Germany’s Hase and Volodin strike gold at 2026 World Pairs Championships

Coming off an Olympic bronze, Germany’s Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin took their first World title in the Pairs’ event in Prague, Czechia, on Thursday. Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava made history by becoming the first Georgian Pairs team to medal at this event after taking the silver. Canada’s Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud captured the bronze—their first World medal, in their fourth appearance at this event as a team.

2026 Olympic gold medalists Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara (JPN), Wenjing Sui and Cong Han (CHN) and Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps (CAN) all skipped this event, leaving the podium wide open.

Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin

Short Program

Hase and Volodin opened their short program with excellent side-by-side triple Salchows. Then went on to produce a level-four triple twist and an easy throw triple loop. Their flawless and refined routine to “El Abrazo” also featured a level-four back-inside death spiral, group 5 reverse lift and footwork. The 2026 Olympic bronze medalists picked up high grades of execution (GOE) in all elements, placing first with 79.78 points.

“This was our best short program today,” said Hase. “We had the feeling that from the first to the last second we controlled everything but also enjoyed it. It was a nice mix of both. The elements felt very good. There was no wobble, you could really enjoy the program. Also, the audience, all the German flags in the background…that was just very beautiful today.”

The team did nine shows at Art on Ice following the Olympics and feel like the experience helped them going into this event.

“Especially with the throws,” said Hase. “That now gives the feeling that the throws are not a problem anymore. You notice that you become more relaxed, not trying to wait for perfection anymore, but just taking every throw and every day as it comes and making the best out of it. The shows really helped with that.”

Free Skate

The 2025 World silver medalists opened their free with a triple twist, but Hase landed the last jump of the triple toe-double Axel-double Axel sequence on the quarter. She also underrotated and two-footed the triple Salchows, while Volodin doubled his. Still, the throw triple loop and throw triple Salchow were very good, and they also earned a level four on all lifts, the spin, and death spiral.  They earned 148.55 for first place for their emotional routine to “Memoryhouse,” and with a new personal best total score of 228.33, finished first overall.

“We were a bit more nervous than yesterday, but we kept reminding ourselves that this was the last big moment of the season, so we should just enjoy it,” said Hase. “That really helped our approach. After the combination, I thought, ‘Oh my God, it’s going well!’ And the audience was so loud that we couldn’t hear the music for a few seconds. I was even thinking, ‘Please keep it down a little, we still have nine elements left.’ Then the mistake on the Salchow happened, but it didn’t affect us the way it did at the Olympics. We went into the remaining elements without fear, which was an amazing feeling. We pushed all the way to the end, showed all our emotions, had speed, stayed in character. It was just incredible. The crowd gave us that final boost of energy, and that made it really special.”

“This medal means a lot,” she added. “It shows that we were on the right path and that we worked so hard to get here. Now we have a whole collection—bronze two years ago, silver last year, and now gold. It shows that we are growing as a team and that we can perform under pressure. I’m so happy that today’s performance, even with a mistake, felt so much better than at the Olympics.”

Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava

Short Program

Metelkina and Berulava gave a polished short program to Boléro, opening with perfect side-by-side triple Salchows and a level-four throw triple twist. The 2026 Olympic silver medalists went on to land a strong throw triple flip, and earned a level four on the death spiral, group 5 reverse lift, and footwork. They placed a very close second with a new personal best score of 79.45.

“It’s an amazing moment for me and my partner,” said Berulava.

He added that it was important that they were able to pull themselves together and show “mental strength” at the Olympics.

“We were very happy that we could do that,” he said. “It’s also very important for us to show how much figure skating has grown in Georgia. That we can move Georgian skating forward and show everyone that there is a high level. We are very, very pleased that all of Georgia was watching us and supporting us. We are very grateful for that.”

“When I was a little girl, I was dreaming of winning an Olympic medal and going to the Olympic Games,” added Metelkina. “People kept telling me that this is so difficult, that only one in a million can achieve it. I’m very happy that I never gave up on my dream. I would tell my younger self, ‘Thank you for not giving up, thank you for believing in yourself.’ I also want to say thank you to my partner Luka, because he said, ‘Yes, we will go for that goal.’ As a child, you live in your dreams, and you have to trust yourself.”

Free Skate

The 2026 European champions placed fourth in free skate with 138.96 points. Metelkina underrotated the last two jumps in the triple Salchow-double Axel-double Axel sequence and later took a fall on a throw triple loop. However, the side-by-side triple toes were solid, as was the throw triple flip. They also picked up a level four on all three lifts and spin, but the death spiral was only graded a level four. Nevertheless, with a total score of 218.41, they were able to hold on to second place overall.

“I’m very happy because this is our first medal at the World Championships and also that we ended the season on a high note,” said Metelkina. “There’s a medal and there are a lot of emotions. This season, I really want to thank everybody who was part of our preparation—our coaches, our federation. We tried our best and we will continue to try our best.”

When asked if they could make one rule change, Metelkina said: “I would add 10 seconds to the short program so we would finally be able to have a proper finish.”

Georgia now has three spots for Pairs’ next year at this event.

Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud

Short Program

Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud of Canada put out an endearing and confident short program to “Say You Love Me.” The 2025 Four Continents bronze medalists produced side-by-side triple toes and a huge throw triple loop. The triple twist, lift, spin, footwork, and death spiral were all awarded a level four, and they picked up positive GOES throughout. They renewed their personal best with a score of 75.52, placing third going into the free skate.

“I think we’re very satisfied with the whole skate today,” said Pereira. “We always try to focus on skating the program and really on the performance side of skating. That helps us take our minds off the elements. Today was also confirmation that we are doing things right in training. Also, that the second half of the season has been very strong for us, especially in the short program.”

Michaud added that they built a lot of confidence at the Olympic Games where they placed eighth.

“We had some great performances there and were really focused on skating for ourselves and delivering the performances we wanted,” he said. “The results came the way we hoped, and we took that confidence into today. It shows that we believed we could achieve what we were aiming for.”

Free Skate

The three-time Grand Prix medalists put out a near-flawless and expressive free skate, placing second in this segment with a new personal best score of 140.57. The three-time Grand Prix medalists executed a level-four triple twist followed by a side-by-side triple toe-double Axel sequence and throw triple loop. Michaud put his foot down on the triple Salchows, but the throw triple Lutz was clean. The pair spin and all three lifts were graded a level four, and they scored a total of 216.09 for third place overall.

“After the short program yesterday, we felt very proud and we left everything out there,” said Pereira. “Today it was really nice to come into the arena feeling like we already showed our work and had nothing more to prove. We just wanted to go out and skate a strong free program for us as a team. During the program we were kind of looking at each other like, ‘Okay, this is going well, but also not getting too excited before the end.’ It was a really motivating process to get here and be among all the best teams in the world.”

“Those two programs are some of our favorite programs we’ve ever had,” said Michaud. “To finish both on such a high note was exactly what we came here to do. We knew if we did that, we could put ourselves into medal contention. I’m so proud of the two of us and also our team back home. Today was really about staying calm and doing what we’ve been training.”

Pereira said if she could change a rule, she would “selfishly” take out the pair spin.

“But adding choreo elements really shows the strengths of pair skaters and how we can perform and tell a story,” she added.

“I think it would be fun to have a themed short program, similar to what the dancers have in the rhythm dance,” said Michaud.

Yuna Nagaoka and Sumitada Moriguchi

Short Program

Japan’s Yuna Nagaoka and Sumitada Moriguchi showed good ice coverage and speed throughout their short program to “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” They executed well-timed side-by-side triple loops and a big throw triple Salchow. The opening triple twist had a bit of a low catch and was graded a level three, as did the death spiral and footwork. The 2026 Four Continents bronze medalists finished fifth with 69.55 points.

“Last year at the Worlds and more recently at Milano Olympic we had some very poor performances,” admitted Nagaoka. “In training we did well, but the day of the competition came, and it didn’t go so well. So last year it was tears of frustration and this year we had tears of joy.”

“I was confident in the training so I didn’t really feel I would make a mistake,” added Moriguchi. “I was confident in myself and am relieved. I am feeling very strong going into the long program.”

Free Skate

The national bronze medalists placed third in the free skate with a new personal best of 139.58 for their lyrical routine to “Tree of Life” by Roberto Cacciapaglia. The only errors came when Nagaoka double-footed the landing of a throw triple loop and put a foot down on a throw triple Salchow. The side-by-side triple loop-double Axel-double Axel sequence was clean, and they picked up a level four on the spin and all three lifts. With a total score of 209.13, they moved up one spot to fourth place overall.

“We’ve been doing our best as a pair to push ourselves to the limit of what we can do,” said Moriguchi. “So, I’m glad we were able to perform in a way that feels like it paid off.”

“It felt completely different from yesterday’s short,” added Nagaoka. “I felt that today’s free skate was one that I truly enjoyed from the bottom of my heart. I felt like we had overcome a major challenge for me in the short program. It was freeing in a way. I came today thinking all that was left to do was to enjoy the free skate. Of course, while carefully focusing on each element, we were able to fully enjoy performing in those four minutes.”

With their placement, Nagaoka and Moriguchi earned two pairs’ spots for Worlds next year.

Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko

Short Program

Maria Pavlova and Alexei Sviatchenko of Hungary placed fourth (69.92) in the short program. Pavlova stepped out of the landing on the throw triple Lutz, but the 2026 European bronze medalists nailed their side-by-side triple toes. Their routine to Michael Jackson’s “Earth Song” also featured a huge triple twist, group 5 reverse lift, and pair spin—all of which were graded a level four.

“I’m truly exhausted,” said Pavlova. “This was our first experience to be at the Olympics and then Worlds after the Olympics. I think we always questioned why people withdraw from Worlds after the Olympics. It happens every four years, and we didn’t know why. But now that we experienced it, we understand—because you gave it your all. You gave 100 percent. You’re emotionally and physically drained. It’s very tough to come back and start preparing for Worlds because the whole season you prepared yourself for the Olympics. You didn’t think about Worlds, and it’s tough, but we went through it. It was not our best performance today, but it was a decent one.”

