As the Winter Olympics in Milan approach, Germany’s Minerva Hase and Nikita Volodin are emerging as strong medal contenders in pairs figure skating. The duo recently delivered a season-best performance at the German Championships in Oberstdorf, showcasing refinement and consistency as they prepare for February’s games. This weekend’s victory marks a key moment for the pair, who underwent a notable milestone this year with Volodin’s german citizenship, officially clearing his path to Olympic participation.
Ready for the Olympics!
Minerva Hase and Nikita Volodin are peaking at the right time, following a dominant weekend at the German Championships in Oberstdorf. With the Winter Olympics on the horizon, the Berlin-based pair, who are the current European champions and World silver medalists, delivered a performance focused on execution and refinement.
The pair secured victory at the Nebelhorn Trophy in September.
They achieved a season-best score of 223.13, solidifying their position as medal contenders in February. This result fuels their ambition to finally add an Olympic medal to their impressive collection of European and World Championship accolades.
“Coming back to Oberstdorf after the Grand Prix Final and having such a wonderful finish in front of a home crowd is something special,” said Hase. “I am very proud that we were able to deliver that performance and give 100 percent until the end.”
The duo has consistently demonstrated strong form throughout the Grand Prix series, winning in Helsinki, finishing second in Saskatoon, and taking bronze in Nagoya. However, their highest score of the season came at the German Championships, building on their successful start to the season at the Nebelhorn Trophy, also held in Oberstdorf.
A key hurdle was cleared in August when Volodin, originally from St. Petersburg, received his German citizenship, paving the way for his Olympic participation.
Hase and Volodin earned bronze at the Grand Prix Final in Nagoya in early December.
Consistency across an entire competition remains an area for improvement. A slight stumble in the free skate at the German Championships and a shaky short program in Nagoya highlight this. However, Jens ter Laak, Sports Director of the German Ice Skating Union (DEU), has set a medal target for the European Championships in Sheffield, January 13-18, as a key stepping stone before the Olympics.
The pair appears ready to handle the pressure. A top-three finish is within reach, though the field remains competitive even with the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian pairs due to the conflict in Ukraine. Hase and Volodin were recently bested by Georgia’s Anastasia Metelkina and Luka Berulava at the Grand Prix event in Chongqing.
The music selection also bodes well for the Berlin-based athletes. A tango for the short program and a composition by Max Richter (59) for the free skate are intended to help them realize their Olympic dream in Milan, starting in February.
