Skate Berlin International: German Ice Dancers Shine in Historic Return to Capital
Berlin, February 26, 2026 – The German capital recently hosted the Skate Berlin International, the first international figure skating competition held in Berlin since 1989. This historic event, which took place during the Winter Olympic Games, attracted 250 athletes from 35 nations and drew an audience of 1,200 spectators to the Sportforum Berlin.
German Ice Dancers Dominate the Podium
German ice dancers delivered outstanding performances at the Skate Berlin International. European Championship finalists Charise Matthaei and Max Liebers (Chemnitzer EC) secured victory in the Senior Ice Dance category. In Junior Ice Dance, Berlin’s own Alexia Kruk and Jan Eisenhaber, along with their training partners Enikö Kobor and Zoard Kobor, claimed gold and bronze medals respectively, marking a strong showing on their path to the Junior World Championships.
In the junior singles categories, German Champion Genrikh Gartung (EC Oberstdorf) won in the Junior Men’s event, ahead of Berlin’s Leon Rojkov. For the Junior Women, Anna Gerke from Dortmund earned a third-place finish. This meant that the entire DEU Junior World Championship team stood on the podium in their final competition before the season’s pinnacle event.
Success Across Novice Categories
The Advanced Novice categories also saw strong German performances. German Novice Champion Annabell Wuchrer won the Advanced Novice Women’s category, with Helen Böhm taking third place. In Advanced Novice Pair Skating, German pairs Theresia Grünwald/Jason Jähnchen and Anni Jahnke/Tim Fünfer secured first and second places respectively. In Advanced Novice Ice Dance, Sophia Edler and Lorenz Klaholz achieved a third-place finish.
International Recognition and High-Profile Attendance
The Men’s competition was won by American skater Daniel Martynov, who was accompanied by renowned coach Brian Orser. The two-time Olympic silver medalist from Canada expressed his gratitude to the organizers for the wonderful ISU competition via social media, highlighting the event’s international appeal and successful execution.
The Skate Berlin International not only showcased emerging talent but also provided a platform for established athletes to compete on an international stage. The successful premiere of this event in Berlin is a positive sign for the future of figure skating in Germany, promising more such high-caliber competitions in the capital.
For complete results, please refer to the DEU Event Calendar.
Source: eislauf-union.de
