The European Figure Skating Championshipsare an annualfigure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU). Launched in 1891, the European Championships are the sport's oldest competition.[1] 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.
Medals are awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. Ulrich Salchow of Sweden currently hold the record for winning the most gold medals at the European Championships 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 seven), although Rodnina won another four gold medals with her previous partner Alexei Ulanov, and thus holds the record for the most gold medals won by an individual skater in pair skating (with eleven). Lyudmila Pakhomova and Aleksandr Gorshkov, also of the Soviet Union, hold the record in ice dance (with six). Guillaume Cizeron of France also won record six gold medals won in ice dance, but with different partners.
Men's singles
Ulrich Salchow of Sweden won a record nine gold medals and a record ten total medals in men's singles at the European Championships.
The first European Championships were held in 1891 in Hamburg, Germany, and featured one segment, compulsory figures.[1] The event was sponsored by the Austrian and German skating federations after they had combined to become one federation.[2] The 1893 European Championships were the first time the event was held under the jurisdiction of the International Skating Union (ISU), which hed been formed in the summer of 1892.[1]
Ulrich Salchow of Sweden has won the most gold medals in the men's event (with nine).[3] The record for most back-to-back titles is held by Karl Schäfer of Austria, who won eight gold medals from 1929 to 1936.[4] Salchow and Schäfer also share the record for the most total medals won with Brian Joubert of France and Evgeni Plushenko of Russia (with ten medals each).[4] Four skaters also share the record for winning the most silver medals (with four each): Alain Giletti of France, Gustav Hügel of Austria, Vladimir Kotin of the Soviet Union, and Vladimir Kovalyov, also of the Soviet Union.[4] Three skaters share the record for winning the most bronze medals (with four each): Karol Divín of Czechoslovakia, Brian Joubert of France, and Vyacheslav Zahorodnyuk, who completed for the Soviet Union and then Ukraine.[4]
Total medal count by nation
Karl Schäfer of Austria holds the record for the most back-to-back titles at the European Championships (with eight) and shares the record for total medals won (with ten).
Countries or entities that can no longer participate for whatever reason are indicated in italics with a dagger (†).
Number of European Championship medals in men's singles by nation[4][5][6]
Irina Slutskaya has won a record seven gold medals in women's singles at the European Championships.
The women's event was first held in 1930 in Vienna, Austria. The first combined European Championships for men, women, and pairs took place in 1932 in Paris, France.[4]
Irina Slutskaya of Russia has won the most gold medals in the women's singles (with seven).[21]Sonja Henie of Norway and Katarina Witt of East Germany share the record for most back-to-back titles (with six each).[22][23]Carolina Kostner of Italy has won the most medals overall (with eleven).[24] Three skaters share the record for winning the most silver medals (with four each): Regine Heitzer of Austria,[25]Kira Ivanova of the Soviet Union,[26] and Dagmar Lurz of West Germany.[27] Three skaters are also tied for winning the most bronze medals (also with four each): Carolina Kostner of Italy,[24]Anna Kondrashova of the Soviet Union,[28] and Viktoria Volchkova of Russia.[29]
Total medal count by nation
With six gold medals and seven total medals, Katarina Witt of East Germany is one of the most successful European figure skaters in the women's singles event.
Countries or entities that can no longer participate for whatever reason are indicated in italics with a dagger (†).
Number of European Championship medals in women's singles by nation[4][5][6]
↑Skaters from Russia have been banned from competing at all international skating events since 2022 due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[7]
12Prior to 1948, skaters from nations outside of Europe were permitted to compete at the European Championships.[8]
Most gold medals by skater
Sonja Henie of Norway shares the record for the most back-to-back titles at the European Championships (six).
If the total number of medals is identical, the gold, silver, and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order). If all numbers are the same, the skaters receive the same placement and are sorted in alphabetical order.
The table only shows the period from the first to last won medal, not all participation at the European Championships.
Top 10 women's singles skaters by the most gold medals won at the European Championships[4]
Carolina Kostner of Italy holds the record for total medals won in women's singles at the European Championships (with eleven).
If the total number of medals is identical, the gold, silver, and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order). If all numbers are the same, the skaters receive the same placement and are sorted in alphabetical order.
The table only shows the period from the first to last won medal, not all participation at the European Championships.
Top 10 women's singles skaters by total medals won at the European Championships[4]
Irina Rodnina(left) of the Soviet Union won a record eleven gold medals in pair skating at the European Championships: four with Alexei Ulanov(right) and another seven with Alexander Zaitsev.
Irina Rodnina and Alexander Zaitsev of the Soviet Union hold the record for winning the most gold medals (with seven in a row). Due to missing at the 1979 European Championships, Rodnina and Zaitsev share the record for the longest winning streak of back-to-back events with Marika Kilius and Hans-Jürgen Bäumler of West Germany (with six each). Rodnina won another four gold medals with her previous partner Alexei Ulanov and was undefeated at eleven European Championships in a row. The record for total medals won is shared by two pairs (with eight each): Ludmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov of the Soviet Union, and Maria Petrova and Alexei Tikhonov of Russia, while Rodnina holds the record for the most total medals won by a skater in pairs (eleven). Belousova and Protopopov also share the record for winning the most silver medals with Marianna and László Nagy of Hungary (with four each), while Aljona Savchenko of Germany won five silver medals, but with different partners. The record for winning the most bronze medals is held by Sarah Abitbol and Stéphane Bernadis of France (with five). Franz Ningel of West Germany also won five bronze medals, but with different partners.
Only pair results are included in the list. Individual results in case of partner changes are marked with a note or listed separately below the table.
If the number of gold medals is identical, the silver and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order). If all numbers are the same, the pairs receive the same placement and are sorted in alphabetical order by the female partner's last name.
