Daria Danilova

Daria Danilova (Russian: Дарья Данилова; born 8 September 2002) is a Russian pair skater who competes for the Netherlands. With her skating partner, Michel Tsiba, she is the 2020 Dutch national champion and the 2020 NRW Trophy bronze medalist. They competed in the final segment at the 2020 European Championships and are the first Dutch pair to qualify for the World Championships.

Daria Danilova
Daria Danilova and Michel Tsiba at the 2024 Skate Canada International
Native name	Дарья Данилова (Russian)
Born	(2002-09-08) 8 September 2002 (age 22) Moscow, Russia
Height	1.55 m (5 ft 1 in)
Figure skating career
Country	Netherlands
Partner	Michel Tsiba
Coach	Dmitri Savin Fedor Klimov Pavel Kitashev Knut Schubert
Skating club	AIJC Alkmaar
Began skating	2006
Medal record
Dutch Championships 2020 The Hague Pairs 2022 Tilburg Pairs 2021 The Hague Pairs 2023 Tilburg Pairs

Personal life

Danilova was born on 8 September 2002 in Moscow. She is learning Dutch.^[1] Danilova received her Dutch residence permit c. 2020^[2] and became a naturalized Dutch citizen on February 16, 2024.^[3][4] She has a pet dog.^[5]

Career

Early career

Danilova started skating at age three in 2006. She competed in ladies' singles in her native Russia, but never qualified to the Russian Championships.^[6] In 2017, Danilova briefly competed pairs with Dmitry Shulgin under coaches Pavel Kitashev, Arina Ushakova, and Nina Mozer.^[6] They split after six months and she skated alone for a year.^[1]

Danilova teamed up with Dutch skater Michel Tsiba for the Netherlands in May 2018. Earlier in the season, he had met one of her coaches at a seminar in Berlin and they arranged a tryout.^[7] At the start of their partnership, Danilova/Tsiba alternated training in Berlin and Moscow every three months due to the differences in their respective citizenships' visa requirements.^[8] The pair fund over half of their training costs out of pocket via Tsiba's student finances.^[9]

2018–2019 season

Danilova/Tsiba won their debut international competition, the 2018 Golden Spin of Zagreb on the junior level. They then placed tenth at the 2019 Bavarian Open. In February, Danilova/Tsiba won the 2019 Dutch junior national title unopposed. However, they missed achieving the minimum TES requirements for the 2019 World Junior Championships.^[1]

2019–2020 season

Danilova/Tsiba at the 2020 European Championships

Danilova/Tsiba competed at three Challenger Series events to open the season, finishing tenth at 2019 CS Finlandia Trophy, 17th at 2019 CS Warsaw Cup, and 15th at 2019 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb.

At the 2020 European Championships in January, Danilova/Tsiba became the first Dutch pair in 24 years to compete in a European Championships since Jeltje Schulten / Alcuin Schulten last represented the country at the event in 1996.^[8] They qualified to the final segment and finished 16th overall. In February, they finished eighth at the Bavarian Open and tenth at the Challenge Cup; the latter event doubled as the Dutch Championships where, as the only Dutch pair, Danilova/Tsiba won their first senior national title.

At the Challenge Cup, Danilova/Tsiba earned the necessary TES minimums for the 2020 World Championships.^[10] They are the first Dutch pair in history to qualify for the World Championships.^[11] The event was eventually cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[12]

2020–2021 season

During the offseason, Tsiba underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus. However, the pair did not start training together again until the end of August due to issues with Danilova's Dutch visa.^[13] Danilova/Tsiba made their season debut at the 2020 NRW Autumn Trophy in November and won their first senior international medal, bronze behind Germans Annika Hocke / Robert Kunkel and Minerva Fabienne Hase / Nolan Seegert. Making their debut at the World Championships in Stockholm, they placed twenty-second.^[14]

2021–2022 season

Beginning the season at the 2021 Lombardia Trophy, Danilova/Tsiba placed eighth.^[15] They competed at the 2021 CS Nebelhorn Trophy, placing ninth and failing to qualify a place at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Their third Challenger event, the 2021 CS Warsaw Cup, Danilova/Tsiba were fifteenth. They finished twenty-first at the 2022 European Championships, missing the free skate.^[16]

Danilova/Tsiba concluded the season at the 2022 World Championships, where they finished a career-best ninth in a field depleted due to Russia being banned as a result of their invasion of Ukraine and the Chinese Skating Association opted not to send athletes to compete in Montpellier.^[17][16]

2022–2023 season

Danilova/Tsiba decided that the Russian invasion of Ukraine would not affect their training in Russia, opting to spend about half their time in Sochi, Russia, and half in Heerenveen, Netherlands.^[18] On training in Russia, they commented: "We don't notice the war here. It's shockingly quiet."^[2] They were unable to compete at the 2022 Skate America because Danilova's visa application was declined.^[2]

