Nikolaj Memola

Nikolaj Memola
Nikolaj Memola at the 2025 Skate America
Personal information
Born (2003-11-18) 18 November 2003
Monza, Italy
Height1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Figure skating career
CountryItaly Italy
DisciplineMen's singles
CoachOlga Romanova
Skating clubFiammo Oro Moena
Began skating2008
Medal record
European Championships
Silver medal – second place2025 TallinnSingles
Italian Championships
Gold medal – first place2024 PineroloSingles
Silver medal – second place2023 BrunicoSingles
Silver medal – second place2025 VareseSingles
World Team Trophy
Bronze medal – third place2025 TokyoTeam
Junior Grand Prix Final
Gold medal – first place2022–23 TurinSingles

Nikolaj Memola (born 18 November 2003) is an Italian figure skater. He is the 2025 European silver medalist, the 2023 World University Games bronze medalist, a five-time ISU Challenger Series medalist, and the 2024 Italian national champion.

Memola is also the 2022–23 Junior Grand Prix Final champion, a two-time ISU Junior Grand Prix medalist (including gold at the 2022 JGP Latvia), and a top-ten finisher at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics and the 2022 and 2023 World Junior Figure Skating Championships.

Personal life

Memola was born on November 18, 2003, in Monza, Italy, to an Italian father and a Russian mother.[1][2] He also has an older sister, Anna.[3]

He is currently a student at the University of Milan.[4][1][5]

Career

Early years

Memola began learning to skate in 2008.[1] He is coached by his mother, Olga Romanova.[6]

He debuted in the ISU Junior Grand Prix (JGP) series in October 2018, placing nineteenth in Slovenia. Memola competed at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics in Lausanne, Switzerland, placing eighth.[7]

2021–22 season: Junior national title

Memola finished fourth at the 2021 JGP Austria in October 2021. He made his senior international debut later that month, placing fourth at Trophée Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur. In November, he finished ninth at the 2021 Warsaw Cup, his first appearance in the Challenger series. He stepped onto his first senior international podium in December, taking gold at the Santa Claus Cup in Hungary.[7]

Following the withdrawal of Matteo Rizzo, Italy selected Memola to skate at the 2022 European Championships in Tallinn, Estonia.[8] Competing in his first ISU Championship, he qualified for the final segment by placing twelfth in the short program and finished fifteenth overall.[7] He ended the season by making his debut appearance at the World Junior Championships, where he placed seventh.[9]

2022–23 season: Junior Grand Prix Final gold

Planning a second split season between junior and senior, Memola had two assignments on the Junior Grand Prix circuit, winning silver at his first assignment, the 2022 JGP Czech Republic.[10] The following week at the 2022 JGP Latvia in Riga, he won the gold medal. Memola's results qualified him for the 2022–23 Junior Grand Prix Final, which he stated he was particularly "happy" about as the event was being held in Italy that year. He said that he hoped to introduce a quad into the free skate in time.[11] Returning to the Challenger series, Memola won bronze medals at both the Lombardia and Budapest Trophies.[7]

Competing at the Junior Grand Prix Final on home ice in Turin, Memola finished second in the short program, saying afterward that it was "very important to me that I did such a good skate at home, in Italy, and on the Olympic ice."[12] He went on to win the free skate and the gold medal, albeit without attempting a quadruple jump as he had earlier hoped. This was the first Junior Grand Prix Final title for an Italian man and the first for Italy in any discipline since the ice dance team Faiella/Milo in the inaugural 1997–98 edition. Memola admitted afterward, "I started the season with the goal in mind coming here to Torino, but the first place was not my goal, and then the medal came, and I'm extremely happy."[13]

Shortly after the Junior Grand Prix Final, Memola attended his first senior national championships and won the silver medal. He finished first in the free skate at the event.[14] He was then assigned to compete at the 2023 Winter World University Games, where he won the bronze medal.[15]

In his final assignment of the season, Memola competed at the 2023 World Junior Championships. After stepping out of his jump combination in the short program, he finished sixth in that segment.[16] He placed fourth in the free skate and rose to fourth overall, 1.35 points back of bronze medalist Nozomu Yoshioka. Memola did not attempt any quadruple jumps during the free program, having found them insufficiently secure in practice that day and not wanting to risk it.[17]