The table only shows the period from the first to last won medal, not all participation at the European Championships.
If a skater or team has competed for multiple countries, countries are listed in chronological order (from first to last).
Top 10 pairs teams by the most gold medals won at the European Championships
↑Maxim Trankov won another one silver and two bronze medals with Maria Mukhortova (2008–2010), earning seven European medals in total.[49]
One skater won three gold medals, one silver medal and three bronze medals in the pairs event, but with different partners:
Artur Dmitriev won two gold medals and three silver medals while partnered with Natalia Mishkutionok (1989–1994) and representing the Soviet Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Russia; and one gold medal and one silver medal while partnered with Oksana Kazakova (1996–1998) and representing Russia.[53]
↑Marika Kilius won another three bronze medals with Franz Ningel (1955–1957), earning nine European medals in total.[41]
Four more skaters won a total of more than five medals in the pairs event, but with different partners:
Artur Dmitriev won three gold medals, one silver medal, and three bronze medals: two gold medals and three silver medals partnered with Natalia Mishkutionok (1989–1994) while representing the Soviet Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Russia; and one gold medal and one silver medal partnered with Oksana Kazakova (1996–1998) while representing Russia.[53]
Franz Ningel from West Germany won one silver medal and five bronze medals: three bronze medals partnered with Marika Kilius (1955–1957) and one silver medal and two bronze medals partnered with Margret Göbl (1960–1962).[58]
Ice dance
Lyudmila Pakhomova and Aleksandr Gorshkov of the Soviet Union won a record six gold medals and a record eight total medals in ice dance at the European Championships.
Ice dance is the most recent of the four disciplines at the European Figure Skating Championships. It was first held in 1954 in Bolzano, Italy.[59]
Lyudmila Pakhomova and Aleksandr Gorshkov of the Soviet Union hold the record for winning the most gold medals in ice dance (with six).[60]Guillaume Cizeron of France has also won six gold medals in ice dance, but with different partners.[61][62]Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France hold the record for the longest winning streak in ice dance at back-to-back events (with five).[61]Courtney Jones of Great Britain won five European Championships in a row as well, but with different partners.[63] Three teams are tied for winning the most total medals in ice dance (with eight each): Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko,[64]Natalia Linichuk and Gennadi Karponosov,[65] and Lyudmila Pakhomova and Aleksandr Gorshkov,[60] all of whom competed for the Soviet Union (although Klimova and Ponomarenko represented the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) at their last competition in 1992). Klimova and Ponomarenko also share the record for winning the most silver medals in ice dance with six other teams (with three each): Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev of Russia;[66]Angelika and Erich Buck of West Germany;[4]Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte of Italy;[67]Anjelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsyannikov of Russia;[68]Irina Moiseeva and Andrei Minenkov of the Soviet Union;[69] and Maya Usova and Alexander Zhulin,[70] who represented the Soviet Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Russia. Janet Sawbridge and Yvonne Suddick of Great Britain each also won three silver medals,[71][4] but with different partners. Natalia Linichuk and Gennadi Karponosov of the Soviet Union have won the most bronze medals in ice dance (with five).[65]
Total medal count by nation
Guillaume Cizeron of France shares the record for the most gold medals won in ice dance (with six), five of which were with Gabriella Papadakis.
Countries or entities that can no longer participate for whatever reason are indicated in italics with a dagger (†).
Number of European Championship medals in ice dance by nation[4][5][6]
Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko of the Soviet Union shares the record for total medals won in ice dance at the European Championships (with eight).
Only teams' results are included in the list. Individual results in the case of partner changes are listed separately below the table.
If the number of gold medals is identical, the silver and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order). If all numbers are the same, the teams receive the same placement and are sorted in alphabetical order by the female partner's last name.
The table only shows the period from the first to last won medal, not all participation at the European Championships.
If a skater or team has competed for multiple countries, countries are listed in chronological order (from first to last).
Top 10 ranking of ice dance teams by gold medals won at the European Championships
↑Courtney Jones won another two gold medals and one bronze medal with June Markham (1956–1958), earning five gold medals and six European medals in total.[63]
Only teams' results are included in the list. Individual results in the case of partner changes are listed separately below the table.
If the total number of medals is identical, the gold, silver and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order). If all numbers are the same, the team receive the same placement and are sorted in alphabetical order by the female partner's last name.
The table only shows the period from the first to last won medal, not all participation at the European Championships.
If a skater or team has competed for multiple countries, countries are listed in chronological order (from first to last).
Top 10 ranking of ice dance teams by total medals won at the European Championships
Two more skaters won a total of six medals in the ice dance event, but with different partners:
Courtney Jones from Great Britain won five gold medals and one silver medal: two gold medals and one silver medal while partnered with June Markham (1956–1958) and three gold medals while partnered with Doreen Denny (1959–1961).[63]
Janet Sawbridge from Great Britain won three silver medals and three bronze medals: two silver medals and one bronze medal while partnered with David Hickinbottom (1963–1965), one silver medal and one bronze medal while partnered with Jon Lane (1968–1969), and one bronze medal while partnered with Peter Dalby (1972).[79]
Overall
Irina Rodnina is the most decorated figure skater at the European Championships with eleven gold medals.
The table only shows the period of the achievement, not all participation at the European Championships.
Medal records across all four disciplines at the European Championships
12Prior to 1948, skaters from nations outside of Europe were permitted to compete at the European Championships.[4]
Most gold medals by skater
Evgeni Plushenko of Russia won a total of ten medals at the European Championships.
If the number of gold medals is identical, the silver and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order). If all numbers are the same, the skaters receive the same placement and are sorted in alphabetical order.
The table only shows the period from the first to last won medal, not all participation at the European Championships.
Top 10 skaters by the most gold medals won at the European Championships
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