Danilova/Tsiba began their season with a sixth-place finish at the 2022 CS Finlandia Trophy. They finished sixth as well at the 2022 NHK Trophy, their Grand Prix debut, and then fifth at the 2022 Grand Prix of Espoo.^[16] Domestic rivals Osipova/Epstein won the Netherlands' only pair skating berth at the 2023 European Championships.^[18] However, due to Danilova/Tsiba's ninth-place finish at the prior year's World Championships, both teams were able to attend the 2023 edition in Saitama. Both Dutch teams qualified for the free skate segment, a first in the history of the event, with Danilova/Tsiba finishing thirteenth, the higher-ranked of the two.^[19]

2023–2024 season

Danilova/Tsiba performing a pair combination spin at the 2024 World Championships

Beginning the season at the 2023 CS Lombardia Trophy, Danilova/Tsiba came sixth.^[16] On the Grand Prix, they were seventh at the 2023 Skate Canada International.^[20] At the 2023 NHK Trophy they placed fifth, equaling their prior best placement, both praising the reception from the Japanese audience.^[21]

Danilova/Tsiba came eighth at the 2024 European Championships.^[22] Finishing the season at the 2024 World Championships, they came fourteenth.^[23]

2024–25 season

Danilova and Tsiba began the season with a fourth-place finish at the 2024 Tayside Trophy. Going on to compete on the 2024–25 Grand Prix circuit, the pair finished seventh at the 2024 Skate Canada International and fifth at the 2024 NHK Trophy.^[24][25]

Programs

Pair skating with Michel Tsiba

Season	Short program	Free skating
2024–25 [26]	Give Me Love by Ed Sheeran choreo. by Sofia Evdokimova	The Chain by Fleetwood Mac choreo. by Nikita Mikhailov
2023–24 [27]	The Hunger Games Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears performed by Lorde The Hanging Tree by James Newton Howard ft. Jennifer Lawrence choreo. by Sofia Evdokimova
2022–23 [28]		Harriet Goodbye Song by Cynthia Erivo & Terrence Blanchard Stand Up by Cynthia Erivo choreo. by Nikita Mikhailov
2020–22 [5][29]	Bad Guy by Billie Eilish performed by Ariana Savalas choreo. by Joti Polizoakis	All by Myself by Eric Carmen I'll Be There for You by The Rembrandts choreo. by Joti Polizoakis
2019–20 [30]	Don't Stop Me Now by Queen choreo. by Paul Boll	Greased Lighnin' (from Grease) performed by John Travolta Hopelessly Devoted to You (from Grease: Live) performed by Julianne Hough You're the One That I Want (from Grease) performed by John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John choreo. by Olga Orlova
2018–19 [31]	Secrets by OneRepublic choreo. by Olga Orlova

Competitive highlights

• GP – Event of the ISU Grand Prix Series
• CS – Event of the ISU Challenger Series

Pair skating with Michel Tsiba

Competition placements at senior level ^[25]

Season	2019–20	2020–21	2021–22	2022–23	2023–24	2024–25
World Championships		22nd	9th	13th	14th
European Championships	16th		21st		8th	10th
Dutch Championships	1st	2nd	1st	2nd
GP Finland				5th
GP NHK Trophy				6th	5th	5th
GP Skate Canada					7th	7th
CS Finlandia Trophy	10th			6th
CS Golden Spin of Zagreb	15th			8th
CS Lombardia Trophy			8th		6th
CS Nebelhorn Trophy			9th
CS Warsaw Cup	17th		15th			5th
Bavarian Open	8th			2nd	1st
Budapest Trophy					3rd
Challenge Cup	10th	7th	2nd	5th
NRW Trophy		3rd	1st
Road to 26 Trophy						6th
Tayside Trophy						4th

Competition placements at junior level ^[25]

Season	2018–19
Dutch Championships	1st
Bavarian Open	10th
Challenge Cup	1st
Golden Spin of Zagreb	1st

Detailed results

Pair skating with Michel Tsiba

ISU personal best scores in the +5/-5 GOE System ^[25]

Segment	Type	Score	Event
Total	TSS	178.37	2024 NHK Trophy
Short program	TSS	61.24	2023 World Championships
	TES	35.21	2023 World Championships
	PCS	27.36	2023 NHK Trophy
Free skating	TSS	119.47	2024 NHK Trophy
	TES	64.71	2023 NHK Trophy
	PCS	57.11	2024 NHK Trophy

Senior level

Results in the 2019–20 season ^[25]

