Oberstdorf (DPA) — German pair skating runners-up Alisa Efimova/Reuben Bloemart immediately finished second in their first international competition.

At the Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf on Friday, they finished two points ahead of teammates Annika Hocke/Robert Kunkel, who dropped from first place after a short schedule. Canada’s Dina Stellato-Dudek/Maxime Deschamps won with 192.74 points. 22 years earlier, Stelato-Dudek won a silver medal as a singles skater at the Junior World Championships in Oberstdorf.

The Efimova/Blommmart choice from Oberstdorf were convinced in the free program for “private checks”, although they stumbled in the single jump and moved up from third place after the short program (186.17 points). “We have waited two years and we are very happy that now we can compete,” Blomert said. Efimova had previously run for Russia and had to wait two years for approval. “It was very important that we could start over,” said the 23-year-old.

Nikita Starostin (Dortmund) finished ninth in the men’s competition, moving up three places after the short event, despite falling while performing the triple axel. Third in the German championship scored 184.96 points. Canada’s Keegan Messing jumped from third place to the top after a short program and won the Nebelhorn Trophy for the second time since 2018 (245.74 points).

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