Rate it!

4 votes

Twice winner Brian Joubert of France hopes to put a troubled season behind him to regain his European figure skating title in Helsinki this week.

A mouth-watering showdown is expected between the Frenchman, European gold medallist in 2004 and 2007, and world number one and reigning champion Tomas Verner of the Czech Republic.

Joubert, the 2007 world champion, has struggled this season because of problems with his skates and a back injury. For the first time in his career he has opted to change his free programme during a season.

In-form Verner, who last year became the first Czech in 16 years to win the men's European title, was crowned number one in December.

In the women's competition Carolina Kostner will be bidding for her third successive title.

The Italian, who skated this season's best of 170.72 points when she clinched gold at the Cup of Russia in November, is the favourite to retain her title but she faces tough opposition from the hosts in particular.

Boasting last year's European bronze medallist Laura Lepisto, 2007 European bronze medallist and new Finnish champion Kiira Korpi and 2005 European silver medallist Susanna Poykio, Finland will have three strong contenders at the Hartwall Arena.

Switzerland's Sarah Meier, runner-up behind Kostner at the last two European Championships, is absent from the event recovering from a back injury.

The Championships kick off on Tuesday with the compulsory dance, followed by the pairs short programme where world and European champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany arrive in Helsinki as overwhelming favourites.

Having skated the season's best of 188.50 points with two Grand Prix first places and one third place, the Germans seem unbeatable in Europe and their stiffest challenge should come from Russia's European silver medallists Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov.

The ice dancing event will be hit by the absence of world champions Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder after the French act pulled out with Delobel recovering from shoulder surgery.

Russians Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin will hope to defend their title in the event, boosted by their seasonal best of 186.77 points at the Cup of China.

Watch live coverage from Helsinki on your PC via the Eurosport player - click on the link under the picture to subscribe. Or watch the action on British Eurosport - available in the UK on Sky channel 410 and Virgin Media channel 521 or British Eurosport 2 - available on Sky 411 and Virgin Media 525

Reuters