2023–24 season: Senior national title

Memola during his short program at the 2025 World Championships

Over the summer, Memola trained at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club in Toronto, Ontario.[18] In his first competition, he finished eighth at the 2023 Autumn Classic International, before finishing sixth at the 2023 Finlandia Trophy.[7] He was invited to make his Grand Prix debut at the 2023 Grand Prix de France, where he came eleventh.[19] He improved to sixth place at the 2023 Grand Prix of Espoo. He expressed his appreciation for competing in such a men's field, saying "they show me what is humanly possible."[20]

Memola won the Italian national title for the first time.[7] He went on to place tenth at the 2024 European Championships.[21] He was then assigned to make his senior World Championship debut at the 2024 edition in Montreal, where he came ninth. Memola called it "amazing" to reach the top ten in his first appearance at the championships, and cited the importance of having done so to retain Italy's second entry in the men's event for the following year.[22]

2024–25 season: European silver

Memola performing his free skate at the 2025 World Championships

During the summer off-season, Memola sustained series injuries including two broken ligaments and a broken ankle. As a result, he was only able to begin jumping again in September.[23][24]

Memola began the season by competing at the 2024 Shanghai Trophy in early October, finishing fourth. He then competed on the 2024–25 ISU Challenger Series, winning silver at the 2024 Nepela Memorial. Going on to compete on the 2024–25 Grand Prix circuit, Memola finished tenth in the short program at the 2024 Grand Prix de France, but second in the free skate, climbing up to sixth place overall.[24] Three weeks later, he finished tenth at the 2024 Cup of China.[25]

In January, Memola competed at the 2025 European Championships. He was fifth after the short program; in the free skate, he landed two quadruple Lutz jumps and rose to second place to win the silver medal.[26][27] “I felt so much joy today out there on the ice,” he said after the free skate. “This was the best skate of my life—the first time I managed to land two quad Lutzes. Winning a medal at the European Championship, it’s a great achievement! I’m feeling so grateful to my mom, who found the right words for me today. It’s been a really difficult week, but right now, I feel incredible!”[27]

Memola performing his short program at 2025 Skate America

In March, at the 2025 World Championships in Boston, he finished 10th after a free skate that was clean except for an error on his second quadruple Lutz. His placement helped Italy win two quotas for the men's event at the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics.[28][29]

Selected to compete for Team Italy at the 2025 World Team Trophy, Memola placed tenth in the men's singles event and Team Italy won the bronze medal overall.[25][30][31]

2025–26 season

Memola opened the season by competing on the 2025–26 Challenger Series, winning bronze at the 2025 CS Lombardia Trophy and finishing eighth at the 2025 CS Nepela Memorial. He then went on to compete on the 2025–26 Grand Prix circuit, finishing sixth at 2025 Skate Canada International and seventh at 2025 Skate America.[25]

In late November, at an Italian domestic event, Memola took a hard fall on a quadruple Lutz attempt during his short program and stopped the performance due to feeling pain in his pelvis. As a result, he withdrew from the event and drove to an emergency room to have an X-ray performed on him. While awaiting his results, somebody broke into Memola's car and stole his luggage, which included his skates and short program costume.[32][33] He subsequently withdrew from the 2026 Italian Championships.[34] Despite this, he was named to the 2026 European Championship team.[35]

Programs

Season Short programFree skateExhibition Ref.
2018–19
  • Sarabande Suite By GlobusChoreo. by Andrea Gilardi
[36]
2019–20 [37]
2021–22 [1]
2022–23
  • Le Corsaire
[38]
2023–24 [39][40]
2024–25
  • Modigliani
[41][42][43]
2025–26
  • Prelude in C-sharp minor
  • Samson and Delilah
[44][45][46]

Competitive highlights

Competition placements at senior level [25]
Season 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 2025–26
World Championships9th 10th
European Championships15th 10th 2nd 11th
Italian Championships2nd 1st 2nd WD
World Team Trophy3rd (10th)
GPCup of China10th
GPFinland5th
GPFrance11th 6th
GPSkate America7th
GPSkate Canada6th
CSAutumn Classic8th
CSBudapest Trophy3rd 1st
CSFinlandia Trophy6th
CSLombardia Trophy3rd 3rd
CSNepela Memorial2nd 8th
CSWarsaw Cup9th
Merano Ice Trophy1st
Road to 26 Trophy 2nd
Santa Claus Cup1st
Shanghai Trophy4th
Trophée Métropole Nice4th
World University Games3rd
Competition placements at junior level [25]
Season 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23
Winter Youth Olympics8th
World Junior Championships7th 4th
Junior Grand Prix Final1st
Italian Championships4th 2nd 2nd 2nd 1st
JGPAustria4th
JGPCzech Republic2nd
JGPItaly16th
JGPLatvia18th 1st
JGPSlovenia19th
Crystal Skate of Romania1st
Cup of Tyrol3rd
Dragon Trophy4th
Egna Spring Trophy3rd 1st 1st
European Youth Olympic Festival11th
IceLab Cup 2nd
Merano Cup6th
Skate Celje3rd
Skate Victoria2nd
Sofia Trophy2nd

