FILA

(FILA  Luxembourg S.a.r.l.) FILA joined the 27th edition of the Short Track European Championships that was held in Gdansk, Poland, from January 12 to 14. The event, organized by the International Skating Union at the Hala Olivia rink, featured 96 skaters representing 24 nations, including 3 sponsored by FILA:

• Team Italy sponsored by the Italian Ice Sports Federation (FISG)
• Team Netherlands sponsored by the Dutch Olympic Committee (NOC*NSF) and the Dutch Skating Federation (KNSB)
• Team Norway sponsored by the Norwegian Skating Federation (NSF)

The Dutch team claimed the top spot in the medal standings – securing 4 golds, 4 silvers, and 2 bronzes -despite the absence of Suzanne Schulting, FILA-sponsored top class athlete who has decided to not participate in the European Championship in order to recover from the injury and being in the best condition for the ISU World Championship that will be held in Rotterdam, Netherlands from March 15^th to 17^th.

Meanwhile, Team Italy secured the second position on the podium with 4 golds and 2 silvers. Notably, on the Italian team, Pietro Sighel stood out, winning gold in the 500m, 1000m, and 1500m, becoming the first athlete to triumph in all three distances in the same continental event.

In the women’s category, Elisa Confortola claimed gold in the 1500m, followed by her compatriot Gloria Ioriatti in second place. Both athletes also excelled in the 3000m relay, earning silver alongside Chiara Betti, Arianna Sighel, and Katia Filippo.

No less impressive was the Dutch national team’s performance in the relays. Both the men’s quartet (Teun Boer, Itzahak de Laat, Friso Emons, Kay Huisman) and the women’s quartet (Selma Poutsma, Yara van Kerkhof, Diede van Oorschot, Xandra Velzeboer), as well as the mixed quintet (Teun Boer, Kay Huisman, Selma Poutsma, Xandra Velzeboer, Yara van Kerkhof), secured gold in their respective races (5000m men, 3000m women, and 2000m mixed).

The Dutch team also excelled individually in the men’s category with Teun Boer winning silver in the 500m and Friso Emons securing second place in the 1500m, along with Itzhak de Laat who took bronze.

In the women’s category, Xandra Velzeboer and Selma Poutsma stood out, with Velzeboer winning gold in the 500m and bronze in the 1000m, while Poutsma earned silver in both the 500m and 1000m.

During the same period, from January 10 to 14, the European Figure Skating Championships also took place in Kaunas, Lithuania. Also organized by the International Skating Union, the competition was held at the Zalgirs Arena, with the FILA brand proudly worn by Team Italy.

And indeed, the Italian team emerged victorious at the end of the 5-day competition, securing topping the medal standings with 2 golds and 2 bronzes.

Especially noteworty was the triumph of the pair Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri in the Ice Dance competiton. They are the first Italian couple to clinch back-to-back golds at the European Championships, following their victory in Espoo a year ago. In the Pairs category, it was the duo of Lucrezia Beccari and Matteo Guarise who claimed victory, with the other Italian pair, Rebecca Ghilardi and Filippo Ambrosini, claiming the third position. Matteo Rizzo also earned a bronze medal in the men’s category.