Golden Spin of Zagreb
The Golden Spin of Zagreb is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union, organized and hosted by the Croatian Skating Federation at the Klizalište Velesajem in Zagreb, Croatia. The competition debuted in 1967 when Zagreb was part of Yugoslavia. It was suspended in 1991 owing to the Croatian War of Independence, but continued as a Croatian event beginning in 1992. When the ISU launched the Challenger Series in 2014, the Golden Spin of Zagreb was one of the inaugural competitions. It has been a Challenger Series event ever since, except for 2020, when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Medals are awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance; and when the event is part of the Challenger Series, skaters earn World Standing points based on their results.
History
The first installment of the Golden Spin of Zagreb – originally called the Zagreb International Figure Skating Championship – was held in 1967 in Zagreb, in what was at the time Yugoslavia. The breakup of Yugoslavia began with the secession of Slovenia and Croatia in June 1991; the Yugoslav Wars began immediately thereafter. No competition was held in 1991 owing to the Croatian War of Independence. Despite some hesitation, the Croatian government was adamant that the Golden Spin of Zagreb be held in 1992, even while Croatia experienced intermittent combat with Yugoslavia. In addition to its jubilee status as the event's 25th anniversary, 1992 also marked the 750th anniversary of the establishment of Zagreb as a free royal city. Organizers hoped the competition would help dispel international perceptions of potential danger in Croatia. While some nations declined to send athletes to Zagreb, the competition was held in 1992, and every year thereafter until the war ended in 1995. In 2001, the Golden Spin of Zagreb served as the qualifying competition for the 2002 Winter Olympics.The Challenger Series was introduced in 2014. It is a series of international figure skating competitions sanctioned by the International Skating Union and organized by ISU member nations. Its objective is to ensure consistent organization and structure within a series of international competitions linked together, providing opportunities for senior-level skaters to compete at the international level and also earn ISU World Standing points. The Golden Spin of Zagreb was one of the inaugural competitions. In February 2016, the ISU declared that the Nebelhorn Trophy, the Finlandia Trophy, the Ondrej Nepela Trophy, and the Golden Spin of Zagreb would constitute a "core group" of Challenger Series events in recognition of their long-standing tradition. It has been a Challenger Series event every year since the series' inception, except for 2020, when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.