German Pair Claims World Title in Prague

Prague, Czechia – Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin secured the gold medal in pairs skating at the 2026 ISU World Figure Skating Championships on Thursday, ending Germany’s eight-year drought for a world title in the discipline. The duo topped both the short program and the free skate to achieve their first world championship victory.

The pair, who were bronze medallists at the recent Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, delivered a compelling performance, despite a minor error in their free skate.

A Close Competition, Ultimately Decided by Consistency

Hase and Volodin entered the free skate with a narrow lead over Georgia’s Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava. While Volodin had a slight stumble on a triple Salchow, resulting in a double, the German pair maintained their composure and delivered a largely clean routine. They earned a total score of 228.33, winning by 9.92 points.

“You go to bed and you’re always like, oh, it would be so nice to wake up the next day as the world champion, so it’s always in your mind,” Hase said. “You try not to reckon about it too much, but now it’s happened, so tomorrow I will wake up particularly, very happy.”

Minerva Hase, via NBC Sports

Metelkina and Berulava, who secured Georgia’s first Winter Olympic medal earlier this year, took silver with a total of 218.41. Their performance included a fall on a throw triple loop.

Canadian Duo Secures Bronze

Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud of Canada claimed the bronze medal, achieving their first World Championship medal. They delivered a personal best performance, scoring 140.57 in the free skate and a total of 216.09.

Hase and Volodin’s Journey to the Top

Hase and Volodin began skating together in October 2022 and have consistently reached the podium in their 13 competitive appearances, including at the Olympics, World Championships, and Grand Prix Series. Volodin received German citizenship in August 2025.

This victory marks Germany’s first pairs world title since Aljona Savchenko and Bruno Massot’s win in 2018.

FAQ

• Who won the gold medal in pairs skating at the 2026 World Figure Skating Championships? Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany.
• Where were the 2026 World Figure Skating Championships held? Prague, Czechia.
• What was Germany’s previous pairs world title win? Aljona Savchenko and Bruno Massot won in 2018.