Olympic bronze medalists Minerva Hase & Nikita Volodin of Germany grabbed a narrow lead in an exciting Pairs Short Program at the ISU Figure Skating World Championships 2026 in Prague, Czechia, Wednesday. With only few points between the top teams, the battle for the medals will be on Thursday in the Free Skating.

Hase & Volodin edge Metelkina & Berulava

Minerva Hase & Nikita Volodin of Germany edged Georgia’s Anastasiia Metelkina & Luka Berulava in the Short Program by just less than half a point in what was a close battle between the Olympic medalists.

Canadians Lia Pereira & Trennt Michaud are currently sitting in third place heading into the decisive Free Skating on Thursday.

Skating last out of the 21 teams, Hase & Volodin delivered a passionate Tango to “The Embrace”, showing off style and precision and nailing a triple twist, throw triple loop and side-by-side triple Salchow. The 2026 Olympic bronze medalists scored 79.78 points.

Minerva Hase & Nikita Volodin (GER) lead the Pairs competition after the short program by less than half a point © ISU

“After we skated we felt that it was perfect,” Hase said.

“For us it was the best program of the season even though maybe we lost some levels. But we felt we connected with the audience. They gave us energy and we were able to give it back. It was a very nice program to finish.“

Volodin agreed: “It felt really good. In the past, we might have relaxed after the jump and throw but experience has taught us that we have to remain focused until the very end of the performance.”

Now the Germans go with confidence into the Free Skating.

“We can go in with a good feeling,” Hase shared. “I think we were able to get a lot of confidence on the ice. We hope to do the same thing tomorrow, more relaxed, not focused on a medal result but just to have fun and to give a good performance.”

Metelkina & Berulava turned in a very precise performance to “Bolero” that got the capacity crowd of 10,568 at the O2 Arena in Prague clapping along. The 2026 Olympic silver medalists produced a side-by-side triple Salchow, triple twist and throw triple flip to achieve a new personal best of 79.45 points.

Anastasiia Metelkina & Luka Berulava (GEO) achieved a personal best with their precise Bolero program © ISU

“It was hard - we gave all our emotions there [at the Olympic Games] and taking into account we skated four programs there and it had an impact,” Metelkina said.

“We are glad the last Short Program of this season was really good, it was a good way to end that program.”

Their plan for the Free Skating is “to fight and do all we can”.

“Today’s skate was full of nerves but with God’s help, all worked,” Berulava noted. “We got a personal best that was amazing for me and my partner.”

Pereira & Michaud shone in their emotional program to “Say You Love Me” that featured a triple toe and throw triple loop. The 2025 ISU Four Continents bronze medalists posted a new personal best of 75.52 points.

Lia Pereira & Trennt Michaud (CAN) built on their Olympic showing with a personal best to take third place © ISU

“We’ve learnt from the big competitions we’ve done,” Pereira commented. 

“It’s our fourth World Championship and it still feels like the first one sometimes, because we still feel the nerves and we always want to perform our best, but we’ve really put in the training this season and we’ve really shown that in our results, especially the second half.”

 The Canadian Champions feel that they have taken a lot from placing third in the Short Program at the Olympic Winter Games.

“Definitely a level of confidence,” Michaud stated. “Just taking that confidence from that has helped us train very well. Even today, still super nervous, but as soon as the music starts we just let that part take over and go from there.”

The 2026 ISU European bronze medalists Maria Pavlova & Alexei Sviatchenko (HUN) came fourth with their routine to “Earth Song” after she stepped out of the throw triple Lutz (69.92 points).

Reigning ISU Four Continents bronze medalists Yuna Nagaoka & Sumitada Moriguchi (JPN) landed a rare side by side triple loop to come fifth on 69.55 points. Two-time ISU Four Continents silver medalists Emily Chan & Spencer Akira Howe (USA) finished sixth (69.02 points).

Find more comments from the skaters in the Quick Quotes and Press Conference section on the ISU Website.

What and when

The schedule of the ISU Figure Skating World Championships 2026 is as follows:

Wednesday, March 25:          Women’s & Pairs Short Programs
Thursday, March 26:   Men’s Short Program & Pairs Free Skating
Friday, March, 27:  Rhythm Dance & Women’s Free Skating 
Saturday, March 28:    Men’s Free Skating & Free Dance
Sunday, March 29:            Exhibition Gala & ISU Figure Skating Awards

A total of 173 Skaters representing 39 countries have been entered for the Championships: 39 Men, 33 Women, 21 Pairs and 31 Ice Dance couples. Prague hosts the ISU World Championships for the third  time after 1993 and 1962.

For more information, full entry lists and results, visit the ISU event page of the ISU Figure Skating World Championships 2026 and the official event website.  Follow the discussion on social media using #WorldFigure and #FigureSkating. 

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