European Figure Skating Championships: Kristen Spours ‘grateful’ for final performance for father

Earlier, home hero Luke Digby and partner Anastasia Vaipan-Law put themselves on course for their best finish in continental competition in the pairs event.

Digby, from Sheffield, and Vaipan-Law are fifth after the short program. Their previous best finish in European competition was 10th in 2023.

Given a noisy reception at Utilita Arena and performing to folk song Lighthouse by Patrick Watson, they executed an error-free performance.

The four-time British champions received a score of 63.98 points. The current leaders are Georgia’s Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava on 75.96.

Metelkina and Berulava performed to Bolero – the song used by Dame Jane Torvill and Sir Christopher Dean when winning Olympic gold in 1984.

It was a doubly impressive showing given the Georgian team only landed in the UK on Tuesday – the day before competition – because of a problem with their visas.

Despite performing with minimal practice, Metelkina and Berulava are ahead of Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin on 74.81.

The Germans are reigning European champions and heavy gold medal favourites but did not have a perfect performance, Hase putting her hand to the ice following a spin.

Wednesday’s short programs focused on technical skills, with the more artistic free skate to come. The total scores from both events will decide the winner.

The pairs free skate takes place on Thursday evening, with the women’s competition concluding on Friday.