Nikolaj Memola

Last updated

Nikolaj Memola
Nikolaj Memola 2024 Worlds Short Program 0.jpg
Nikolaj Memola at the 2024 World Championships
Born (2003-11-18) 18 November 2003 (age 21)
Monza, Italy
Height1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Figure skating career
CountryFlag of Italy.svg  Italy
Discipline Men's singles
CoachOlga Romanova
Skating clubFiammo Oro Moena
Began skating2008
Medal record
European Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2025 Tallinn Singles
Italian Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2024 Pinerolo Singles
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2023 Brunico Singles
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2025 Varese Singles
Junior Grand Prix Final
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2022–23 Turin Singles

Nikolaj Memola (born 18 November 2003) is an Italian figure skater. He is the 2025 European silver medalist, the 2023 World University Games bronze medalist, a two-time bronze medalist in the ISU Challenger Series (at the 2022 Budapest Trophy and the 2022 Lombardia Trophy), and the 2024 Italian national champion.

Contents

Memola is also the 2022–23 Junior Grand Prix Final champion, a two-time ISU Junior Grand Prix medalist (including gold at the 2022 JGP Latvia), and a top-ten finisher at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics and the 2022 and 2023 World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

Personal life

Memola was born on November 18, 2003, in Monza, Italy, to an Italian father and a Russian mother. [1] [2]

He is a student at the University of Milan and is able to speak English fluently. [3] [1] [4]

Career

Early years

Memola began learning to skate in 2008. [1] He is coached by his mother, Olga Romanova. [5]

He debuted in the ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) series in October 2018, placing nineteenth in Slovenia. Memola competed at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics in Lausanne, Switzerland, placing eighth. [6]

2021–22 season

Memola finished fourth at the 2021 JGP Austria in October 2021. He made his senior international debut later that month, placing fourth at Trophée Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur. In November, he finished ninth at the 2021 Warsaw Cup, his first appearance in the Challenger series. He stepped onto his first senior international podium in December, taking gold at the Santa Claus Cup in Hungary. [6]

Following the withdrawal of Matteo Rizzo, Italy selected Memola to skate at the 2022 European Championships in Tallinn, Estonia. [7] Competing in his first ISU Championship, he qualified for the final segment by placing twelfth in the short program and finished fifteenth overall. [6] He ended the season by making his debut appearance at the World Junior Championships, where he placed seventh. [8]

2022–23 season

Planning a second split season between junior and senior, Memola had two assignments on the Junior Grand Prix circuit, winning silver at his first assignment, the 2022 JGP Czech Republic. [9] The following week at the 2022 JGP Latvia in Riga, he won the gold medal. Memola's results qualified him for the 2022–23 Junior Grand Prix Final, which he stated he was particularly "happy" about as the event was being held in Italy that year. He said that he hoped to introduce a quad into the free skate in time. [10] Returning to the Challenger series, Memola won bronze medals at both the Lombardia and Budapest Trophies. [6]

Competing at the Junior Grand Prix Final on home ice in Turin, Memola finished second in the short program, saying afterward that it was "very important to me that I did such a good skate at home, in Italy, and on the Olympic ice." [11] He went on to win the free skate and the gold medal, albeit without attempting a quadruple jump as he had earlier hoped. This was the first Junior Grand Prix Final title for an Italian man and the first for Italy in any discipline since the ice dance team Faiella/Milo in the inaugural 1997–98 edition. Memola admitted afterward, "I started the season with the goal in mind coming here to Torino, but the first place was not my goal, and then the medal came, and I'm extremely happy." [12]

Shortly after the Junior Grand Prix Final, Memola attended his first senior national championships and won the silver medal. He finished first in the free skate at the event. [13] He was then assigned to compete at the 2023 Winter World University Games, where he won the bronze medal. [14]

In his final assignment of the season, Memola competed at the 2023 World Junior Championships. After stepping out of his jump combination in the short program, he finished sixth in that segment. [15] He placed fourth in the free skate and rose to fourth overall, 1.35 points back of bronze medalist Nozomu Yoshioka. Memola did not attempt any quadruple jumps during the free program, having found them insufficiently secure in practice that day and not wanting to risk it. [16]

2023–24 season

Over the summer, Memola trained at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club in Toronto, Ontario. [17] In his first competition, he finished eighth at the 2023 Autumn Classic International, before finishing sixth at the 2023 Finlandia Trophy. [6] He was invited to make his Grand Prix debut at the 2023 Grand Prix de France, where he came eleventh. [18] He improved to sixth place at the 2023 Grand Prix of Espoo. He expressed his appreciation for competing in such a men's field, saying "they show me what is humanly possible." [19]

