Europeans 2017 - Skating on Calm Frozen Waters (Ladies FS)

These European Championships have turned out to be more surprising than anyone expected. With so many twists and turns in pairs and ice dance, the ladies' final feels like a breather. Then again, who knows what this evening could bring? You never do with figure skating.

I'll start with Emmi Peltonen, Finland's national champion. She skates to Papa Can You Hear Me, and makes great use of her arms and body to express emotion in the transitions. Only mistake is stepping out of the triple Loop. Her score: 107.05. Overall: 160.57.

Russia's Maria Sotskova

Helery Halvin can't seem to be able to connect with Celine Dion's I Surrender, which results in a rather stiff interpretation. Perhaps the mistakes are to blame - first Lutz is double-footed, she falls on the second, then falls again on the triple Toeloop. Her spins are quite simple although they have some nice touches. She gets 94.96 points. Overall: 146.68.

Kerstin Frank doesn't manage to convey either the tension of Dance of the Vampires or the sadness of Total Eclipse of the Heart. She also puts a hand down on the triple Lutz, singles out of both the triple Salchow and the double Toeloop, double-foots the last triple and struggles to catch her skate to get into the American doughnut position of the last spin. I do like the second position of the first spin, the one that looks like a broken-legged flying spin. Her score: 80.61. Overall: 132.08.

Matilda Algotsson resembles a musical singer in the way she moves her arms as she interprets You Have to Be There, but barely touches on the sorrow of the song. I do enjoy the step sequence; it's the highlight of the routine for me. Technically, she steps out of the triple Salchow and almost falls on the double Axel, but manages to only put a hand down. She gets 103.28 points. Overall: 154.63.

Anastasia Galustyan, who skates for Armenia, is from Moscow, and you can see the style of the Russian school in the way she attacks every element in the routine. Her spins are truly beautiful, each position flowing into the next. She singles out of the double Axel though. Her score: 98.74. Overall: 155.14.

Mae Berenice Meite is having a fight with the triple Lutzes that no one is winning tonight. Two out of her three falls are on the Lutz; the other mistake is stepping out of the double Axel. The step sequence is also slower than you'd expect from her, a result of the jump errors. She gets 90.11 points. Overall: 145.07.

Loena Hendrickx couldn't be having a better debut at the Europeans. Every single set of spins has something special - the first has a low, difficult transition between positions, the second has a really high Biellmann and the last, a couple of original positions. Only mistake is stepping out of the triple flip. Her song is Sarah Brightman's Adagio. Her score: 117.30. Overall: 172.71.

Nicole Rajicova from Slovakia is one of the pleasant surprises of the evening

Nicole Schott has a lovely skating style, almost aristocratic in its grace, so Nocturne No. 20 fits her perfectly. Unfortunately, she falls on the double Flip and the triple Toeloop. Love the twirling in the step sequence matching the tempo of the violin. She gets 103.75 points. Overall: 160.63.

Nicole Rajicova gets the crowd roaring in Ostrava. She ends her jumps truly gracefully when they are well-landed, but this time, a few of them are not. She is still determined to stay on her feet, on one leg and with her arms nowhere near the ice. She speeds up in rhythm with the music, and she gets so fast she actually finishes ahead of it. Her score: 118.72. Overall: 179.70.

Roberta Rodeghiero's short unfortunately landed her on eight place on Wednesday, but she is going strong despite the minor setback. Her presentation is not as lyrical as Nicole's, mainly because a Natalie Cole medley, as lovely as it can be, doesn't leave room for lyricism. She gets 103.23 points. Overall: 161.00.

Maria Sotskova skates to a different Adagio, this one by Alfred Schnittke. The contrast between the softness of the presentation and the fight she has to put on to land her jumps is quiet great tonight. She still falls three times, unfortunately. Her score: 120.35. Overall: 192.52.

Anna Pogorilaya's Bielmann spin

Wow, Laurine Lecavelier changes costumes in the middle of the routine! That is the coolest thing we've seen and are likely going to see tonight. She's as fast as it gets, she's got picture-perfect spins, the best presentation so far and a jump at the very end of the Grease routine. She's just proven fun presentations can stay with you for as long as emotional ones. She gets 120.35 points. Overall: 188.10.

Ivett Toth's choreography for Eleanor Rigby is captivating, maintaining a theme from start to finish thanks to the angular arm movements. The double Axel is daringly placed at the end of the double Axel, and the risk pays off. She steps out of the triple Flip though, and doubles out of the triple Lutz. Her score: 111.16. Overall: 172.65.

Adding random sounds and spoken words to a figure skating routine can often result in an awkward musical piece, but not for Evgenia Medvedeva. Her step sequence is set against a mess of whispers and sirens and shouts, which is perfect for emphasizing the footwork. She gets 150.79 points. Overall: 229.71.

Carolina Kostner skates as if she never left the ice, but that still means she is nowhere near as technically-proficient as the Russian. Her music is Nisi Dominus (Cum Dederit) by Antonio Vivaldi. Only mistake is stepping out of the double Toeloop. Her score: 138.12. Overall: 210.52.

For a few moments, Anna Pogorilaya's routine seems very similar to Carolina's, but then it turns into a powerhouse. It's still not perfect, as she struggles on some landings and over-rotates the triple Salchow. Could also do with a better costume, but that's just my opinion and taste in fashion. She gets 137.00 points. Overall: 211.39.

Well, the end of the night in Ostrava sees the standings unchanged. Evgenia Medvedeva wins her second European title, Anna Pogorilaya manages to keep the silver medal and Carolina Kostner adds another bronze medal to her large collection.