The European Figure Skating Championships are an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU). Launched in 1891, the European Championships are the sport's oldest competition. 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
The first European Championships were held in 1891 in Hamburg, Germany, and featured one segment, compulsory figures. The event was sponsored by the Austrian and German skating federations after they had combined to become one federation. 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.
Ulrich Salchow of Sweden has won the most gold medals in the men's event (with nine). The record for most back-to-back titles is held by Karl Schäfer of Austria, who won eight gold medals from 1929 to 1936. 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). 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. Three skaters share the record for winning the most bronze medals (with four each): Karol DivÃÂn of Czechoslovakia, Brian Joubert of France, and Vyacheslav Zahorodnyuk, who completed for the Soviet Union and then Ukraine.
Total medal count by nation
- Countries or entities that can no longer participate for whatever reason are indicated in italics with a dagger ().
Notes
Most gold medals by skater
- If the number of gold medals is identical, the silver and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order).
- The table only shows the period from the first to last won medal, not all participation at the European Championships.
Most medals by skater
- If the total number of medals is identical, the gold, silver, and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order).
- The table only shows the period from the first to last won medal, not all participation at the European Championships.
Women's singles
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.
Irina Slutskaya of Russia has won the most gold medals in the women's singles (with seven). Sonja Henie of Norway and Katarina Witt of East Germany share the record for most back-to-back titles (with six each). Carolina Kostner of Italy has won the most medals overall (with eleven). Three skaters share the record for winning the most silver medals (with four each): Regine Heitzer of Austria, Kira Ivanova of the Soviet Union, and Dagmar Lurz of West Germany. Three skaters are also tied for winning the most bronze medals (also with four each): Carolina Kostner of Italy, Anna Kondrashova of the Soviet Union, and Viktoria Volchkova of Russia.
Total medal count by nation
- Countries or entities that can no longer participate for whatever reason are indicated in italics with a dagger ().
Notes
Most gold medals by skater
- 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.
Most medals by skater
- 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.
Pairs
The first pair skating event was held in 1930 in Vienna, Austria. The first combined European Championships for men, women, and pairs took place in 1932 in Paris, France.
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.
Total medal count by nation
- Countries or entities that can no longer participate for whatever reason are indicated in italics with a dagger ().
Notes
Most gold medals by pairs team
- 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).
Notes:
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 (1989âÂÂ1994) 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 (1996âÂÂ1998) and representing Russia.
Most medals by pairs team
- 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 total number of medals is identical, the gold, silver and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order).
- The table only shows the period from the first to last won medal, not all participation at the European Championships.
Notes:
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 (1989âÂÂ1994) 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 (1996âÂÂ1998) while representing Russia.
- Maxim Trankov from Russia won four gold medals partnered with Tatiana Volosozhar (2012âÂÂ2016) and one silver medal and two bronze medals partnered with Maria Mukhortova (2008âÂÂ2010).
- Alexei Ulanov from the Soviet Union won four gold medals partnered with Irina Rodnina (1969âÂÂ1972) and one silver medal and a bronze medal partnered with Lyudmila Smirnova (1973âÂÂ1974).
- Franz Ningel from West Germany won one silver medal and five bronze medals: three bronze medals partnered with Marika Kilius (1955âÂÂ1957) and one silver medal and two bronze medals partnered with Margret Göbl (1960âÂÂ1962).
Ice dance
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.
Lyudmila Pakhomova and Aleksandr Gorshkov of the Soviet Union hold the record for winning the most gold medals in ice dance (with six). Guillaume Cizeron of France has also won six gold medals in ice dance, but with different partners. 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). Courtney Jones of Great Britain won five European Championships in a row as well, but with different partners. Three teams are tied for winning the most total medals in ice dance (with eight each): Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko, Natalia Linichuk and Gennadi Karponosov, and Lyudmila Pakhomova and Aleksandr Gorshkov, 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; Angelika and Erich Buck of West Germany; Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte of Italy; Anjelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsyannikov of Russia; Irina Moiseeva and Andrei Minenkov of the Soviet Union; and Maya Usova and Alexander Zhulin, 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, but with different partners. Natalia Linichuk and Gennadi Karponosov of the Soviet Union have won the most bronze medals in ice dance (with five).
Total medal count by nation
- Countries or entities that can no longer participate for whatever reason are indicated in italics with a dagger ().
Notes
Most gold medals by ice dance team
- 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).
Notes
Most medals by ice dance team
- 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).
Note
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 (1956âÂÂ1958) and three gold medals while partnered with Doreen Denny (1959âÂÂ1961).
- 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 (1963âÂÂ1965), one silver medal and one bronze medal while partnered with Jon Lane (1968âÂÂ1969), and one bronze medal while partnered with Peter Dalby (1972).
Overall
- The table only shows the period of the achievement, not all participation at the European Championships.
Total medal count by nation
- Countries or entities that can no longer participate for whatever reason are indicated in italics with a dagger ().
Notes
Most gold medals by skater
- 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.
Most medals by skater
- If the total number of medals is identical, the gold, silver, and bronze medals are used as tie-breakers (in that order).
- The table only shows the period from the first to the last won medal, not all participation at the European Championships.
See also
References
Works cited