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Oct 11–13, 2019	2019 CS Finlandia Trophy	9	43.56	10	75.34	10	118.90
Nov 14–17, 2019	2019 CS Warsaw Cup	18	38.90	18	80.54	17	119.44
Dec 4–7, 2019	2019 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb	13	47.86	16	87.85	15	135.71
Jan 20–26, 2020	2020 European Championships	16	46.10	16	70.20	16	116.30
Feb 3–9, 2020	2020 Bavarian Open	8	46.92	9	83.91	8	130.83
Feb 20–23, 2020	2021 International Challenge Cup	5	51.81	10	85.92	10	137.73
Feb 20–23, 2020	2020 Dutch Championships[a]	1	—	1	—	1	—

Results in the 2020–21 season ^[25]

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Nov 26–29, 2020	2020 NRW Trophy	3	43.86	4	70.88	3	114.74
Feb 26–28, 2021	2021 International Challenge Cup	8	48.87	6	88.23	7	137.10
Feb 26–28, 2021	2021 Dutch Championships[a]	2	—	1	—	2	—
Mar 22–28, 2021	2021 World Championships	22	43.12	—	—	22	43.12

Results in the 2021–22 season ^[25]

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Sep 10–12, 2021	2021 Lombardia Trophy	7	45.14	8	88.73	8	133.87
Sep 22–25, 2021	2021 CS Nebelhorn Trophy	8	55.39	9	89.87	9	145.26
Nov 4–7, 2021	2021 NRW Trophy	1	50.61	1	101.85	1	152.46
Nov 17–20, 2021	2021 CS Warsaw Cup	14	55.45	15	89.28	15	144.73
Jan 10–16, 2022	2022 European Championships	21	36.86	—	—	21	36.86
Feb 24–27, 2022	2022 International Challenge Cup	2	53.57	2	95.83	2	149.40
Feb 24–27, 2022	2022 Dutch Championships[a]	1	—	1	—	1	—
Mar 21–27, 2022	2022 World Championships	11	49.52	9	99.03	9	148.55

Results in the 2022–23 season ^[25]

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Oct 4–9, 2022	2022 CS Finlandia Trophy	6	56.27	5	102.65	6	158.92
Nov 17–20, 2022	2022 NHK Trophy	6	54.46	6	101.38	6	155.84
Nov 25–27, 2022	2022 Grand Prix of Espoo	5	56.41	6	89.74	5	146.15
Dec 7–10, 2022	2022 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb	6	58.17	8	98.79	8	156.96
Jan 31 – Feb 5, 2023	2023 Bavarian Open	1	66.00	2	101.49	2	167.49
Feb 23–26, 2023	2023 International Challenge Cup	5	57.28	5	100.50	5	157.78
Feb 23–26, 2023	2023 Dutch Championships[a]	2	—	2	—	2	—
Mar 20–26, 2023	2023 World Championships	12	61.24	12	112.61	13	173.85

Results in the 2023–24 season ^[25]

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Sep 8–10, 2023	2023 CS Lombardia Trophy	8	53.58	6	106.89	6	160.47
Oct 13–15, 2023	2023 Budapest Trophy	3	61.66	4	107.73	3	169.39
Oct 27–29, 2023	2023 Skate Canada International	6	57.17	6	107.84	7	165.01
Nov 24–26, 2023	2023 NHK Trophy	6	58.61	5	118.93	5	177.54
Jan 8–14, 2024	2024 European Championships	10	53.95	8	113.37	8	167.32
Jan 30 – Feb 4, 2024	2024 Bavarian Open	1	61.35	1	115.90	1	177.25
Mar 18–24, 2024	2024 World Championships	17	59.07	12	113.17	14	172.24

Results in the 2024–25 season ^[25]

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Oct 12–13, 2024	2024 Tayside Trophy	4	52.69	5	94.55	4	147.24
Oct 25–27, 2024	2024 Skate Canada International	7	58.78	7	112.24	7	171.02
Nov 8–10, 2024	2024 NHK Trophy	6	58.90	5	119.47	5	178.37
Nov 20–24, 2024	2024 CS Warsaw Cup	6	54.21	4	111.80	5	166.01
Jan 28 – Feb 2, 2025	2025 European Championships	11	56.52	10	110.32	10	166.84
Feb 18–20, 2025	Road to 26 Trophy	5	52.22	5	100.30	6	152.52

Junior level

Results in the 2018–19 season ^[25]

Date	Event	SP		FS		Total
		P	Score	P	Score	P	Score
Dec 5–8, 2018	2018 Golden Spin of Zagreb	1	37.67	1	76.33	1	114.00
Feb 5–10, 2019	2019 Bavarian Open	12	36.74	10	73.18	10	109.92
Feb 21–24, 2019	2023 International Challenge Cup	1	43.33	1	74.44	1	117.77
Feb 21–24, 2019	2023 Dutch Championships (Junior)[a]	1	—	1	—	1	—

