# Ruben Blommaert

Ruben Blommaert (born 5 March 1992) is a retired Belgian-born German pair skater. With his skating partner, Alisa Efimova, he is the 2022 Grand Prix of Espoo silver medalist.
He also holds Belgian citizenship and competed for Belgium in single skating until 2010. Blommaert began representing Germany after teaming up with Annabelle Prölß to compete in pairs. They won the 2013 Cup of Nice and the 2013 German national title. He and his next partner, Mari Vartmann, won four ISU Challenger Series medals and the 2015 Cup of Nice. With Annika Hocke, Blommaert won silver medals at the 2017 CS Minsk-Arena Ice Star and 2017 International Cup of Nice and competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics. He competed for one season with Elena Pavlova.

## Personal life

Ruben Blommaert was born on 5 March 1992 in Bruges, Belgium. He became a German citizen on 1 July 2014 while retaining his Belgian citizenship. He has a twin brother, Sander, who dances with the Royal Ballet in London.

## Career

Blommaert began learning to skate in 1998. He competed for Belgium in single skating until 2010, appearing at the European Championships (finishing twenty-fifth in 2008 and 2009) and the Junior World Championships (finishing thirty-eighth in 2008 and twenty-eighth in 2009).

### Partnership with Prölß

Blommaert teamed up with Annabelle Prölß in October 2011. They won the junior pairs title at the 2012 German Junior Championships.
In 2012–13, Prölß/Blommaert made their Junior Grand Prix debut in Lake Placid, finishing 6th, and then placed 4th in Germany. They won gold medals in the junior events at the 2013 Ice Challenge and 2013 Bavarian Open. Prölß/Blommaert won gold in their senior national debut at the 2013 German Championships. They finished 7th at the 2013 World Junior Championships.
In 2013–14, Prölß/Blommaert debuted on the senior international level. After finishing 4th at their first two events, they took gold at the International Cup of Nice. They received their first senior Grand Prix assignment, the 2013 Trophée Éric Bompard, after France's Daria Popova / Bruno Massot withdrew, finishing seveneth. They then closed their season with a silver medal at the 2014 International Challenge Cup.
In 2014–15, Prölß/Blommaert placed seventh at 2014 Skate America and sixth at the 2014 Rostelecom Cup. The pair soon parted ways after that.

### Partnership with Vartmann

In the 2015–16 season, Blommaert started skating with Mari Vartmann. They won the 2015 Cup of Nice. At the 2016 Europeans, they placed 4th in the short program, 8th in the free program and 8th overall.
Vartmann and Blommaert started the 2016–17 season on the Challenger Series, winning bronze at both Nebelhorn Trophy and Finlandia Trophy. On 10 January 2017, the Deutsche Eislauf-Union announced that the two had parted ways.

### Partnership with Hocke

Blommaert and Annika Hocke announced their partnership on 9 February 2017. They competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, as well as at the 2018 and 2019 World Championships, before dissolving their partnership.

### Partnership with Pavlova

Blommaert announced in July 2019 that he had formed a new partnership with Russian pair skater Elena Pavlova. Due to Pavlova's visa issues, they indicated they would initially have to split time training between Russia and Germany. The pair split after one season.

### Partnership with Efimova

Blommaert formed a new partnership with Alisa Efimova, who had previously competed with Alexander Korovin for Russia. They placed 2nd at the 2022 German Championships but were not allowed compete internationally until Efimova had been released by the Russian federation. They had their international debut at the 2022 Nebelhorn Trophy, where they placed second.
Competing on the Grand Prix series, Efimova/Bloomaert competed at 2022 Skate Canada International, however, after a hard fall on a throw in the short program, Efimova bruised her thigh and the pair withdrew from the event before the free skate. Going on to compete at the 2022 Grand Prix of Espoo, Efimova/Bloomaert won the silver medal behind Rebecca Ghilardi / Filippo Ambrosini of Italy. At the 2022 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb, Efimova/Bloomaert finished fifth.
The pair didn't compete at the 2023 German Championships due to Bloomaert coming down with a high fever a couple of days before the event.
Regardless, they were still selected to compete at the 2023 European Championships in Espoo, Finland, Efimova/Bloomaert placed third in the short program but fifth in the free skate and dropped to fifth place overall.
Going on to compete at the 2023 World Championships in Saitama, Japan, Efimova/Bloomaert placed seventh in the short program and tenth in the free skate, finishing in tenth place overall.
Bloomaert retired from competitive figure skating following the season, citing a lack of funding from the German Skating Union as one of the main reasons.