Memola won the Italian national title for the first time. [6] He went on to place tenth at the 2024 European Championships. [20] He was then assigned to make his senior World Championship debut at the 2024 edition in Montreal, where he came ninth. Memola called it "amazing" to reach the top ten in his first appearance at the championships, and cited the importance of having done so to retain Italy's second entry in the men's event for the following year. [21]

2024–25 season

During the summer off-season, Memola sustained series injuries including two broken ligaments and a broken ankle. As a result, he was only able to begin jumping again in September. [22]

Memola began the season by competing at the 2024 Shanghai Trophy in early October, finishing fourth. He then competed on the 2024–25 ISU Challenger Series, winning silver at the 2024 Nepela Memorial. Going on to compete on the 2024–25 Grand Prix circuit, Memola finished tenth in the short program at the 2024 Grand Prix de France, but second in the free skate, climbing up to sixth place overall. Three weeks later, he finished tenth at the 2024 Cup of China. [23]

In January, Memola competed at the 2025 European Championships. He was fifth after the short program; in the free skate, he landed two quadruple Lutz jumps and rose to second place to win the silver medal. [24]

Programs

Season Short program Free skate ExhibitionRef.
2018–19
  • Sarabande Suite
    By Globus
    Choreo. by Andrea Gilardi
[25]
2019–20
  • Fly
    By Ludovico Einaudi
  • Experience
    By Ludovico Einaudi
    Choreo. by Andrea Gilardi
[26]
2020–21
2021–22 [1]
2022–23
  • Le Corsaire
 [27]
2023–24 [28] [29]
2024–25
 [30]

Competitive highlights

Competition placements at senior level  [23]
Season 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
World Championships 9th
European Championships 15th10th2nd
Italian Championships 2nd1st2nd
GP Cup of China 10th
GP Finland 5th
GP France 11th6th
CS Autumn Classic 8th
CS Budapest Trophy 3rd1st
CS Finlandia Trophy 6th
CS Lombardia Trophy 3rd
CS Nepela Memorial 2nd
CS Warsaw Cup 9th
Merano Ice Trophy 1st
Road to 26 Trophy2nd
Santa Claus Cup 1st
Shanghai Trophy 4th
Trophée Métropole Nice 4th
World University Games 3rd
Competition placements at junior level  [23]
Season 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23
Winter Youth Olympics 8th
World Junior Championships 7th4th
Junior Grand Prix Final 1st
Italian Championships 4th2nd2nd2nd1st
JGP Austria 4th
JGP Czech Republic 2nd
JGP Italy 16th
JGP Latvia 18th1st
JGP Slovenia 19th
Crystal Skate of Romania 1st
Cup of Tyrol 3rd
Dragon Trophy 4th
Egna Spring Trophy 3rd1st1st
European Youth Olympic Festival 11th
IceLab Cup2nd
Merano Cup 6th
Skate Celje 3rd
Skate Victoria 2nd
Sofia Trophy 2nd

Detailed results

ISU personal best scores in the +5/-5 GOE System  [23]
SegmentTypeScoreEvent
TotalTSS253.12 2024 World Championships
Short program TSS93.102024 World Championships
TES53.382024 World Championships
PCS39.722024 World Championships
Free skating TSS161.38 2023 CS Budapest Trophy
TES84.622023 CS Budapest Trophy
PCS80.392024 World Championships

