The Tallinn - European Capital of Sport figure skating gala held at Tondiraba Ice Hall on 22 March delivered a show full of magic.

The gala at Tondiraba Ice Hall, held before an audience of more than 2,000 spectators, marked the grand finale of the Capital of Sport’s Ice Sports Day. Visitors had the chance to try their hand at hockey and curling training sessions, take part in skating classes led by Saskia Alusalu, and enjoy an ice disco.

Among the evening’s highlights was a performance by European champion Niina Petrõkina, who took to the ice with her free program — the same routine she plans to compete with at the upcoming World Championships in Boston. As the final performer of the night, Petrõkina was unable to complete her usual warm-up due to the structure of the event, choosing instead to place greater emphasis on her spins.

The European champion expressed her joy at the strong turnout despite the beautiful spring weather. “It was such a pleasure to perform in front of so many people here at Tondiraba again. In my head, I treated it like a competition, but with no judges and many familiar faces in the audience, it was hard to stay fully focused,” she said.

In addition to the reigning European champion, the gala featured top Estonian skaters and emerging talents. Performers included Arlet Levandi, Maria Eliise Kaljuvere, Kristina Lisovskaja, Vladislav Churakov, Arina Beljajeva, Maia Tištšenkova/Nikita Fedosov, Ksenia Sipunova/Miron Korjagin, a group of young ice dancers, and the synchronized skating team Diamonds.

In April, the European Capital of Sport Tallinn will shift its focus to hiking and Nordic walking. Two hikes will be open to participants — one to Naissaar Island on April 19 and another in Tallinn on April 20.

See all photos here.