## Programs
### Pair skating with Alisa Efimova (for Germany)

| Season | Short program | Free skating | Exhibition |
| 2022–23 | Piano Sonata No. 14 by Ludwig van Beethoven performed by Arthur Rubenstein Moonlight Sonata (Epic Trailer Version) performed by Hidden Citizen choreo. by Benjamin Steffan, Rostislav Sinicyn | Private Investigations by Dire Straits & Mark Knopfler Sold My Soul by Two Wooden Stones choreo. by Benjamin Steffan, Rostislav Sinicyn | The Danger Zone by Ray Charles Hit the Road Jack by Ray Charles performed by The Overtones ft. Beverley Knight |

### Pair skating with Elena Pavlova (for Germany)

| Season | Short program | Free skating |
| 2019–20 | Bloodstream by Tokio Myers | Unsteady by X Ambassadors |

### Pair skating with Annika Hocke (for Germany)

| Season | Short program | Free skating |
| 2018–19 | Malagueña by Ernesto Lecuona performed by Stanley Black & His Orchestra | Land of All by Woodkid |
| 2017–18 | Big Spender Cy Coleman, Dorothy Fields | Romeo & Juliet by Abel Korzeniowski |

### Pair skating with Mari Vartmann (for Germany)

| Season | Short program | Free skating | Exhibition |
| 2016–17 | They Don't Care About Us by Michael Jackson | Second Law by Muse | I Put a Spell on You by Nina Simone |
| 2015–16 | Stranger in Paradise (based on Polovtsian Dances by Alexander Borodin) performed by Sarah Brightman choreo. by Mark Pillay | West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein choreo. by Mark Pillay | I Put a Spell on You by Nina Simone |

### Pair skating with Annabelle Prölß (for Germany)

| Season | Short program | Free skating | Exhibition |
| 2014–2015 | O mio babbino caro (from Gianni Schicchi) by Giacomo Puccini choreo. by Rostislav Sinicyn | The Artist by Ludovic Bource choreo. by Lori Nichol | |
| 2013–2014 | O mio babbino caro (from Gianni Schicchi) by Giacomo Puccini choreo. by Rostislav Sinicyn | Pirates of the Caribbean by Hans Zimmer, Klaus Badelt | Maria (from West Side Story) by Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim |
| 2012–2013 | Italian Fantasia performed by Orchestra Mantovani | Robin Hood by Marc Streitenfeld | |

### Single skating (for Belgium)

| Season | Short program | Free skating |
| 2009–2010 | Bolero (from Moulin Rouge!) | Henry V by Patrick Doyle |
| 2008–2009 | Reel Around the Sun (from Riverdance) by Bill Whelan | Blood Diamond by James Newton Howard |
| 2007–2008 | Moonlight Sonata by Ludwig van Beethoven (modern arrangement) | Soundtracks by Ennio Morricone |
| 2006–2007 | Fire by Buddha Bar | Guerilleros by Maxime Rodriguez |

## Competitive highlights

* GP – Event of the ISU Grand Prix Series
* JGP – Event of the ISU Junior Grand Prix Series
* CS – Event of the ISU Challenger Series
* WD – Withdrew from competition

### Pair skating with Alisa Efimova (for Germany)

Competition placements at senior level :
| Season | 2021–22 | 2022–23 |
| World Championships | | 10th |
| European Championships | | 4th |
| German Championships | 2nd | |
| GP Finland | | 2nd |
| GP Skate Canada | | WD |
| CS Finlandia Trophy | | 2nd |
| CS Golden Spin of Zagreb | | 5th |
| CS Nebelhorn Trophy | | 2nd |

### Pair skating with Elena Pavlova (for Germany)

Competition placements at senior level :
| Season | 2019–20 |
| CS Golden Spin of Zagreb | 10th |
| CS Warsaw Cup | 5th |
| Volvo Open Cup | 4th |

### Pair skating with Annika Hocke (for Germany)

Competition placements at senior level :
| Season | 2017–18 | 2018–19 |
| Winter Olympics | 16th | |
| World Championships | 13th | 14th |
| European Championships | 8th | |
| German Championships | 3rd | 2nd |
| GP Skate America | | 7th |
| CS Golden Spin of Zagreb | | 6th |
| CS Ice Star | 2nd | |
| CS Nebelhorn Trophy | 5th | |
| CS Warsaw Cup | 4th | |
| Bavarian Open | | 2nd |
| Challenge Cup | | 3rd |
| Cup of Nice | 2nd | |

