Great Britain's Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson are in contention for the country's first ice dance gold at the European Figure Skating Championships after a stellar performance in the first stage of the competition. The British pair delivered a flawless show to a Spice Girls medley, capped with a complex rotational lift at the end, earning a season-best score of 85.47 points and placing them second on the leaderboard before Saturday's free dance.
British skaters have not won an event at the Europeans since Dame Jayne Torvill and Sir Christopher Dean in the ice dance in 1994. However, Fear and Gibson have been making waves in recent competitions, earning a first World Championship medal for Great Britain in over 40 years, and they have been on the podium in each of the past three European competitions.
The pair's performance was met with delight from the home crowd at Utilita Arena, who were treated to a flashy and confident display reminiscent of Ginger Spice. Fear was seen wearing a sparkling Union Jack dress, which added to the festive atmosphere. When asked about her nerves before the performance, Fear replied that she could hear the crowd even when warming up backstage, indicating it would be fun.
Fear and Gibson scored positively in all five elements and particularly impressed with their opening sequential twizzles and step sequence. They are currently 1.5 points behind leaders Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France, but ahead of reigning European champions Marco Fabbri and Charlene Guignard of Italy.
Another British team making progress in the competition is Phebe Bekker and James Hernandez, who earned a season-best score of 71.64 points with a routine to Freedom by George Michael, full of fun and energy, which was exceptionally popular with the flag-waving home crowd. The pair's performance showed they were able to use both the crowd and relatively lower pressure to their advantage.
French ice dancers Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron proved it was a team to beat in their routine to Vogue by Madonna, scoring 86.93 points with a clean and precise performance that brought the Yorkshire crowd to their feet. The duo have only teamed up since March but are having a dazzling debut on the Grand Prix circuit.
Fear and Gibson will face off against Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron in the free dance competition, where the medal places are decided. They plan a Scottish-themed medley in honour of Gibson's roots - tartan costumes and all - for Saturday's performance.
British skaters have not won an event at the Europeans since Dame Jayne Torvill and Sir Christopher Dean in the ice dance in 1994. However, Fear and Gibson have been making waves in recent competitions, earning a first World Championship medal for Great Britain in over 40 years, and they have been on the podium in each of the past three European competitions.
The pair's performance was met with delight from the home crowd at Utilita Arena, who were treated to a flashy and confident display reminiscent of Ginger Spice. Fear was seen wearing a sparkling Union Jack dress, which added to the festive atmosphere. When asked about her nerves before the performance, Fear replied that she could hear the crowd even when warming up backstage, indicating it would be fun.
Fear and Gibson scored positively in all five elements and particularly impressed with their opening sequential twizzles and step sequence. They are currently 1.5 points behind leaders Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron of France, but ahead of reigning European champions Marco Fabbri and Charlene Guignard of Italy.
Another British team making progress in the competition is Phebe Bekker and James Hernandez, who earned a season-best score of 71.64 points with a routine to Freedom by George Michael, full of fun and energy, which was exceptionally popular with the flag-waving home crowd. The pair's performance showed they were able to use both the crowd and relatively lower pressure to their advantage.
French ice dancers Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron proved it was a team to beat in their routine to Vogue by Madonna, scoring 86.93 points with a clean and precise performance that brought the Yorkshire crowd to their feet. The duo have only teamed up since March but are having a dazzling debut on the Grand Prix circuit.
Fear and Gibson will face off against Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron in the free dance competition, where the medal places are decided. They plan a Scottish-themed medley in honour of Gibson's roots - tartan costumes and all - for Saturday's performance.
so Great Britain is finally making waves on the ice skating scene after years of absence 
lilah fear and lewis gibson are giving it their all, but 85.47 points is still a bit underwhelming considering the competition 
i mean, france's pair has been dominating for ages 
laurence and guillaume's performance was flawless, no wonder they're leading 
meanwhile, british skaters fear and gibson are trying to make the most of their chance with a fun scottish-themed routine on saturday 
it'll be interesting to see how they hold up against the french duo 
They're giving us hope that British skaters can bring home some medals, especially with that Spice Girls medley 
. Their confidence is infectious, and it's awesome to see them rockin' those tartan costumes for the Scottish theme. I'm also loving Phebe Bekker and James Hernandez's energy - they're like a ray of sunshine on the ice 
! Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron are definitely the ones to beat, but I think Fear and Gibson have what it takes to give them a run for their money 
. Bring on the free dance - can't wait to see which team comes out on top! 
I love how confident and flashy they were on stage - it's like they're channeling their inner Ginger Spice 
. And that Union Jack dress? Iconic! 
Who knew a routine to George Michael could be so much fun?! I'm rooting for them all the way, even if they're not in the top 2. 
Fournier Beaudry & Guillaume Cizeron are looking strong, but I think Fear & Gibson can take it down with their Scottish-themed medley on Saturday! 
. 1.5 points behind leaders? Yeah right, they'll be lucky if they even make the podium. And don't even get me started on their costumes - a Union Jack dress? How original. And I love how they're trying to use the crowd's energy against us... like it's gonna make that big of a difference 
. The French team is just too polished, and those Scottish costumes? Just gonna be a bunch of cheesy tartan outfits 
. This is gonna be a long day... 
. And don't even get me started on the British team's chances of actually winning... it's just not gonna happen 
. Still, I suppose it'll be fun to watch them try 
. The Spice Girls medley was a nice touch tho 
, but can they keep that energy up for 3 minutes straight? 
! Their Spice Girls medley was straight fire, I'm talking flawless choreo and that rotational lift had me screaming 
I'm beyond hyped to see what the free dance competition brings. The fact that they've gone from being a relatively new team to a strong contender in just a few competitions is insane. and can we talk about how amazing it is that Phebe Bekker & James Hernandez are also killing it? 
love how they're using their confidence and energy to pull off those epic performances. fingers crossed for a brit win! 
. It's amazing to think that a British team hasn't won an event at the Europeans since 1994 - but I've got a feeling this year is going to be different! 
. The fact that they can rock out on stage while also delivering technical perfection is just impressive 
.
! It'll be a tough battle against Fournier Beaudry & Guillaume Cizeron, but I have faith in our British skaters 
. Bring it on! 
- who doesn't love a little bit of 90s nostalgia? But seriously, I'm all about supporting our underdog skaters, and Fear & Gibson are proof that with talent, hard work, and a bit of swagger, we can achieve anything! 
. That Spice Girls medley was EVERYTHING, and I love how Lilah added that sparkly Union Jack dress to her routine β totally fitting for the UK vibe 
! I'm literally on the edge of my seat for the free dance competition on Saturday 
and Fournier Beaudry & Guillaume Cizeron are gonna have to bring their A-game if they wanna take down Fear & Gibson 
. Bring it on, GB! 
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It's been ages since we've seen a British team win at Europeans, so fingers crossed for them 
, and it's amazing to see them bring some Spice Girls vibes back to the competition 
, but seriously though, those rotational lifts were insane