Figure skating - European Championships, 2013, Zagreb
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On paper, the leitmotif of the men's race for the upcoming European Championships in Zagreb should be the comparison between the Russian Evgeni Plushenko, defending champion, and the increasingly emerging Spaniard Javier Fernandez, the sole representative of the old continent capable of reaching the the Grand Prix Final.
Tuesday 22 January 2013 6 minutes reading time
The list of contenders for the success also includes the Frenchman Florent Amodio, winner'' in the edition of 2011, and Czech Michal Brezina, author of a season so far below expectations. Difficult, however, to evaluate the possibilities of the French veteran Brian Joubert, struggling in the last period'' with recurrent physical problems and ready to present a new free program to the music of "The Gladiator".
In the group of outsiders Mention the Russians Sergei Voronov, who returned to express themselves consistently on an interesting level of competitiveness, and Maxim Kovtun, recently rose to prominence not so much to the success in the junior Grand Prix for the convening at the European that has generated much controversy.
At the moment, we have entered thirty athletes representing twenty-two nations, three less than twelve months ago. The colors will be defended by Italian Paolo Bacchini novice and Paul Bonifacio Parkinson, new Italian champion.
The media attention, however, will be mainly focused on Evgeni Plushenko, fresh from success in convincing national championships played at the end of December Sochi.
MEMBER DIRECTORY (order of descent on the ice)
01 - (TUR) Ali DEMIRBOGA (third visit) 02 - (BUL) Manol ATANASSOV (depending on participation) 03 - (FIN) Valtter Virtanen (depending on participation) 04 - (LTU) Saulius AMBRULEVICIUS (fourth appearance) 05 - (EST ) Viktor ROMANENKOV (third visit) 06 - (SUI) Stephane WALKER (depending on participation) 07 - (GBR) Harry Mattick (novice) 08 - (POL) Maciej Cieplucha (fourth appearance) 09 - (ITA) Paul Bonifacio Parkinson (novice) 10 - (UKR) Yakov GODOROZHA (novice) 11 - (ESP) Javier RAYA (depending on participation) 12 - (BLR) Pavel Ignatenko (rookies) 13 - (CZE) Pavel KASKA (third visit) 14 - (ISR) Alexei Bychenko ( depending on participation) 15 - (DEN) Justus STRID (third appearance) 16 - (МОN) Kim LUCINE (third participation 17 - (RUS) Evgeni Plushenko (eleventh participation) 18 - (AUT) Viktor PFEIFER (seven investments) 19 - (ROU) Zoltan KELEMEN (seventh form) 20 - (ESP) Javier FERNANDEZ (seventh form) 21 - (CZE) Tomas VERNER (tenth participation) 22 - (GER) Peter LIEBERS (fifth appearance) 23 - (FRA) Chafik BESSEGHIER (depending on participation) 24 - (SWE) Majorov Alexander (third appearance) 25 - (FRA) Brian JOUBERT (twelfth participation) 26 - (CZE) Michal BREZINA (sixth form) 27 - (RUS) Maxim Kovtun (novice) 28 - (RUS) Sergei Voronov (fifth appearance) 29 - (FRA) Florent AMODIO (third visit) 30 - (ITA) Paul BACCHINI (sixth form)
'' The Hungarian Marton Marko, regularly entered for the race, will not participate because he could not reach the minimum technical score set by the International Federation.
DAYS AND HOURS NOTICE
THURSDAY, Jan. 24 - 11:45 - Short program
Saturday, January 26 - 12:45 pm - Free program
FINAL NOTES
Among the most successful athletes in the race is clearly Evgeni Plushenko, who won seven continental titles (2000/2001/2003/2005/2006/2010/2012). Boasts three wins French Brian Joubert (2004/2007 / 2009), while a win apiece was obtained by compatriot Florent Amodio (2011) and the Czech Tomas Verner (2008). It will not, however, present the Russian Artur Gachinski,'' silver medal in the last edition.
Evgeni Plushenko will try to conquer the'' eighth to equal success and consequently the'' Austrian Karl Schäfer. The all-time leader for victories, however, remains Sweden's Ulrich Salchow with nine statements.
'' The older athlete is registered with Plushenko, just thirty. The youngest is, however, the Belarussian Pavel Ignatenko who turns 18 on July 8.
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