The Japan Times - Returning Siao Him Fa eyes third European figure skating gold

The five-day competition in Tondiraba Ice Hall features 34 nations just over a year before the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina but without athletes from Russia and Belarus.

Siao Him Fa remains the favourite despite missing the ISU Grand Prix final and French national championships with a right ankle injury.

Before injury struck, Siao Him Fa had won a third French Grand Prix gold and was third in the Cup of China.

But it remains to be seen how the 23-year-old's ankle holds up during the short programme on Thursday and free skate two days later.

The world bronze medallist will face the challenge of compatriot Kevin Aymoz who recaptured the French national title in his absence, and has the season's top score for a European (282.88).

Aymoz is targetting his first European podium aged 27 after coming back from the nightmare at last year's Europeans where he slumped to 31st before ending his season prematurely.

"Last year, I burned myself out," said six-time French champion Aymoz.

"The next day after Europeans, I woke up in the morning and I was sad to not be dead in my sleep," he said after taking silver in Skate America in October.

"So I think today I'm just happy to be alive and having fun on the ice and be myself and don't care about anything else. I'm just free, and that's what I feel today.

"For me, it's a comeback."

Aymoz took silver in his two Grand Prix events in Finland and Skate America, and was sixth in the Grand Prix final. However he has never done better than fourth at Europeans.

Daniel Grassl, a European silver medallist in 2022, was fourth in the Grand Prix final, and is a medal contender along with fellow Italian Matteo Rizzo, a three-time continental medallist.

- 'Haunted by bad luck' -

The women's competition remains open with Belgian Loena Hendrickx not defending her title after a season plagued by fitness and injury concerns.

"Bad luck continues to haunt me this season," said the 25-year-old two-time world medallist.

"Just when the problems from the beginning of the season seemed to be overcome and everything finally started going according to plan, I sprained my ankle."

Georgia's Anastasiia Gubanova won gold in 2023 and was runner-up last year, but struggled to eighth-place finishes at both her Grand Prix assignments.

Italy's Lara Naki Gutmann achieved the best score this season by a European woman (198.49) on her way to her first Grand Prix medal with bronze in Finland.

Kimmy Repond of Switzerland and Belgian Nina Pinzarrone are also among the podium hopefuls.

In pairs, Grand Prix Final champions and world bronze medallists Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany are well placed for their first European title with defending champions Lucrezia Beccari and Matteo Guarise of Italy injured.

The battle in ice dancing should be between two-time defending champions Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri of Italy and Britain's Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson, who have won silver the past two years and are looking for a first British triumph since Torvill and Dean in 1994.

Schedule (all times GMT)

Wednesday, January 29

1100: Pairs Short Programme

1500: Women's Short Programme

Thursday, January 30

1110: Men's Short Programme

1700: Pairs Free Programme

Friday, January 31

1030: Ice Dance Rhythm Dance

1600: Women Free Programme

Saturday, February 1

1100: Ice Dance Free Dance

1600: Men Free Programme

Sunday, February 2

1400: Exhibition Gala

S.Ogawa--JT