Fear And Gibson Eye Historic Gold At European Championships

The buzz in Sheffield is palpable, and for good reason: British ice dancing is on the brink of a historic breakthrough at the European Figure Skating Championships. As the crowd at Utilita Arena roared to the infectious beats of the Spice Girls, Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson delivered a flawless rhythm dance, earning a season-best 85.47 points and vaulting themselves into second place ahead of Saturday’s decisive free dance. With the gold medal still up for grabs, the duo is tantalizingly close to ending a 32-year drought for Great Britain at these championships—a feat not seen since the legendary Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean’s triumph in 1994.

“Even when I was warming up backstage with headphones on I could hear the crowd, I knew it would be fun,” Fear said at the post-skate press conference, her sparkling Union Jack dress a nod to Ginger Spice and the pair’s reputation as the ‘Disco Brits.’ Their routine was capped by a complex rotational lift and scored positively in all five elements, especially the opening sequential twizzles and step sequence. It’s no wonder the Sheffield faithful were on their feet from start to finish.

This isn’t Fear and Gibson’s first brush with glory. The pair, now 26 and 31, respectively, have been regulars on the European podium in recent years, clinching bronze in Tallinn last year after back-to-back silvers. Their consistency and flair have propelled them to the top of the world ice dance rankings, and just last year, they became the first British skaters in over four decades to secure a World Championship medal, earning bronze and breaking a national dry spell that stretched back to Torvill and Dean’s era. They also recently claimed their eighth British championship title, surpassing even their famous predecessors.

The stakes in Sheffield are sky-high, not just for medals, but for momentum heading into next month’s Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. “It’s on a knife-edge,” Christopher Dean observed in an interview with The Independent. “It’s so finely balanced that any slight infringement or mistake, the scrape of an edge or a half-second over time in a lift, these minute things can make all the difference.” Jayne Torvill added, “They’re very consistent in competition, they very rarely make any mistakes. I think they’re somewhat the underdogs in the top three, top four, and can go out and really not be afraid of it. I think they’ve got nothing to lose here.”

The British duo trails only French ice dancers Laurence Fournier Beaudry and 2022 Olympic champion Guillaume Cizeron, who set the bar with a dazzling 86.93 points. Remarkably, Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron only teamed up in March but have already made waves on the Grand Prix circuit. Their precise, elegant performance to a remix of Madonna’s “Vogue” was met with a standing ovation, setting the stage for a classic showdown of French elegance versus British flair in the free dance.

Fear and Gibson, ever the showmen, have something special up their sleeves for the free dance—a Scottish-themed medley in homage to Gibson’s roots, complete with tartan costumes. The free dance, unlike the rhythm dance’s prescribed theme, allows skaters full creative freedom, and the anticipation is building for what could be a defining moment in British skating history.

But the excitement doesn’t stop with the headline act. Britain’s next generation is making waves, too. Phebe Bekker, just 20, and her 24-year-old partner James Hernandez delivered a vibrant routine to George Michael’s “Freedom,” earning a season-best 71.64 points and securing 11th place. Their energy was infectious, and the home crowd’s flag-waving enthusiasm was impossible to ignore. “I was the least nervous I have ever been,” Bekker said. “There was almost no pressure, we had nothing to prove to the crowd. Our coach said we are here to enjoy it and the score doesn’t matter. It was exciting pressure.” Hernandez echoed the sentiment: “We were so focused on each other, but we were aware of the noise. You couldn’t ignore all the flags, all the people cheering. We let the muscle memory take over and when we hit the end pose it was like ‘oh wow, we did it’.”

The British resurgence isn’t lost on the sport’s elder statesmen. Torvill and Dean, who recently received a damehood and knighthood in the New Year’s Honours, see a bright future for the nation’s skaters. “It feels positive that we might get a good run of ice dance couples and medals,” Torvill remarked, pointing to the depth of talent on display at the Bolero Cup in Sheffield last September. Dean added, “You’ve got to do your time, so to speak, but usually after an Olympics, there’s several couples that retire, and that automatically pushes them up the ranks. I think they’re definitely future medallists at European and World Championships.”

Change is also afoot off the ice. Lewis Gibson has emerged as a vocal advocate for greater inclusivity in the sport, championing the inclusion of same-sex partnerships in international competitions. British Ice Skating has already taken the lead, allowing same-sex teams in national events starting next season, mirroring similar reforms in Canada and Finland. However, international rules still mandate that pairs must consist of one man and one woman—a regulation many, including former champions Kaitlyn Weaver, Madison Hubbell, and Gabriella Papadakis, are pushing to reform. Gibson’s advocacy reflects a growing movement within the sport to foster diversity and acceptance at every level.

Meanwhile, the women’s competition wrapped up with Estonia’s Niina Petrokina retaining her European title, Belgium’s Loena Hendrickx taking silver, and Italy’s Lara Naki Gutmann claiming bronze. British champion Kristen Spours finished 23rd after the free skate, a respectable result as she continues to develop on the international stage.

As the European Championships reach their climax, all eyes are on Fear and Gibson. Will they finally bring home that elusive gold and set the tone for British success in Milan? Or will French precision or Italian experience win the day? One thing’s for sure—the energy in Sheffield is electric, and British figure skating is back in the spotlight, ready for its next golden chapter.