Another Finnish pair, Yuka Orihara–Juho Pirinen, also remained in the top ten in ice dance.
Kaunas
Finland missed out on a second consecutive European Figure Skating Championship medal.
Defending bronze Juulia Turkkila and Matthias Versluis finished sixth in the ice dance finals that ended late on Saturday. In the end, the bronze was more than ten points away.
Finland's second pair Yuka Orihara–Juho Pirinen fulfilled his goal and was tenth.
Turkkila and Versluis skated an intact free dance, which was tinged by a surprising point reduction. The jury considered that lifting one set of steps took a long time.
“We made the program in exactly the same way as in other competitions and nothing like it has been done before,” Turkkila was amazed.
The pair's Total Score of 192.08 was a good three points short of the season's best. There was only 0.7 points left between the fifth-placed French pair, so the reduction of one point was decisive for one ranking.
“In the medal fight, points differences didn't seem to matter to us. However, the whole was more than a one-point deduction from the medal,” said Turkkila.
Finland according to the number one pair, the atmosphere after the final in Kaunas was divided.
“Of course, we are a little disappointed that we left points on the table, especially in the rhythm dance and in the free dance there was that deduction. It's a little disappointing, but both programs were strong. We can be satisfied with them,” said Versluis.
“The EC final is a pressurized place. A medal from last year is not always an easy starting point to start the competition. The result was what it was,” Turkkila said.
Yuka Orihara and Juho Pirinen perform a fast-paced program in the ice dance free dance.
Two among the ten Finnish couples, it was a victory for Finnish ice dancing. At the same time, Finland retained two places for next year's European Championships. Finland also has two places for the World Ice Dance Championships in March.
Juho Pirinen already saw success from the expression and enthusiasm of Yuka Orihara's Japanese partner on the ice. Orihara fanned out on the ice by lunging in the air when the free dance was over.
Orihara competed with his shoulder taped. He hurt his hand earlier in training.
“Yuka and I talked about the fact that we had a little bit of work to do in the rhythm dance. Now, when we go home, let's focus on polishing it,” Pirinen said.
Orihara and Pirinen's Total score of 179.71 is their record, as is their free dance score of 111.12.
“I was physically exhausted when
the program ended. It was hot in the hall and our choreography is so fast. But as we promised, we made the free dance a show that goes to the public,” Pirinen said.
Orihara and Pirinen have developed rapidly to the international top. Four years ago, the pair was 18th in the EC final, when they beat Turkkila and Versluis, who were on the sidelines due to injury.
Although they did not get a medal, all nine Finns made it to the free program in Kaunas in each of their sports – ice dance, pair skating and single skating, which is unique.
Ice dancing The European Championship gold was skated by an Italian couple Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri before British couple Lilah Fear/Lewis Gibson. The difference between gold and silver was more than three points (214.38–210.82).
To the delight of the home crowd, the Lithuanians Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius took bronze (203.37).
“Already entering the hall, there was an incredible feeling, when there were Lithuanian flags everywhere and a huge commotion. I had never experienced anything like this before,” said Versluis.
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