### Pair skating with Mari Vartmann (for Germany)

Competition placements at senior level :
| Season | 2015–16 | 2016–17 |
| European Championships | 8th | |
| German Championships | 2nd | 1st |
| GP Cup of China | 6th | 7th |
| GP NHK Trophy | | 5th |
| CS Finlandia Trophy | | 3rd |
| CS Ice Challenge | 2nd | |
| CS Nebelhorn Trophy | 4th | 3rd |
| CS Tallinn Trophy | 2nd | |
| Cup of Nice | 1st | |

### Pair skating with Annabelle Prölß (for Germany)

Competition placements at senior level :
| Season | 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 |
| German Championships | 1st | | |
| GP Rostelecom Cup | | | 6th |
| GP Skate America | | | 7th |
| GP Trophée Éric Bompard | | 7th | |
| Challenge Cup | | 2nd | |
| Cup of Nice | | 1st | |
| Lombardia Trophy | | 4th | |
| Nebelhorn Trophy | | 4th | |
Competition placements at junior level :
| Season | 2011–12 | 2012–13 |
| World Junior Championships | | 7th |
| German Championships | 1st | |
| JGP Germany | | 4th |
| JGP United States | | 6th |
| Bavarian Open | | 1st |
| Ice Challenge | | 1st |
| NRW Trophy | | 1st |
| Warsaw Cup | | 2nd |

### Single skating (for Belgium)

Competition placements at senior level :
| Season | 2007–08 | 2008–09 | 2009–10 |
| European Championships | 25th | 25th | |
| Belgian Championships | | | 2nd |
| Challenge Cup | | WD | |
| Merano Cup | | | 19th |
| Triglav Trophy | | | 12th |
Competition placements at junior level :
| Season | 2006–07 | 2007–08 | 2008–09 | 2009–10 |
| World Junior Championships | | 38th | 28th | |
| Belgian Championships | 1st | 1st | 2nd | |
| JGP Bulgaria | | 17th | | |
| JGP Great Britain | | 17th | 10th | |
| JGP Italy | | | 11th | |
| JGP Netherlands | 24th | | | |
| JGP United States | | | | 16th |
| Challenge Cup | | 10th | | |
| European Youth Olympic Festival | 13th | | | |
| Warsaw Cup | | | 2nd | |

## Detailed results
### Pair skating with Alisa Efimova (for Germany)

2022–2023 season :
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 22–26, 2023 | 2023 World Championships | 7 65.23 | 10 119.23 | 10 184.46 |
| January 25–29, 2023 | 2023 European Championships | 3 62.77 | 5 110.89 | 4 173.66 |
| November 25–27, 2022 | 2022 Grand Prix of Espoo | 4 62.46 | 2 108.29 | 2 170.75 |
| October 28–30, 2022 | 2022 Skate Canada International | 7 51.49 | WD | WD |
| October 4–9, 2022 | 2022 CS Finlandia Trophy | 2 62.54 | 2 114.57 | 2 177.11 |
| September 21–24, 2022 | 2022 CS Nebelhorn Trophy | 3 67.05 | 2 119.12 | 2 186.17 |
| 2021–2022 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| December 9–11, 2021 | 2022 German Championships | 2 66.20 | 2 118.03 | 2 184.23 |

### Pair skating with Elena Pavlova (for Germany)

2019–2020 season :
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| December 4–7, 2019 | 2019 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb | 5 59.40 | 12 92.41 | 10 151.81 |
| November 14–17, 2019 | 2019 CS Warsaw Cup | 11 51.38 | 5 104.59 | 5 155.97 |
| November 5–10, 2019 | 2019 Volvo Open Cup | 3 54.19 | 5 91.70 | 4 145.89 |

### Pair skating with Annika Hocke (for Germany)

2018–19 season :
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 18–24, 2019 | 2019 World Championships | 16 53.16 | 13 113.20 | 14 166.36 |
| February 21–24, 2019 | 2019 International Challenge Cup | 3 58.67 | 3 108.46 | 3 167.13 |
| February 5–10, 2019 | 2019 Bavarian Open | 2 55.34 | 1 108.92 | 2 164.26 |
| December 21–23, 2018 | 2019 German Championships | 2 57.03 | 2 112.34 | 2 169.37 |
| December 5–8, 2018 | 2018 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb | 6 59.34 | 6 101.13 | 6 160.47 |
| October 19–21, 2018 | 2018 Skate America | 6 53.36 | 7 91.17 | 7 144.53 |
| 2017–18 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 19–25, 2018 | 2018 World Championships | 16 63.26 | 13 121.57 | 13 184.83 |
| February 14–15, 2018 | 2018 Winter Olympics | 16 63.04 | 16 108.94 | 16 171.98 |
| January 15–21, 2018 | 2018 European Championships | 9 57.05 | 8 113.16 | 8 170.21 |
| December 14–16, 2017 | 2018 German Championships | 3 57.19 | 3 107.47 | 3 164.66 |
| November 16–19, 2017 | 2017 CS Warsaw Cup | 3 58.84 | 4 103.11 | 4 161.95 |
| October 26–29, 2017 | 2017 CS Ice Star | 2 59.58 | 2 113.06 | 2 172.64 |
| October 11–15, 2017 | 2017 International Cup of Nice | 2 55.86 | 2 116.84 | 2 172.70 |
| September 27–30, 2017 | 2017 CS Nebelhorn Trophy | 8 56.76 | 4 123.61 | 5 180.37 |