Senior level

Results in the 2021–22 season   [23]
DateEvent SP FS Total
PScorePScorePScore
Oct 20–24, 2021 Flag of France.svg 2021 Trophée Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur 372.362130.734203.09
Nov 17–20, 2021 Flag of Poland.svg 2021 CS Warsaw Cup 1269.597142.009211.59
Dec 6–12, 2021 Flag of Hungary.svg 2021 Santa Claus Cup 178.001150.351228.35
Jan 10–16, 2022 Flag of Estonia.svg 2022 European Championships 1273.9814132.5515206.53
Results in the 2022–23 season   [23]
DateEvent SP FS Total
PScorePScorePScore
Sep 16–19, 2022 Flag of Italy.svg 2022 CS Lombardia Trophy 481.683148.843230.52
Oct 13–16, 2022 Flag of Hungary.svg 2022 CS Budapest Trophy 378.784152.693231.47
Dec 15–18, 2022 Flag of Italy.svg 2023 Italian Championships 380.321161.372241.69
Jan 13–15, 2023 Flag of the United States.svg 2023 Winter World University Games 478.964152.373231.33
Results in the 2023–24 season   [23]
DateEvent SP FS Total
PScorePScorePScore
Sep 14–17, 2023 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg 2023 CS Autumn Classic International 870.277129.118199.38
Oct 4–8, 2023 Flag of Finland.svg 2023 CS Finlandia Trophy 382.038140.956222.98
Oct 13–15, 2023 Flag of Hungary.svg 2023 CS Budapest Trophy 188.992161.381250.37
Nov 3–5, 2023 Flag of France.svg 2023 Grand Prix de France 1270.929143.7111214.63
Nov 17–19, 2023 Flag of Finland.svg 2023 Grand Prix of Espoo 772.115149.145221.25
Dec 22–23, 2023 Flag of Italy.svg 2024 Italian Championships 290.701157.981248.68
Jan 10–14, 2024 Flag of Lithuania.svg 2024 European Championships 1272.789153.1010225.88
Feb 23-25, 2024 Flag of Italy.svg 2024 Merano Ice Trophy 189.411166.831256.24
Mar 18–24, 2024 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg 2024 World Championships 693.1012160.029253.12
Results in the 2024–25 season   [23]
DateEvent SP FS Total
PScorePScorePScore
Oct 3–5, 2024 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg 2024 Shanghai Trophy 674.473156.444230.91
Oct 25–27, 2024 Flag of Slovakia.svg 2024 CS Nepela Memorial 476.272157.152233.42
Nov 1–3, 2024 Flag of France.svg 2024 Grand Prix de France 1068.712158.916227.62
Nov 22–24, 2024 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg 2024 Cup of China 1068.8710145.9010214.77
Dec 19–21, 2024 Flag of Italy.svg 2025 Italian Championships 386.321178.222264.54
Jan 28 – Feb 2, 2025 Flag of Estonia.svg 2025 European Championships 584.922177.692262.61
Feb 18–20, 2025 Flag of Italy.svg Road to 26 Trophy189.102165.112254.21

Junior level

Results in the 2017–18 season   [23]
DateEvent SP FS Total
PScorePScorePScore
Oct 24–28, 2017 Flag of Romania.svg 2017 Crystal Skate 131.06176.551107.61
Nov 15–19, 2017 Flag of Italy.svg 2017 Merano Cup 740.01678.766118.77
Nov 22–26, 2017 Flag of Slovenia.svg 2017 Skate Celje 248.33477.083125.41
Dec 13–16, 2017 Flag of Italy.svg 2018 Italian Championships (Junior) 449.34499.014148.35
Feb 8–11, 2018 Flag of Slovenia.svg 2018 Dragon Trophy 441.25472.864114.11
Apr 4–8, 2018 Flag of Italy.svg 2018 Egna Spring Trophy 542.72381.433124.15
Results in the 2018–19 season   [23]
DateEvent SP FS Total
PScorePScorePScore
Oct 3–6, 2018 Flag of Slovenia.svg 2018 JGP Slovenia 1841.712069.2019110.91
Dec 13–16, 2018 Flag of Italy.svg 2019 Italian Championships (Junior) 253.08384.152137.23
Feb 13–14, 2019 Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg 2019 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival 1146.731090.9811137.71
Feb 26 – Mar 3, 2019 Flag of Austria.svg 2019 Cup of Tyrol 351.93393.753145.68
Mar 28–31, 2019 Flag of Italy.svg 2019 Egna Spring Trophy 154.30296.701151.00
Apr 9–14, 2019 Flag of Bulgaria.svg 2019 Skate Victoria 259.692109.992169.68
Results in the 2019–20 season   [23]
DateEvent SP FS Total
PScorePScorePScore
Sep 4–7, 2019 Flag of Latvia.svg 2019 JGP Latvia 1848.821886.3718135.19
Oct 2–5, 2019 Flag of Italy.svg 2019 JGP Italy 1555.3917103.1216158.51
Nov 1–3, 2019 Flag of Italy.svg 2019 IceLab International Cup 256.912101.162158.07
Dec 12–15, 2019 Flag of Italy.svg 2020 Italian Championships (Junior) 264.23294.582158.81
Jan 10–15, 2020 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg 2020 Winter Youth Olympics 762.188114.378176.55
Feb 12–18, 2020 Flag of Bulgaria.svg 2020 Sofia Trophy 256.202115.402171.60
Results in the 2020–21 season   [23]
DateEvent SP FS Total
PScorePScorePScore
Apr 9–11, 2021 Flag of Italy.svg 2021 Italian Championships (Junior) 162.332111.822174.15
Apr 29 – May 2, 2021 Flag of Italy.svg 2021 Egna Spring Trophy 168.232113.871182.10
Results in the 2021–22 season   [23]
DateEvent SP FS Total
PScorePScorePScore
Oct 6–9, 2021 Flag of Austria.svg 2021 JGP Austria 471.057126.584197.63
Feb 12–13, 2022 Flag of Italy.svg 2022 Italian Championships (Junior) 178.751140.961219.71
Apr 13–17, 2022 Flag of Estonia.svg 2022 World Junior Championships 1071.426141.527212.94
Results in the 2022–23 season   [23]
DateEvent SP FS Total
PScorePScorePScore
Aug 31 – Sep 3, 2022 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg 2019 JGP Czech Republic 471.562142.552214.11
Sep 7–10, 2022 Flag of Latvia.svg 2022 JGP Latvia 183.041142.721225.76
Dec 8–11, 2022 Flag of Italy.svg 2022–23 Junior Grand Prix Final 279.841150.661230.50
Feb 27 – Mar 5, 2023 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg 2023 World Junior Championships 676.724139.724216.44

