# Nikolaj Memola

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 two-time bronze medalist in the ISU Challenger Series (at the 2022 Budapest Trophy and the 2022 Lombardia Trophy), 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.
He is a student at the University of Milan and is able to speak English fluently.

## Career
### Early years

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

### 2021–22 season

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

### 2022–23 season

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. 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. Returning to the Challenger series, Memola won bronze medals at both the Lombardia and Budapest Trophies.
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." 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."
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. He was then assigned to compete at the 2023 Winter World University Games, where he won the bronze medal.
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. 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.

### 2023–24 season

Over the summer, Memola trained at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club in Toronto, Ontario. In his first competition, he finished eighth at the 2023 Autumn Classic International, before finishing sixth at the 2023 Finlandia Trophy. He was invited to make his Grand Prix debut at the 2023 Grand Prix de France, where he came eleventh. 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."
Memola won the Italian national title for the first time. He went on to place tenth at the 2024 European Championships. 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.

### 2024–25 season

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.
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. Three weeks later, he finished tenth at the 2024 Cup of China.
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.

## Programs

| Season | Short program | Free skate | Exhibition |
| 2018–19 | Sarabande Suite By Globus Choreo. by Andrea Gilardi | Tango Amore By Edvin Marton Choreo. by Andrea Gilardi | |
| 2019–20 | Fly By Ludovico Einaudi Experience By Ludovico Einaudi Choreo. by Andrea Gilardi | Angels & Demons By Hans Zimmer Choreo. by Andrea Gilardi | |
| 2020–21 | | | |
| 2021–22 | Le Corsaire By Adolphe Adam Choreo. by Corrado Giordani | Modigliani By Guy Farley Le di a la caza alcance By Estrella Morente Memorial Requiem By Michael Nyman Choreo. by Corrado Giordani | |
| 2022–23 | Prelude in C-sharp minor By Sergei Rachmaninov Choreo. by Corrado Giordani & Nikolaj Memola | Samson and Delilah By Camille Saint-Saëns "I Belong To You" By Muse Choreo. by Corrado Giordani & Nikolaj Memola | Le Corsaire Frida Alcoba Azul By Lila Downs Burn It Blue By Caetano Veloso & Lila Downs |
| 2023–24 | Prelude in C-sharp minor By Sergei Rachmaninov Choreo. by Corrado Giordani & Nikolaj Memola | Samson and Delilah By Camille Saint-Saëns "I Belong To You" By Muse Choreo. by Corrado Giordani & Nikolaj Memola | Le Corsaire Frida Alcoba Azul By Lila Downs Burn It Blue By Caetano Veloso & Lila Downs |
| 2024–25 | Nyah (from Mission: Impossible 2) By Hans Zimmer Choreo. by Barbara Fusar-Poli | Mon Dieu By Édith Piaf Performed by Patricia Kaas Song for the Little Sparrow By Abel Korzeniowski Performed by Patricia Kaas Choreo. by Corrado Giordani Modigliani By Guy Farley Le di a la caza alcance By Estrella Morente Memorial Requiem By Michael Nyman Choreo. by Corrado Giordani | Adiós Nonino Invierno Porteño By Ástor Piazzolla Exogenesis: Symphony Part 3: Redemption by Muse |