Free Skate

Skating “Without You” for the free skate, Pavlova and Sviatchenko opened with a strong level-four triple twist and a side-by-side triple toe-double Axel-double Axel sequence. However, Pavlova hung on to a triple flip before stepping out of the triple Salchows, putting a hand down. The five-time Grand Prix medalists earned a level four on the spin and two lifts, placing sixth (135.16) in this segment and fifthoverall (205.08).

Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov

Short Program

USA’s Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov finished seventh in the short program with 67.29 points for their “Cloak and Dagger” routine. Efimova underrotated and stepped out of the side-by-side triple toes and put a hand down on the throw triple loop, but the lift, death spiral and pair spin were graded a level four.

“It wasn’t the performance that we wanted, but I’m very proud of Alisa because we fought through no matter what,” said Mitrofanov. “Being able to see her face at the end, that’s all I wanted. To be like, ‘All right, we’re going to fight for tomorrow no matter what.’ I’m so proud of her.”

Free Skate

Performing their tribute free skate to Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov, Efimova and Mitrofanov opened with a triple twist, but Efimova put a hand down on the front end of the triple Salchow-double Axel-double Axel sequence. She also took a fall on the triple toes, but the throw triple loop and throw triple Salchow were clean. Their expressive routine to music from Love Story and Karl Hugo’s “Our Moving Story” also featured two level-four lifts and pair spin. The 2026 Four Continents champions placed fifth in the free skate (135.22) and moved up to sixth place (202.51) overall.

“We’re definitely feeling a lot better today,” said Mitrofanov. “I’m very proud of Alisa and very proud of us as a team. We came into the free skate with a fresh mind. It wasn’t easy, especially with what happened yesterday, but for us to understand and trust the energy, trust the process, that’s all we can ask for. We’re very happy that we left everything on the table and finished on a high note.”

USA now has two posts for Pairs next year at Worlds.

Annika Hocke and Robert Kunkel

Short Program

Annika Hocke and Robert Kunkel of Germany placed 10th in the short program. Their routine to “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick featured a good throw triple flip, but Hocke to a fall on the side-by-side triple Salchows.

“Of course, it’s always annoying, especially when you know you made a mistake that you had actually done ten out of ten times well in training recently,” said Hocke. “I think the most important thing now is to put the mistake behind us. I don’t need to look back anymore. It happened, and now we’re looking forward to showing the free skate tomorrow.”

Free Skate

Hocke and Kunkel placed seventh in the free skate with a new season’s best score of 128.76. The 2023 European bronze medalists showcased a new element—a variation of a headbanger—near the end of their free skate to “I’d Do Anything for Love” by Meatloaf. The only mistakes was a hand down by Hocke on the side-by-side triple Salchows and a foot down on a throw triple flip. The throw triple loop was solid and they received a level four on all three lifts. They scored a total of 194.11 points, moving up three spots to seventh place overall.

“We tried to check the rules,” said Kunkel of the headbanger. “It’s the last element and it cannot be identified as a different element. We didn’t get a deduction in the end, but we weren’t completely sure. Still, we wanted to take the risk—like what Adam (Siao Him Fa) did with the backflip.”

“Exactly,” agreed Hocke. “I think that backflip made way more impact than that one deduction, so it’s definitely worth it. Honestly, in the last competitions we already had a time deduction, so we were like, whatever. Some people will like it, some won’t. There are people who can’t watch the headbanger and others who love it. There was a lot of controversy about the backflip, but in the end we do it for the sport. Of course there will be people who don’t like it, but they don’t need to like us. There are enough other pairs they can like. We are here to do what we stand for—and we went for it.”

Rounding out the top 10

Armenia’s Karina Akopova and Nikita Rakhmanin finished eighth overall (190.46) their debut at this event.

“This World Championships was good for us,” said Akopova. “We finished in the top 10. We’re really happy about it. It was an incredible season. Just amazing. Sometimes it was difficult, but we did everything.”

Jiaxuan Zhang and Yihang Huang of China, also debuting in this event, scored a total of 184.90 points for ninth place overall.

“I feel that today’s performance was not my best level,” said Zhang. “But I still managed to do what needed to be done, as for the performance and the technical parts. I’m actually quite satisfied with how I did. All the training I put in wasn’t wasted.”

“I made some mistakes, and I take full responsibility for them,” added Huang. “It was my own fault for not performing well. But if I talk about my mindset, the biggest difference from yesterday was that I completely let go while skating.”

Oxana Vouillamoz and Tom Bouvart of Switzerland rounded out the field with a total score of 184.56.

“To skate clean at the World Championships is really amazing, with the crowd and everything,” said Vouillamoz after the free skate. “We were just very happy about that. Also, achieving a personal best is very motivating for the next season, especially looking ahead to the European Championships in Lausanne.”

She also shared that they have been practicing a quad twist off-ice and are thinking about incorporating a quad throw.

“I did some of these already with my former partners,” said Vouillamoz. “It’s in our minds to try them during the off-season. We will likely change both programs, but we don’t know exactly what yet. We’re also looking forward to a vacation soon.”

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