1. In the Netherlands, the International Challenge Cup also serves as the Dutch Championships.

References

1. Veltman, Anjuli (6 November 2018). "Nieuw avontuur voor Tsiba: 'Kan het niet zonder haar'" [New adventure for Tsiba: 'Can't do it without her']. Schaatsen.nl (in Dutch).
2. van der Eijk, Lisanne (1 December 2022). "Voor Michel Tsiba staat liefde voor kunstrijden los van oorlog". schaatsen.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 14 December 2022.
3. "Danilova kan na naturalisatie op Spelen uitkomen voor Nederland" [Danilova can compete for the Netherlands after naturalization]. RTL Nieuws (in Dutch). 2024-02-22. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
4. Danilova, Daria. "I AM DUTCH". Instagram. Instagram. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
5. "Daria DANILOVA / Michel TSIBA: 2020/2021". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021.
6. "Данилова Дарья" [Danilova Daria]. fskate.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 14 May 2019.
7. van Lakerveld, Erik (21 January 2020). "De schoonheid van rondvliegen boven het ijs" [The beauty of flying around above the ice] (in Dutch). de Volkskrant.
8. "Na 24 jaar weer een Nederlands paar bij EK kunstrijden: 'We praten Russisch'" [After 24 years, a Dutch couple again at the European Figure Skating Championships: 'We speak Russian'] (in Dutch). NOS. 21 January 2020.
9. Aalbers, Dave (27 February 2019). "Welkom in het leven van een Nederlands kunstschaatstalent" [Welcome to the life of a Dutch figure skating talent] (in Dutch). Vice.
10. "Na Wories ook duo Danilova/Tsiba zeker van WK kunstrijden" [After Wories duo Danilova / Tsiba also sure of World Figure Skating Championships] (in Dutch). AD. 24 February 2020.
11. "Daria Danilova/Michel Tsiba en Niki Wories naar WK Kunstrijden in Montréal (15 – 22 maart)" [Daria Danilova / Michel Tsiba and Niki Wories to World Figure Skating Championships in Montréal (15 – 22 March)]. KNSB. 24 February 2020.
12. "WK kunstrijden in Montreal geschrapt vanwege coronavirus" [World Figure Skating Championships in Montreal canceled due to coronavirus] (in Dutch). Dagblad van het Noorden. 11 March 2020.
13. "Nederlandse kunstschaatsers over afgelasting EK: 'Dit zat eraan te komen'" [Dutch figure skaters about the cancellation of the European Championship: 'this was coming']. Schaatsen.nl (in Dutch). 11 December 2020.
14. "ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2021 Results – Pairs". International Skating Union.
15. "Lombardia Trophy 2021". Federazione Italiana Sport del Ghiaccio.
16. "Daria DANILOVA / Michel TSIBA: Competition Results". International Skating Union.
17. Campigotto, Jesse (March 22, 2022). "Get ready for a bizarre figure skating world championships". CBC Sports.
18. de Schutter, Margriet (22 February 2023). "Challenge Cup & NK goede generale voor kunstrijparen". schaatsen.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 10 March 2023.
19. "Nederlandse duo's worden dertiende en twintigste in finale vrije" [Dutch duos finish thirteenth and twentieth in the free skate final]. Eurosport (in Dutch). March 23, 2023.
20. Slater, Paula (October 29, 2023). "Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps dominate pairs at Skate Canada". Golden Skate. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
21. Slater, Paula (November 25, 2023). "Hase and Volodin dominate pairs at NHK Trophy in debut season". Golden Skate. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
22. Slater, Paula (January 11, 2024). "Beccari and Guarise clinch unexpected gold at 2024 Europeans". Golden Skate. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
23. "Zandvoorters Daria Danilova en Michel Tsiba veertiende op WK, veertigjarige oudste wereldkampioen" [Zandvoort players Daria Danilova and Michel Tsiba fourteenth at the World Championships, forty-year-old oldest world champion]. Haarlems Dagblad (in Dutch). March 22, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
24. Slater, Paula (October 27, 2024). "Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps defend Skate Canada title". Golden Skate. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
25. "NED-Daria Danilova/Michel Tsiba". SkatingScores.
26. "Daria DANILOVA / Michel TSIBA: 2024/2025". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 1 October 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
27. "Daria DANILOVA / Michel TSIBA: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 10 September 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
28. "Daria DANILOVA / Michel TSIBA: 2022/2023". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
29. "Daria DANILOVA / Michel TSIBA: 2021/2022". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021.
30. "Daria DANILOVA / Michel TSIBA: 2019/2020". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 23 April 2020.
31. "Daria DANILOVA / Michel TSIBA: 2018/2019". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 9 August 2019.

External links

• Daria Danilova & Michel Tsiba at the International Skating Union
• Daria Danilova & Michel Tsiba at SkatingScores
• Official website