Spanish figure skating sensation wins 4th straight European title

Javier Fernandez, or ‘SuperJavi’ as they call him in Spain, made it four gold medals in a row at the European figure skating championships at the Ondrej Nepela stadium Bratislava, Slovakia, a fitting stage to crown Fernandez’ achievement as it was named after the last skater to achieve this incredible feat of winning four consecutive titles.

Fernandez called his routine for the short program “the most difficult of my life”, one that saw him break European records with 102.54 points and put him clearly in the lead for the overall competition.

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Skating to Guys and Dolls performed by Frank Sinatra, the 2015 world champion who is coached by Canada's Brian Orser at the Toronto Cricket Skating Club, set the pace with a quad toe loop, went on with a quad-triple combination and added a quad Salchow to win the free skate with 200.23 points for an overall total of 302.77.

That score was a personal best and a European record, second globally only to Japanese skater Yuzuru Hanyu (330.43), who has the same trainer as Fernandez. The two will meet at the World Championships in Boston in March where Javi said “I hope to be at 100%”.

"It was amazing," Fernandez told the appreciative crowd, "I was really nervous, I know I had already three and of course it was going to be hard but I did it."

Fernandez finished ahead of Israeli skater Bychenko (242.56) and Russian Maxim Kovtun (242.21).

“I’m so proud to be able to make history for my country. Now I’m aiming for my fifth, and then five more!” said Fernandez.