schoenfelder, Ilia Kulik, Gordeeva & Grinkov, Denise Bielmann ...

Oh, yes, the Kerrs...

(I wonder which of the fellas will be the next to be brave enough to skate in a kilt?)
 
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