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Nikolaj MEMOLA: 2021/2022". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022.
  2. ↑ "Nikolaj Memola – 2022 Lombardia Trophy". YouTube. 18 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  3. ↑ "Nikolaj MEMOLA ITA SP 2023 FISU Winter University Games". YouTube. 13 January 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  4. ↑ "Nikolaj Memola – 2022 Lombardia Trophy". YouTube. 18 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  5. ↑ "Nikolaj Memola – 2022 Lombardia Trophy". YouTube. 18 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Competition Results: Nikolaj MEMOLA". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022.
  7. ↑ "Figura Europei di Tallinn: Nikolaj Memola sostituisce Matteo Rizzo" [Nikolaj Memola replaces Matteo Rizzo] (in Italian). Federazione Italiana Sport del Ghiaccio. 9 January 2022. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022.
  8. ↑ Slater, Paula (16 April 2022). "USA's Ilia Malinin takes gold in Tallinn". Golden Skate.
  9. ↑ "Newcomers dominate at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Ostrava (CZE)". International Skating Union. 5 September 2022.
  10. ↑ "Memola (ITA), Smith/Deng (USA) sealing spots in Junior Final with win at ISU JGP Riga". International Skating Union. 12 September 2022.
  11. ↑ "Lucas Broussard (USA) takes Short Program at Junior Grand Prix Final". International Skating Union. 8 December 2022.
  12. ↑ "Memola (ITA) delights home crowd with Italy's first Junior Final single skating gold medal". 10 December 2022.
  13. ↑ Contino, Maurizio (31 December 2022). "'Saranno Campioni': Nikolaj Memola, l'atipico gigante del pattinaggio artistico dalla eleganza innata" ['They will be Champions': Nikolaj Memola, the atypical giant of figure skating with an innate elegance]. OA Sport (in Italian).
  14. ↑ "Figura, Nikolaj Memola medaglia di bronzo ai FISU Games! Settima Marina Piredda" [Figure skating, Nikolaj Memola wins the bronze medal at the FISU Games! Marina Piredda seventh.] (in Italian). Federazione Italiana Sport del Ghiaccio. 16 January 2023.
  15. ↑ "Kao Miura (JPN) wins Men's Short Program at ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships". International Skating Union. 3 March 2023.
  16. ↑ Slater, Paula (5 March 2023). "Japan's Kao Miura takes World Junior title". Golden Skate.
  17. ↑ Memola, Nikolaj. "Toronto Cricket Club". Instagram. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  18. ↑ Slater, Paula (4 November 2023). "Siao Him Fa edges out Malinin for Grand Prix gold in France". Golden Skate. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  19. ↑ Slater, Paula (18 November 2023). "Kao Miura captures first Grand Prix gold in Espoo". Golden Skate. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  20. ↑ Slater, Paula (12 January 2024). "Adam Siao Him Fa defends European title". Golden Skate. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  21. ↑ Slater, Paula (24 March 2024). "Ilia Malinin soars to new heights in Montreal". Golden Skate. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  22. ↑ "Nikolaj Memola 🇮🇹 158.91 / 227.62". Instagram. Golden Skate. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "ITA–Nikolaj Memola". SkatingScores.com.
  24. ↑ Testa, Fabrizio (1 February 2025). "Pattinaggio artistico: favola azzurra! Nikolaj Memola argento agli Europei 2025! Rizzo in top5" [Figure Skating: Italian Fairytale! Nikolaj Memola silver at the 2025 European Championships! Rizzo in Top 5]. OA Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 1 February 2025.
  25. ↑ "Nikolaj MEMOLA: 2018/2019". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 28 April 2019.
  26. ↑ "Nikolaj MEMOLA: 2019/2020". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 27 April 2020.
  27. ↑ "Nikolaj MEMOLA: 2022/2023". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 8 December 2022.
  28. ↑ "Nikolaj MEMOLA: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 20 September 2023.
  29. ↑ "2023-24 Programs". Instagram. 24 May 2023.
  30. ↑ Memola, Nikolaj. "2024/25 Programs". Instagram. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
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