Austria’s number one figure skating pair, Miriam Ziegler and Severin Kiefer, have been working towards this moment for months: Today, Wednesday, the time has come. The Stooberin and Salzburger will complete the short program in pairs at the European Figure Skating Championships in Graz, more precisely in the Styria Hall Premstätten-Schwarzlsee. The freestyle follows on Friday.
At the latest now, far more eyes than usual will be on the duo living in Berlin. Ziegler / Kiefer go – and this has not existed for a long time – finally with a at least small hope for a medal in their career highlight. Even if both already have Olympic experience, it is the combination of a major figure skating event in front of their home backdrop and the sporting perspective that makes the importance of these European championships skyrocket. Miriam Ziegler recently emphasized this again when she made it clear, for example, in the ORF program Sport on Sunday: “For me, this is something very special and unique.”
Russian dominance and outsider roles
Austria’s parade couple on the ice therefore only wants to take the positive things from the EM and bring the necessary performance. If all parameters are correct, even precious metal could look out. Nevertheless, Ziegler / Kiefer put it into perspective beforehand: “It is not completely unrealistic for us. The chance is not great and it is not just up to us. But it is amazing to be able to say that there is a chance. “
The result of the Mittelburgenlander and her partner will also depend on what the competition is doing – especially the Russian couples. The two-time European champions Evgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov (season’s best 216.77 points) want to regain their last lost title. The challengers are their compatriots Aleksandra Boikova / Dmitri Kozlovskii with the absolute best of the season on the credit side of 229.48 points. Also among the favorites: the 2018 Junior World Champions, Daria Pavliuchenko and Denis Khodykin (206.56). Miriam Ziegler and Severin Kiefer (182.02) have outsider chances, they are at eye level with the Germans Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nolan Seegert (186.16) and the Italians Nicole Della Monica / Matteo Guarise (182.88). The question remains, however, to what extent red-white-red can actually be inspired by the home advantage in competition. That is probably the most exciting component on the way to a possible surprise.
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