Hase and Volodin have a strong start at the Nebelhorn Trophy!

Hase and Volodin have a strong start at the Nebelhorn Trophy!

Today, November 1st, 2025, the Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf marked a successful start to the Olympic season for German figure skaters. The focus was particularly on the German couple Minerva Hase and Nikita Volodin, who took second place after their short program with 77.61 points. The field is fiercely contested, led by the reigning world champions Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara from Japan, who are just ahead with 78.19 points. The pair skating decision will take place on Friday from 7:30 p.m., where the athletes will present their free program.

Hase expressed satisfaction with her short program, but noted that it was more difficult in competition than in practice. Volodin added that there is still a lot of work ahead of them. This Nebelhorn Trophy is not only the first competition of the season for the duo, but also an important event with a view to qualifying for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, where they are among the medal candidates.

International stage and challenges

The Nebelhorn Trophy, which is part of the Challenger Series of the World Ice Skating Association ISU, is one of the top 20 events worldwide. In addition to Hase/Volodin, other German couples also took part. Annika Hocke and Robert Kunkel landed in tenth place with 62.11 points, followed by Letizia Roscher and Luis Schuster, who reached 15th place with 53.35 points. In the men's event, Stephen Gogolev from Canada showed a strong performance and leads the competition. The best German participant, Kai Jagoda, is currently in eleventh place.

Spectator interest is high as the event serves as the first benchmark for the Olympic Games and gives athletes the opportunity to demonstrate new programs with risky jumps and powerful spins. The broadcast of the Nebelhorn Trophy will be shown live on BR24Sport on Friday from 1:50 p.m., commented by Daniel Weiss.

An important step towards participating in the Olympics

The Nebelhorn Trophy offers German figure skaters a final opportunity to secure additional starting places for the upcoming Olympic Games. The competition runs until September 27th and can therefore be decisive for qualification. The association has already secured two starting places in pair skating and one in ice dancing. DEU President Dr. Andreas Wagner highlights the importance of a new generation of coaches for sporting development as the DEU's membership exceeds 20,000 in 2025.

With Oberstdorf as an important federal base and the promotion of young talent, Germany is doing everything it can to be represented in all four disciplines at the 2030 Winter Olympics. The Nebelhorn Trophy is not only a sporting highlight, but also an important building block in the long-term planning of German figure skating. rbb24 BR Association office.