Figure skating: French record-breakers win fourth European title

Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron broke their own world record score to claim a fourth straight European ice dance title in Moscow on Saturday. The all-conquering French duo blitzed the Russian-led opposition with a perfect free dance routine. That earned them a score of 121.87 points for a mammoth 203.16 total to cement their claims on next month's Olympic title. Papadakis, 22, and Cizeron, 23, who were the first to smash through the 200-point barrier earlier this season, clinched gold at the Megasport Palace with a 16 point margin over home hopes Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev (187.13).
Another Russian couple, Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Burkin, took bronze on 184.86. The world champions in 2015 and 2016 had set up their latest success with an accomplished short programme routine on Friday. And they were not to be denied as they twizzled and spun their way into the history books in four minutes of choreographed brilliance set to Moonlight Sonata.
"The Europeans Championships were an important step for us and a good opportunity to test the little adjustments we've made to our programs," said Cizeron. "The Olympic Games will come up very soon now and we're really excited."
With good reason having established themselves as the couple to beat in Pyeongchang at what will be their first ever Games. He added: "We have a great team working with us and it is their experience and the trust we have in them and also the relationship in our pair that is the secret of our success." The 2018 European Championships conclude later Saturday with the women's free skate starring two time champion Evgenia Medvedeva and Russian teen Alina Zagitova.