Detailed results

ISU personal best scores in the +5/-5 GOE System [25]
Segment Type Score Event
Total TSS265.372025 CS Lombardia Trophy
Short programTSS93.102024 World Championships
TES53.382024 World Championships
PCS40.262025 World Championships
Free skatingTSS177.692025 European Championships
TES98.962025 CS Lombardia Trophy
PCS80.392024 World Championships

Senior level

Results in the 2021–22 season[25]
Date Event SPFSTotal
PScore PScore PScore
Oct 20–24, 2021 France2021 Trophée Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur3 72.36 2 130.73 4 203.09
Nov 17–20, 2021 Poland2021 CS Warsaw Cup12 69.59 7 142.00 9 211.59
Dec 6–12, 2021 Hungary2021 Santa Claus Cup1 78.00 1 150.35 1 228.35
Jan 10–16, 2022 Estonia2022 European Championships12 73.98 14 132.55 15 206.53
Results in the 2022–23 season[25]
Date Event SPFSTotal
PScore PScore PScore
Sep 16–19, 2022 Italy2022 CS Lombardia Trophy4 81.68 3 148.84 3 230.52
Oct 13–16, 2022 Hungary2022 CS Budapest Trophy3 78.78 4 152.69 3 231.47
Dec 15–18, 2022 Italy2023 Italian Championships3 80.32 1 161.37 2 241.69
Jan 13–15, 2023 United States2023 Winter World University Games4 78.96 4 152.37 3 231.33
Results in the 2023–24 season[25]
Date Event SPFSTotal
PScore PScore PScore
Sep 14–17, 2023 Canada2023 CS Autumn Classic International8 70.27 7 129.11 8 199.38
Oct 4–8, 2023 Finland2023 CS Finlandia Trophy3 82.03 8 140.95 6 222.98
Oct 13–15, 2023 Hungary2023 CS Budapest Trophy1 88.99 2 161.38 1 250.37
Nov 3–5, 2023 France2023 Grand Prix de France12 70.92 9 143.71 11 214.63
Nov 17–19, 2023 Finland2023 Grand Prix of Espoo7 72.11 5 149.14 5 221.25
Dec 22–23, 2023 Italy2024 Italian Championships2 90.70 1 157.98 1 248.68
Jan 10–14, 2024 Lithuania2024 European Championships12 72.78 9 153.10 10 225.88
Feb 23-25, 2024 Italy2024 Merano Ice Trophy1 89.41 1 166.83 1 256.24
Mar 18–24, 2024 Canada2024 World Championships6 93.10 12 160.02 9 253.12
Results in the 2024–25 season[25]
Date Event SPFSTotal
PScore PScore PScore
Oct 3–5, 2024 China2024 Shanghai Trophy6 74.47 3 156.44 4 230.91
Oct 25–27, 2024 Slovakia2024 CS Nepela Memorial4 76.27 2 157.15 2 233.42
Nov 1–3, 2024 France2024 Grand Prix de France10 68.71 2 158.91 6 227.62
Nov 22–24, 2024 China2024 Cup of China10 68.87 10 145.90 10 214.77
Dec 19–21, 2024 Italy2025 Italian Championships3 86.32 1 178.22 2 264.54
Jan 28 – Feb 2, 2025 Estonia2025 European Championships5 84.92 2 177.69 2 262.61
Feb 18–20, 2025 Italy Road to 26 Trophy 1 89.10 2 165.11 2 254.21
Mar 25–30, 2025 United States2025 World Championships7 87.89 11 167.24 10 255.13
Apr 17–20, 2025 Japan2025 World Team Trophy11 69.20 8 158.17 3 (10) 227.37
Results in the 2025–26 season[25]
Date Event SPFSTotal
PScore PScore PScore
Sep 11–14, 2025 Italy2025 CS Lombardia Trophy4 88.15 3 177.22 3 265.37
Sep 25–27, 2025 Slovakia2025 CS Nepela Memorial5 79.63 8 140.42 8 220.05
Oct 31 – Nov 2, 2025 Canada2025 Skate Canada International6 86.45 7 151.75 6 238.20
Nov 14 – 16, 2025 United States2025 Skate America8 75.61 5 155.41 7 231.02