## 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
Competition placements at senior level :
| Season | 2021–22 | 2022–23 | 2023–24 | 2024–25 |
| World Championships | | | 9th | TBD |
| European Championships | 15th | | 10th | 2nd |
| Italian Championships | | 2nd | 1st | 2nd |
| GP Cup of China | | | | 10th |
| GP Finland | | | 5th | |
| GP France | | | 11th | 6th |
| CS Autumn Classic | | | 8th | |
| CS Budapest Trophy | | 3rd | 1st | |
| CS Finlandia Trophy | | | 6th | |
| CS Lombardia Trophy | | 3rd | | |
| CS Nepela Memorial | | | | 2nd |
| CS Warsaw Cup | 9th | | | |
| Merano Ice Trophy | | | 1st | |
| Road to 26 Trophy | | | | 2nd |
| Santa Claus Cup | 1st | | | |
| Shanghai Trophy | | | | 4th |
| Trophée Métropole Nice | 4th | | | |
| World University Games | | 3rd | | |
Competition placements at junior level :
| Season | 2017–18 | 2018–19 | 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 |
| Winter Youth Olympics | | | 8th | | | |
| World Junior Championships | | | | | 7th | 4th |
| Junior Grand Prix Final | | | | | | 1st |
| Italian Championships | 4th | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | |
| JGP Austria | | | | | 4th | |
| JGP Czech Republic | | | | | | 2nd |
| JGP Italy | | | 16th | | | |
| JGP Latvia | | | 18th | | | 1st |
| JGP Slovenia | | 19th | | | | |
| Crystal Skate of Romania | 1st | | | | | |
| Cup of Tyrol | | 3rd | | | | |
| Dragon Trophy | 4th | | | | | |
| Egna Spring Trophy | 3rd | 1st | | 1st | | |
| European Youth Olympic Festival | | 11th | | | | |
| IceLab Cup | | | 2nd | | | |
| Merano Cup | 6th | | | | | |
| Skate Celje | 3rd | | | | | |
| Skate Victoria | | 2nd | | | | |
| Sofia Trophy | | | 2nd | | | |

## Detailed results

ISU personal best scores in the +5/-5 GOE System :
| Segment | Type | Score | Event |
| Total | TSS | 253.12 | 2024 World Championships |
| Short program | TSS | 93.10 | 2024 World Championships |
| Short program | TES | 53.38 | 2024 World Championships |
| Short program | PCS | 39.72 | 2024 World Championships |
| Free skating | TSS | 161.38 | 2023 CS Budapest Trophy |
| Free skating | TES | 84.62 | 2023 CS Budapest Trophy |
| Free skating | PCS | 80.39 | 2024 World Championships |

### Senior level

Results in the 2021–22 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Oct 20–24, 2021 | 2021 Trophée Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur | 3 | 72.36 | 2 | 130.73 | 4 | 203.09 |
| Nov 17–20, 2021 | 2021 CS Warsaw Cup | 12 | 69.59 | 7 | 142.00 | 9 | 211.59 |
| Dec 6–12, 2021 | 2021 Santa Claus Cup | 1 | 78.00 | 1 | 150.35 | 1 | 228.35 |
| Jan 10–16, 2022 | 2022 European Championships | 12 | 73.98 | 14 | 132.55 | 15 | 206.53 |
Results in the 2022–23 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Sep 16–19, 2022 | 2022 CS Lombardia Trophy | 4 | 81.68 | 3 | 148.84 | 3 | 230.52 |
| Oct 13–16, 2022 | 2022 CS Budapest Trophy | 3 | 78.78 | 4 | 152.69 | 3 | 231.47 |
| Dec 15–18, 2022 | 2023 Italian Championships | 3 | 80.32 | 1 | 161.37 | 2 | 241.69 |
| Jan 13–15, 2023 | 2023 Winter World University Games | 4 | 78.96 | 4 | 152.37 | 3 | 231.33 |
Results in the 2023–24 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Sep 14–17, 2023 | 2023 CS Autumn Classic International | 8 | 70.27 | 7 | 129.11 | 8 | 199.38 |
| Oct 4–8, 2023 | 2023 CS Finlandia Trophy | 3 | 82.03 | 8 | 140.95 | 6 | 222.98 |
| Oct 13–15, 2023 | 2023 CS Budapest Trophy | 1 | 88.99 | 2 | 161.38 | 1 | 250.37 |
| Nov 3–5, 2023 | 2023 Grand Prix de France | 12 | 70.92 | 9 | 143.71 | 11 | 214.63 |
| Nov 17–19, 2023 | 2023 Grand Prix of Espoo | 7 | 72.11 | 5 | 149.14 | 5 | 221.25 |
| Dec 22–23, 2023 | 2024 Italian Championships | 2 | 90.70 | 1 | 157.98 | 1 | 248.68 |
| Jan 10–14, 2024 | 2024 European Championships | 12 | 72.78 | 9 | 153.10 | 10 | 225.88 |
| Feb 23-25, 2024 | 2024 Merano Ice Trophy | 1 | 89.41 | 1 | 166.83 | 1 | 256.24 |
| Mar 18–24, 2024 | 2024 World Championships | 6 | 93.10 | 12 | 160.02 | 9 | 253.12 |
Results in the 2024–25 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Oct 3–5, 2024 | 2024 Shanghai Trophy | 6 | 74.47 | 3 | 156.44 | 4 | 230.91 |
| Oct 25–27, 2024 | 2024 CS Nepela Memorial | 4 | 76.27 | 2 | 157.15 | 2 | 233.42 |
| Nov 1–3, 2024 | 2024 Grand Prix de France | 10 | 68.71 | 2 | 158.91 | 6 | 227.62 |
| Nov 22–24, 2024 | 2024 Cup of China | 10 | 68.87 | 10 | 145.90 | 10 | 214.77 |
| Dec 19–21, 2024 | 2025 Italian Championships | 3 | 86.32 | 1 | 178.22 | 2 | 264.54 |
| Jan 28 – Feb 2, 2025 | 2025 European Championships | 5 | 84.92 | 2 | 177.69 | 2 | 262.61 |
| Feb 18–20, 2025 | Road to 26 Trophy | 1 | 89.10 | 2 | 165.11 | 2 | 254.21 |

