Promoting young talent in Swiss figure skating has been an important component of Art on Ice for many years. As part of the young talents programme, budding athletes get the chance to share the ice with international figure skating stars and prominent musical acts and perform in front of thousands of spectators. How much potential lies in the next generation of Swiss figure skaters is presently best demonstrated by three talents who have already delighted Art on Ice audiences: Ean Weiler, Leandra Tzimpoukakis and Elisabeth Dibbern. All three held their own against strong international competition at this year’s Junior Grand Prix, making the podium to boot.
Ean Weiler kicked off his season with a bronze medal at the JGP in Riga. Just weeks later, the 19-year-old achieved an even better result: he won gold in Batumi, Georgia – the first Swiss man to do so since Jamal Othman 22 years ago. “I never imagined I would achieve these successes. It’s given me so much motivation and also more self-confidence”, says Weiler. With his two medals, he has qualified for the Junior Grand Prix Final in China in mid-December, in which only the six best juniors in the world will compete. “I’m looking forward to it and training hard.”
Elisabeth Dibbern has been part of the Art on Ice show twice – in 2025 and 2026. She, too, has made the jump to the international junior podium in the meantime. Last year in Riga, she made the JGP podium for the first time. This year, the 15-year-old followed up that performance by clinching bronze in Gdansk. She once again improved on her personal best in the process, receiving 189.11 points. “For me, there were two main highlights. The first one was when I saw my score in the kiss and cry and realised that I’d won a medal”, explains Elisabeth. “And the other one was when I was receiving so many congratulations, messages and well wishes and I had the sense that so many people were celebrating with me.”
Among those sending their congratulations was training partner Leandra Tzimpoukakis. She is the current elite Swiss champion and only just missed out on the podium on multiple occasions during the Junior Grand Prix Series. And then, in Ljubljana, it all came together. Sitting in fifth place after the short programme, she was resurgent in the free skating programme. “I just really wanted to do a great free skate and wasn’t expecting to get a medal at all. The fact that I managed to do it anyway is a big dream come true”, says Tzimpoukakis. The 17-year-old is already looking ahead and has her next goals in her sights: “I actually wanted to get a higher score. At the moment I’m working hard on my triple axel, skating skills and pirouettes for the remaining competitions in the season.”
These successes are a particular source of joy for Art on Ice: they demonstrate how up-and-coming talent can find their way onto the international stage – and hopefully return to Art on Ice one day as stars.
We would like to send our heartfelt congratulations to Leandra, Ean and Elisabeth on their brilliant accomplishments. We look forward to following their next steps and being a part of their journeys.
Art on Ice kehrt auch nächstes Jahr zurück nach Zürich, Fribourg und Davos. Vom 4. bis 13. Februar 2027 sorgen wir erneut für eines der spektakulärsten Live-Erlebnisse der Schweiz und sogen für Gänsehaut. Freue dich auf eine Show voller Emotionen, atemberaubender Momente und einzigartiger Live-Magie.
Sarah van Berkel, formerly Meier, became European figure skating champion in 2011, is now a journalist and is responsible for athlete management and the “young talents” project at Art on Ice. The 41-year-old is a “Gfrörli”, she loves coffee and is addicted to nuts.