Junior level

Results in the 2017–18 season[25]
Date Event SPFSTotal
PScore PScore PScore
Oct 24–28, 2017 Romania2017 Crystal Skate1 31.06 1 76.55 1 107.61
Nov 15–19, 2017 Italy2017 Merano Cup7 40.01 6 78.76 6 118.77
Nov 22–26, 2017 Slovenia2017 Skate Celje2 48.33 4 77.08 3 125.41
Dec 13–16, 2017 Italy2018 Italian Championships (Junior)4 49.34 4 99.01 4 148.35
Feb 8–11, 2018 Slovenia2018 Dragon Trophy4 41.25 4 72.86 4 114.11
Apr 4–8, 2018 Italy2018 Egna Spring Trophy5 42.72 3 81.43 3 124.15
Results in the 2018–19 season[25]
Date Event SPFSTotal
PScore PScore PScore
Oct 3–6, 2018 Slovenia2018 JGP Slovenia18 41.71 20 69.20 19 110.91
Dec 13–16, 2018 Italy2019 Italian Championships (Junior)2 53.08 3 84.15 2 137.23
Feb 13–14, 2019 Bosnia and Herzegovina2019 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival11 46.73 10 90.98 11 137.71
Feb 26 – Mar 3, 2019 Austria2019 Cup of Tyrol3 51.93 3 93.75 3 145.68
Mar 28–31, 2019 Italy2019 Egna Spring Trophy1 54.30 2 96.70 1 151.00
Apr 9–14, 2019 Bulgaria2019 Skate Victoria2 59.69 2 109.99 2 169.68
Results in the 2019–20 season[25]
Date Event SPFSTotal
PScore PScore PScore
Sep 4–7, 2019 Latvia2019 JGP Latvia18 48.82 18 86.37 18 135.19
Oct 2–5, 2019 Italy2019 JGP Italy15 55.39 17 103.12 16 158.51
Nov 1–3, 2019 Italy2019 IceLab International Cup2 56.91 2 101.16 2 158.07
Dec 12–15, 2019 Italy2020 Italian Championships (Junior)2 64.23 2 94.58 2 158.81
Jan 10–15, 2020 Switzerland2020 Winter Youth Olympics7 62.18 8 114.37 8 176.55
Feb 12–18, 2020 Bulgaria2020 Sofia Trophy2 56.20 2 115.40 2 171.60
Results in the 2020–21 season[25]
Date Event SPFSTotal
PScore PScore PScore
Apr 9–11, 2021 Italy2021 Italian Championships (Junior)1 62.33 2 111.82 2 174.15
Apr 29 – May 2, 2021 Italy2021 Egna Spring Trophy1 68.23 2 113.87 1 182.10
Results in the 2021–22 season[25]
Date Event SPFSTotal
PScore PScore PScore
Oct 6–9, 2021 Austria2021 JGP Austria4 71.05 7 126.58 4 197.63
Feb 12–13, 2022 Italy2022 Italian Championships (Junior)1 78.75 1 140.96 1 219.71
Apr 13–17, 2022 Estonia2022 World Junior Championships10 71.42 6 141.52 7 212.94
Results in the 2022–23 season[25]
Date Event SPFSTotal
PScore PScore PScore
Aug 31 – Sep 3, 2022 Czech Republic2019 JGP Czech Republic4 71.56 2 142.55 2 214.11
Sep 7–10, 2022 Latvia2022 JGP Latvia1 83.04 1 142.72 1 225.76
Dec 8–11, 2022 Italy2022–23 Junior Grand Prix Final2 79.84 1 150.66 1 230.50
Feb 27 – Mar 5, 2023 Canada2023 World Junior Championships6 76.72 4 139.72 4 216.44

