Nikita_Volodin

Nikita Volodin

Nikita Volodin

Russian pair skater


Nikita Andreyevich Volodin (Russian: Никита Андреевич Володин, born 29 June 1999) is a Russian pair skater who currently competes for Germany. With his current partner, Minerva Fabienne Hase, he is the 2024 World bronze medalist, the 2023–24 Grand Prix Final champion, a two-time ISU Grand Prix gold medalist and two-time ISU Challenger Series medalist (including gold at the 2023 CS Nebelhorn Trophy).

Quick Facts Full name, Native name ...

With his former partner, Alina Ustimkina, competing for Russia, he is the 2016 CS Tallinn Trophy champion and 2016 Youth Olympic bronze medalist.

Personal life

Nikita Andreyevich Volodin was born on 29 June 1999 in Saint Petersburg, Russia.[1]

Career

Volodin began skating in 2003.[1]

Partnership with Ustimkina

Volodin and Alina Ustimkina debuted their partnership in September 2014.[2] They competed at events within Russia during their first season together and began appearing internationally in the 2015–16 season. In August 2015, they were sent to Riga, Latvia to compete at their first ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) assignment, placing fifth. In November, they won the junior gold medal at the NRW Trophy, outscoring silver medalists Anna Dušková / Martin Bidař by 19.22 points.[3]

In January 2016, Ustimkina/Volodin placed fifth at the Russian Junior Championships. In February, they represented Russia at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics in Hamar, Norway. Ranked third in both segments, they were awarded the bronze medal behind Ekaterina Borisova / Dmitry Sopot and Dušková/Bidař. Assigned to Team Determination for the mixed NOC team event, Ustimkina/Volodin placed third in their segment and their team finished 8th.[4]

Ustimkina and Volodin ended their partnership in late 2017.

Partnership with Atakhanova

Volodin and Amina Atakhanova teamed up in early 2018, coached by Alexei Sokolov in Saint Petersburg.[2] In April 2018, they won gold at the Russian Youth Championships Elder Age.[5] Their partnership ended following that season.

Partnership with Hase

In June 2022, Volodin was introduced by coach Dmitry Savin to German pair skater Minerva Fabienne Hase, whose long partnership with Nolan Seegert had ended following the 2022 Winter Olympics. Agreeing to skate together and represent her country, they trained through the 2022–23 season while waiting for Volodin to be released by the Figure Skating Federation of Russia.[6]

2023–24 season

Volodin was released by the Russian federation in May 2023, and he and Hase continued training in Berlin with Savin, Rico Rex, and Knut Schubert as their coaches.[7][8]

Hase/Volodin debuted as a team at the 2023 CS Lombardia Trophy, where they won the silver medal behind reigning Italian European champions Conti/Macii, and finishing ahead of domestic rivals Hocke/Kunkel. Hase said it felt "so good to be back and even be on the podium in our first competition."[9] They went on to win a Challenger gold medal on home soil at the 2023 CS Nebelhorn Trophy, after coming back from placing third in the short program.[10]

Hase/Volodin made their senior Grand Prix debut at the 2023 Grand Prix of Espoo. They placed third in the short program behind Shanghai Trophy champions Peng/Wang and Conti/Macii after an error on their throw triple loop, but won the free skate despite jump errors and rose to take the gold medal. Hase admitted that the result felt "very lucky," but that it was "a special moment for both of us."[11] They went on to win the 2023 NHK Trophy as well, improving on all their personal bests in the process and qualifying to the Grand Prix Final as the second seed.[12]

Volodin having become ill following the NHK Trophy, the team was uncertain of their ability to compete. Returning to China for the Final, held in Beijing, they performed their first full run-through since the NHK Trophy in training. Hase/Volodin set a new personal best score to win the short program narrowly over Canadians Stellato-Dudek/Deschamps and Italians Conti/Macii. They finished second in the free skate behind Conti/Macii, but won the gold medal by 0.55 points over the Italian team. Hase said they were "overwhelmed."[13]

Hase and Volodin during their free skate at the 2024 World Championships

Hase became ill following the German Championships, as a result of which the team had only ten days of training prior to the 2024 European Championships in Kaunas. They entered as perceived favourites, finishing second in the short program. They had an error-riddled free skate, culminating in an aborted lift, that saw them place sixth in the segment and drop to fifth place overall. This was the team's first time missing the podium in competition. Hase said that they "have to appreciate what we have already achieved this season," and vowed that they would get used to the pressure of being the favourites.[14]