### Pair skating with Mari Vartmann (for Germany)

2016–17 season :
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| December 15–17, 2016 | 2017 German Championships | 1 61.22 | 1 119.68 | 1 180.90 |
| November 25–27, 2016 | 2016 NHK Trophy | 4 61.23 | 6 109.47 | 5 170.70 |
| November 18–20, 2016 | 2016 Cup of China | 7 60.88 | 5 113.00 | 7 173.88 |
| October 6–10, 2016 | 2016 CS Finlandia Trophy | 3 56.58 | 3 108.33 | 3 164.91 |
| September 22–24, 2016 | 2016 CS Nebelhorn Trophy | 3 57.74 | 3 104.64 | 3 162.38 |
| 2015–16 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| January 25–31, 2016 | 2016 European Championships | 4 62.90 | 8 108.40 | 8 171.30 |
| December 11–13, 2015 | 2016 German Championships | 2 67.09 | 2 112.01 | 2 179.10 |
| November 18–22, 2015 | 2015 CS Tallinn Trophy | 2 61.62 | 2 115.75 | 2 177.04 |
| November 6–8, 2015 | 2015 Cup of China | 5 63.45 | 7 107.96 | 6 171.41 |
| October 27–31, 2015 | 2015 CS Ice Challenge | 3 56.38 | 2 99.24 | 2 155.62 |
| October 14–18, 2015 | 2015 International Cup of Nice | 1 59.42 | 1 105.98 | 1 165.40 |
| September 24–26, 2015 | 2015 CS Nebelhorn Trophy | 2 61.10 | 4 105.40 | 4 166.50 |

### Pair skating with Annabelle Prölß (for Germany)

2014–2015 season :
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| November 14–16, 2014 | 2014 Rostelecom Cup | Senior | 6 48.69 | 6 96.47 | 6 145.16 |
| October 24–26, 2014 | 2014 Skate America | Senior | 7 48.87 | 8 87.48 | 7 136.35 |
| 2013–2014 season ||||||
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| March 6–9, 2014 | 2014 International Challenge Cup | Senior | 3 49.21 | 2 90.83 | 2 140.04 |
| November 15–17, 2013 | 2013 Trophée Éric Bompard | Senior | 7 54.18 | 7 103.44 | 7 157.62 |
| October 23–27, 2013 | 2013 International Cup of Nice | Senior | 2 57.44 | 3 102.81 | 1 160.25 |
| September 26–28, 2013 | 2013 Nebelhorn Trophy | Senior | 5 55.24 | 4 103.14 | 4 158.38 |
| September 19–22, 2013 | 2013 Lombardia Trophy | Senior | 2 57.88 | 4 98.14 | 4 156.02 |
| 2012–2013 season ||||||
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| February 27–March 3, 2013 | 2013 World Junior Championships | Junior | 6 49.95 | 4 97.88 | 7 147.83 |
| February 6–11, 2013 | 2013 Bavarian Open | Junior | 1 50.25 | 1 99.35 | 1 149.60 |
| December 21–22, 2012 | 2013 German Championships | Senior | 1 50.60 | 2 97.02 | 1 147.62 |
| December 4–9, 2012 | 2012 NRW Trophy | Junior | 1 46.36 | 1 94.27 | 1 140.63 |
| November 15–18, 2012 | 2013 Warsaw Cup | Junior | 2 48.68 | 2 88.17 | 2 136.85 |
| November 6–11, 2012 | 2012 Ice Challenge | Junior | 1 40.83 | 1 80.52 | 1 121.35 |
| October 10–13, 2012 | 2012 JGP Germany | Junior | 2 47.84 | 5 85.64 | 4 133.48 |
| August 30–September 1, 2012 | 2012 JGP USA | Junior | 7 40.53 | 6 81.92 | 6 122.45 |
| 2011–2012 season ||||||
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| January 6–7, 2012 | 2012 German Championships | Junior | 1 - | 1 - | 1 118.01 |