HASE / VOLODIN (GER) | Pairs Free Skating | ISU World Championships | Boston 2025 | #FigureSkating

The season of their life, there's no doubt about that. They're the reigning European champions. They go into this free program lying in third place. Could a medal beckon here for Minerva Fabianhauser and Nikita Volodin? Remember, they won a bronze last year. Ah, it's etched all over him. No problem with the toe loops or the double axels. Fantastic start, this. Oh, it could not be better. Triple Salchow's. This could define this performance. Well, I was exhausted watching it. I don't know how you felt at home. That was magnificent. I don't think they can believe what they've just achieved. It was a phenomenal skate. To see when Nikita his arm, to see if that affects the level. I don't want to talk about it. That was amazing. It really was. I think I think they're OK. You know, looking at it, it's still at a level three. So it's not too bad. That's the only element that gets a negative grade of execution. And honestly, if you had seen them in practice this morning, you would have not believed that they could have skated with that sort of quality. It was just sensational right from the off. They are just locked in this series, earning them eleven point five two points. And you can just see all season they want it so much. They are laser focused. They work so hard. All these athletes do beautiful throw triple loop. Great extension through her back on the landing stretch. And this final throw near the end of the program, little bit off axis, she's not letting it go. Can't see, but Nikita is gliding on one leg for three seconds. That's a feature. They change positions and we just see his arm starts to bend. He brings her down a little bit early. They're earning a level three for that lift. Not a disaster. Very slight minus. This was one of the best pair of free programs I've seen, probably since last year at Worlds. Yeah, it's fantastic. Ben Augusto having a chat with them in the kiss and cry. Absolutely brilliant. Well, there's one thing for sure. They are going to go shooting into the lead. The pressure is now on the final two teams. That's for sure. They only need one twenty eight sixty three to go into the lead. And they're going to do that. Well, by a country mile. There it is. One forty five forty nine. It's a season's best score for them. So they have thrown the gauntlet right the way down the road. The pressure is on the Italians and the Japanese team. And I can tell you I'm looking down and the Italians have got their fingers in their ears. They don't want to hear the score. They're not looking at the screen. They're focusing on the job in hand and what a job they've got.