Spours ‘grateful’ for final performance for father

British champion Kristen Spours said she was “grateful” her father could see her perform a final time before retirement at the European Figure Skating Championships in Sheffield.

Spours says she will leave the sport this year aged only 25 after recently recovering from surgery following a spinal injury sustained last March.

Her performance in the women’s short program earned her a spot in the top 24, enough to send her through to the free skate to determine the medals on Friday.

Spours told BBC Sport her still-healing injury was stopping her performing some skills, and she had struggled badly with her mental health during the past year.

“I have really struggled with my mental health, especially getting back on the ice. Getting back has really proved to myself that I can still cope in a high-pressure environment.

“I am really grateful to have my family here. I am planning to retire after [the World Championships in] Prague, so this is the last time my dad will ever see me skate.

“My mum is able to come to Milan [for the Winter Olympics], but my dad has a health issue so can’t fly. I am grateful he can see me one last time.”

Earlier, home hero Luke Digby and partner Anastasia Vaipan-Law put themselves on course for their best finish in continental competition in the pairs event.

Digby, from Sheffield, and Vaipan-Law are fifth after the short program. Their previous best finish in European competition was 10th in 2023.

Given a noisy reception at Utilita Arena and performing to folk song Lighthouse by Patrick Watson, they executed an error-free performance.

The four-time British champions received a score of 63.98 points. The current leaders are Georgia’s Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava on 75.96.

Metelkina and Berulava performed to Bolero – the song used by Dame Jane Torvill and Sir Christopher Dean when winning Olympic gold in 1984.

It was a doubly impressive showing given the Georgian team only landed in the UK on Tuesday – the day before competition – because of a problem with their visas.

Despite performing with minimal practice, Metelkina and Berulava are ahead of Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin on 74.81.

The Germans are reigning European champions and heavy gold medal favourites but did not have a perfect performance, Hase putting her hand to the ice following a spin.

Wednesday’s short programs focused on technical skills, with the more artistic free skate to come. The total scores from both events will decide the winner.