References

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  2. ^"Nikolaj Memola – 2022 Lombardia Trophy". YouTube. 18 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  3. ^Smirnova, Lena. "The Italian figure skating "brotherhood" behind Nikolaj Memola's push for Milano Cortina 2026". Olympics.com. Olympics.com. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
  4. ^"Nikolaj MEMOLA ITA SP 2023 FISU Winter University Games". YouTube. 13 January 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  5. ^"Nikolaj Memola – 2022 Lombardia Trophy". YouTube. 18 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  6. ^"Nikolaj Memola – 2022 Lombardia Trophy". YouTube. 18 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  7. ^ abcdef"Competition Results: Nikolaj MEMOLA". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022.
  8. ^"Figura Europei di Tallinn: Nikolaj Memola sostituisce Matteo Rizzo" [Nikolaj Memola replaces Matteo Rizzo] (in Italian). Federazione Italiana Sport del Ghiaccio. 9 January 2022. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022.
  9. ^Slater, Paula (16 April 2022). "USA's Ilia Malinin takes gold in Tallinn". Golden Skate.
  10. ^"Newcomers dominate at the ISU Junior Grand Prix in Ostrava (CZE)". International Skating Union. 5 September 2022. Archived from the original on 27 November 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  11. ^"Memola (ITA), Smith/Deng (USA) sealing spots in Junior Final with win at ISU JGP Riga". International Skating Union. 12 September 2022. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  12. ^"Lucas Broussard (USA) takes Short Program at Junior Grand Prix Final". International Skating Union. 8 December 2022.
  13. ^"Memola (ITA) delights home crowd with Italy's first Junior Final single skating gold medal". 10 December 2022. Archived from the original on 12 December 2022. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  14. ^Contino, Maurizio (31 December 2022). "'Saranno Campioni': Nikolaj Memola, l'atipico gigante del pattinaggio artistico dalla eleganza innata" ['They will be Champions': Nikolaj Memola, the atypical giant of figure skating with an innate elegance]. OA Sport (in Italian).
  15. ^"Figura, Nikolaj Memola medaglia di bronzo ai FISU Games! Settima Marina Piredda" [Figure skating, Nikolaj Memola wins the bronze medal at the FISU Games! Marina Piredda seventh.] (in Italian). Federazione Italiana Sport del Ghiaccio. 16 January 2023.
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  18. ^Memola, Nikolaj. "Toronto Cricket Club". Instagram. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
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  24. ^ abSlater, Paula (2 November 2024). "Adam Siao Him Fa rebounds in France for third consecutive title". Golden Skate.
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  27. ^ abSlater, Paula (1 February 2025). "Lukas Britschgi soars to European title". Golden Skate.
  28. ^Testa, Fabrizio (30 March 2025). "Pattinaggio artistico: Ilia Malinin trionfa ai Mondiali, l'Italia conquista due pass per Milano Cortina 2026" [Figure Skating: Ilia Malinin triumphs at the World Championships, Italy wins two quotas for Milan Cortina 2026]. OA Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  29. ^Slater, Paula (30 March 2025). "USA's Ilia Malinin defends World title in Boston". Golden Skate.
  30. ^Slater, Paula (17 April 2025). "Team USA leads at 2025 World Team Trophy". Golden Skate.
  31. ^Slater, Paula (18 April 2025). "Team USA maintains lead at 2025 World Team Trophy". Golden Skate.
  32. ^Wong, Jackie. "Nikolaj Memola took a hard fall in the short on his 4Lz and decided to withdraw to not further risk injury; he went to the ER to get his pelvis checked out and then someone broke into his car and stole his skates and SP costume 😭". X. X. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
  33. ^"Nikolaj Memola's skates and competition costume were stolen from his car while he was receiving medical care after a hard fall". FS Gossips. FS Gossips. Retrieved 4 December 2025.
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  35. ^"🇮🇹 Italy's assignments for #EuroFigure". Bluesky. 28 December 2024. Archived from the original on 28 December 2024. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
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  38. ^"Nikolaj MEMOLA: 2022/2023". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 8 December 2022.
  39. ^"Nikolaj MEMOLA: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 20 September 2023.
  40. ^"2023-24 Programs". Instagram. 24 May 2023.
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  42. ^"Nikolaj MEMOLA: 2024/2025 (2nd FS)". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 30 April 2025.
  43. ^Memola, Nikolaj. "2024/25 Programs". Instagram. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
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  46. ^Memola, Nikolaj. "Programs done!". Instagram. Instagram. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
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