Figueres skaters take European Cup silver on home ice
Patinatge Artístic Figueres (PAF) won a silver medal at the first European Cup of Artistic Skating for Show Groups, Quartets and Precision, held in its own city from 24 to 26 September.
The Figueres club finished second in the Large Show Groups category. Clubs from several European countries took part in the three-day competition, and the stands were busy throughout.
A podium in front of a home crowd
In the Large Show Groups final, PAF finished behind CPA Alvia, which took the title. CPA Alcalá won bronze to complete the podium. Another group, Roulement, finished fifth.
For PAF the result came in front of its own supporters. Figueres is the capital of the Alt Empordà, the county that also includes Castelló d'Empúries and Empuriabrava. Local clubs rarely get the chance to compete for a continental medal without leaving home.
Show groups are one of the team disciplines of artistic roller skating. Rather than performing alone, skaters take to the rink together and perform a choreographed routine built around a theme. The European Cup format also included quartets, which are smaller teams of four, and precision skating, where groups perform synchronised formations.
The "Large" and "Small" labels refer to the size of the groups. Each size competes in its own category.
Spain's medal haul
The Spanish delegation left this first European Cup with eight medals in total, including three golds.
One of the standout results came in the Small Show Groups category, where Spanish teams took all three podium places. CPA Olot won gold, Skating Skills took silver and CPA Luar took bronze. Olot is in the Garrotxa area of Girona province, so the gold also stayed close to home.
PAF's silver in the Large Show Groups category adds to this haul. The Figueres club was one of the main local names in a competition that brought international teams to the town.
A first edition in Figueres
This was the first time the European Cup for Show Groups, Quartets and Precision had been held. Hosting the first edition gives Figueres a place in the history of the event, whatever happens in future years.
The competition also brought visiting teams, coaches and families to the town in late September, after the main summer season. Figueres already hosts a busy calendar of autumn events, from the Empordà Wine Fair to cultural activities at the castle. An international sports event added something different to that mix.
The large crowds suggest that artistic skating has a solid following in the area. Local clubs such as PAF train young skaters all year round, and many families in the Alt Empordà will know the sport from school-age activities.
Our Take
For readers in Empuriabrava and Castelló d'Empúries, this is a reminder that the Alt Empordà is not only a summer destination. Figueres is about 15 minutes away by car. It showed it can organise an international competition and fill the seats for it. A silver medal for the home club made that weekend even more memorable.
The result also shows the strength of Girona province in artistic skating. A Figueres club on the podium in one category and an Olot club winning gold in another suggest that clubs in the region can compete at a high level. That kind of success can encourage more children to join local clubs, although that is something only time will show.
There is also a wider pattern. Towns in the area have been working to attract visitors outside July and August, with wine, food and cultural events spread through the autumn. Visitors reaching the Figueres castle and filling local fairs point in the same direction. Sports competitions like this one could become another part of that approach, bringing teams and families who stay, eat and shop locally.
It is worth watching whether the European Cup returns to Figueres or moves to another country next year. It is also worth watching whether PAF can build on this silver in upcoming national and international events. For now, the club can enjoy a medal won at home in the first edition of a new competition.