Anastasiia Gubanova takes European title ahead of Loena Hendrickx
Jumping errors from world silver medallist Hendrickx allowed Gubanova to claim Georgia's first European figure skating crown with Kimmy Repond taking bronze.
Figure Skating
Georgia's Anastasiia Gubanova took women's singles gold at the European Figure Skating Championships in Espoo, Finland on Saturday (28 January).
Pre-event favourite Loena Hendrickx was second with Swiss youngster Kimmy Repond taking bronze.
Skating to Exogenesis Symphony by Muse, Repond produced the skate of her young life to back up her third place from the short program.
The 16-year-old opened with a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination followed by a triple flip and a triple loop.
The rest of her jumps, including a double Axel-triple toe loop combination and a triple Salchow, were near-flawless, and her fine skate was matched by a joyous reaction in the kiss and cry to her career-best score of 128.68.
Repond's total of 192.51 - another huge personal best - guaranteed her a place on the podium with two skaters remaining.
Lying second after the short program, 2022 world silver medallist Hendrickx - who finished fourth 12 months ago behind three currently-banned Russian skaters - knew she needed a strong free skate to take the title.
The Belgian made a good start with a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination and a double Axel, but her jumping let her down in the second half of her routine as she fell on a triple Lutz and then again on a triple flip which was also a repeated element.
Her free skate score of 125.63 - some 20 points down on her best - gave her a total of 193.48 which was enough to take the lead, but her tearful reaction suggested she knew she had not done enough for gold.
That proved to be the case as Gubanova, who finished 11th at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, put together a solid skate.
The 20-year-old opened her dance to Latika's Theme and Ringa Ringa with a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination and was secure with her following double Axel and triple loop.
She was relaxed enough to smile after landing a triple Salchow and, after pulling out of a triple flip, was soon back on track with a triple flip-triple toeloop combination and a closing double Axel-double toe loop combo.
At the end of the skate, she fell to the ice and wept tears of joy knowing she had secured the European title.
Gubanova's season-high score of 130.10 was the best of the day and gave her a winning total of 199.91.
2023 ISU European Figure Skating Championships women's singles results (top eight):
- Anastasiia Gubanova (GEO) 199.91 (130.10 free skate).
- Loena Hendrickx (BEL) 193.48 (125.63).
- Kimmy Repond (SUI) 192.51 (128.68).
- Ekaterina Kurakova (POL) 186.90 (125.09).
- Nina Pinzarrone (BEL) 185.92 (124.57).
- Niina Petrokina (EST) 183.74 (122.69).
- Janna Jyrkinen (FIN) 176.96 (116.19).
- Lara Naki Guttman (ITA) 169.29 (113.90).