Figure skating pair Hase/Volodin after victory: skate even better
The new German figure skating pair Minerva Fabienne Hase/Nikita Volodin still see room for improvement after the first Grand Prix victory of their young career. "As we have proven in other competitions, we can skate better and want to show that in Japan," said Volodin at the weekend after finishing first in Espoo, Finland.
The duo now have the best chance of qualifying for the final in Beijing in December. Hase/Volodin will be competing in their second Grand Prix next week in Osaka; they have only been skating together for a year.
Despite making mistakes in the individual jumps, the Berlin rider and her partner from St. Petersburg beat the European champions Sara Conti/Niccolo Macii from Italy in the freestyle on Saturday with 192.72 to 188.60 points.
"The outcome of the competition was very surprising for us. It wasn't our best free skate, but we tried to push to the end," said Hase. The duo were in third place before the free skate. "I was very nervous and felt the pressure. It's a new feeling to go into a competition knowing that we can win," explained the 24-year-old sports soldier.
For Hase, who finished 16th with her former partner Nolan Seegert at the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing, it was her first victory at a Grand Prix.
With Hase/Volodin, the German Skating Union has a new top pair alongside Annika Hocke/Robert Kunkel, who finished third at the European Championships. Hocke/Kunkel had won the Grand Prix Skate America and also still have a chance of making it to the final of the best six pairs in the series.
The Grand Prix victory in Espoo, Finland, has boosted Hase/Volodin's confidence for their second Grand Prix in Osaka next week, aiming to showcase their improved figure skating skills. Despite finishing third before the free skate and making mistakes during individual jumps, their strong performance in the freestyle helped them emerge victorious, surpassing European champions Sara Conti/Niccolo Macii from Italy.
Source: www.dpa.com
