December 3, 2019 – The ice skating spectacle ‘Golden Spin of Zagreb’ will open on Wednesday, December 4, at the Dom Sportova sports hall.
Gol.hr reports that the 52nd edition of the Golden Spin of Zagreb will be held from December 4 to 7, 2019. Not only will there be more than 200 ice skaters from 38 countries, but many Olympic, world and European medal winners will be reunited.
“There will be 29 female skaters, 27 male skaters, and 24 sports couples and 14 dance couples on the ice in the sports hall, and this year’s ISU Challenger Series competition will feature senior skaters, including 27 female skaters, 8 male skaters, 20 dance and 5 sports couples.
We will also have a chance to see a big clash between two great Russian women, current European champion Sofia Samodurova and former champion of the world and Europe, Yelizaveta Tuktamisheva. American Jason Brown is coming to defend last year’s victory, and special attention will be paid to Ksenia Stolbova, the 2014 Olympic winner of Sochi, who recently has a new partner, Andrei Novoselov, in pairs,” revealed competition director Melita Juratek Cipek.
Croatia will have several representatives this year. In the senior pairs competition, Lana Petranović and Antonio Souza Kordeiru will perform. In the junior competition, Croatia will be represented by Hana Cvijanović, Hana Kosić, Stella Ristić, Luce Stipaničev, Lorena Čižmek and Charles Henry Katanović.
“So many juniors show that we have a future, and I am especially pleased to be breaking records this year when the Croatian Skating Federation celebrates 80 years since its inception,” said HKS president Morana Palikovic Gruden.
Croatia’s best junior, Hana Cvijanović, who celebrated her 17th birthday on Monday, is particularly looking forward to performing.
“I am excited, always nervous; nevertheless, it is the biggest competition in front of a Croatian audience. I hope to skate my programs best this season and meet the standard for the World Junior Championships. It would be an ideal birthday present,” Hannah wished.
Lana Petranović and Antonio Souza-Kordeiru will compete for the first time after an eight-month break.
“We are happy to be in Zagreb again. This is our first competition after my second knee surgery. The difficult preparations are behind us, and the difficult rehabilitation, but we hope to show ourselves in the best possible light to our audience,” said Lana Petranović.
The ice skating spectacle begins on Wednesday, December 4, at 3 pm, with the opening ceremony scheduled at 5:30 pm. Like in the previous years, this Golden Spin will close with a grand show of the winners on Saturday, December 7, at 8 pm.
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