Following the disappointment at the European Championships, Hase/Volodin performed in the Art on Ice skating show, which they would later credit with aiding them with performing in front of large audiences.[15] At the 2024 World Championships, they placed fourth in the short program, 0.78 points behind Conti/Macii in third place. Despite Hase making a Salchow error in the free skate, they came third in that segment, and rose to third overall to claim the bronze medal. This was the first World medal for both, and the first for a German skater since Savchenko/Massot's gold medal in 2018.[16] Volodin said that "I can't believe at the moment that I won a medal at the real world championships. Maybe after some time."[15]

Programs

With Hase

More information Season, Short program ...

With Atakhanova

More information Season, Short program ...

With Ustimkina

More information Season, Short program ...

Competitive highlights

CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

With Hase for Germany

More information International, Event ...

With Sobinina for Russia

More information International: Junior, Event ...

With Atakhanova for Russia

More information National, Event ...

With Ustimkina for Russia

More information International, Event ...

Detailed results

More information Segment, Type ...

Current personal best scores are highlighted in bold.

With Hase

More information 2023–24 season, Date ...

With Ustimkina

More information Date, Event ...

References

  1. "Alina USTIMKINA / Nikita VOLODIN: 2015/2016". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. "Никита Андреевич Володин" [Nikita Andreyevich Volodin]. fskate.ru (in Russian).
  3. "Lillehammer 2016 Athletes: VOLODIN Nikita". wyog2016.sportresult.com. Archived from the original on 24 February 2016.
  4. Lechner, Pamela (September 7, 2023). "Neues Paarlauf-Paar: Minerva Hase/Nikita Volodin starten mit Vorfreude in erste gemeinsame Saison" [New pair skating couple: Minerva Hase/Nikita Volodin are looking forward to their first season together] (in German). German Figure Skating Union.
  5. Lechner, Pamela (May 31, 2023). "DEU erhält Startfreigabe für neues Top-Paar Minerva Hase/Nikita Volodin" [DEU receives start clearance for new top couple Minerva Hase/Nikita Volodin] (in German). German Figure Skating Union.
  6. "Minerva Fabienne HASE / Nikita VOLODIN: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 10 September 2023.
  7. Petzold, Rainer (September 14, 2023). "DEU-Paare Hase/Volodin und Hocke/Kunkel glänzen mit zwei Medaillen in Bergamo" [DEU pairs Hase/Volodin and Hocke/Kunkel shine with two medals in Bergamo] (in German). Bundeswehr Sports Magazine.
  8. Lechner, Pamela (September 25, 2023). "Minerva Hase/Nikita Volodin krönen Nebelhorn Trophy 2023 mit Paarlauf-Sieg" [Minerva Hase/Nikita Volodin crown Nebelhorn Trophy 2023 with pair skating victory] (in German). German Figure Skating Union. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  9. Slater, Paula (November 18, 2023). "Hase and Volodin golden in Grand Prix debut". Golden Skate. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  10. Slater, Paula (November 25, 2023). "Hase and Volodin dominate pairs at NHK Trophy in debut season". Golden Skate. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  11. Slater, Paula (December 8, 2023). "Hase and Volodin seize Grand Prix Final gold". Golden Skate. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  12. Slater, Paula (January 11, 2024). "Beccari and Guarise clinch unexpected gold at 2024 Europeans". Golden Skate. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  13. Lechner, Pamela (March 24, 2024). "Hase/Volodin über die WM-Medaille: „Wir können es kaum glauben"" [Hase/Volodin about the World Cup medal: “We can hardly believe it”] (in German). German Figure Skating Union. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  14. Slater, Paula (March 22, 2024). "Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps golden in Montreal". Golden Skate. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  15. "Alina USTIMKINA / Nikita VOLODIN: 2017/2018". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 29 May 2018.
  16. "Alina USTIMKINA / Nikita VOLODIN: 2016/2017". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  17. "Competition Results: Alina USTIMKINA / Nikita VOLODIN". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 4 August 2018.

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