### Junior level

Results in the 2017–18 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Oct 24–28, 2017 | 2017 Crystal Skate | 1 | 31.06 | 1 | 76.55 | 1 | 107.61 |
| Nov 15–19, 2017 | 2017 Merano Cup | 7 | 40.01 | 6 | 78.76 | 6 | 118.77 |
| Nov 22–26, 2017 | 2017 Skate Celje | 2 | 48.33 | 4 | 77.08 | 3 | 125.41 |
| Dec 13–16, 2017 | 2018 Italian Championships (Junior) | 4 | 49.34 | 4 | 99.01 | 4 | 148.35 |
| Feb 8–11, 2018 | 2018 Dragon Trophy | 4 | 41.25 | 4 | 72.86 | 4 | 114.11 |
| Apr 4–8, 2018 | 2018 Egna Spring Trophy | 5 | 42.72 | 3 | 81.43 | 3 | 124.15 |
Results in the 2018–19 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Oct 3–6, 2018 | 2018 JGP Slovenia | 18 | 41.71 | 20 | 69.20 | 19 | 110.91 |
| Dec 13–16, 2018 | 2019 Italian Championships (Junior) | 2 | 53.08 | 3 | 84.15 | 2 | 137.23 |
| Feb 13–14, 2019 | 2019 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival | 11 | 46.73 | 10 | 90.98 | 11 | 137.71 |
| Feb 26 – Mar 3, 2019 | 2019 Cup of Tyrol | 3 | 51.93 | 3 | 93.75 | 3 | 145.68 |
| Mar 28–31, 2019 | 2019 Egna Spring Trophy | 1 | 54.30 | 2 | 96.70 | 1 | 151.00 |
| Apr 9–14, 2019 | 2019 Skate Victoria | 2 | 59.69 | 2 | 109.99 | 2 | 169.68 |
Results in the 2019–20 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Sep 4–7, 2019 | 2019 JGP Latvia | 18 | 48.82 | 18 | 86.37 | 18 | 135.19 |
| Oct 2–5, 2019 | 2019 JGP Italy | 15 | 55.39 | 17 | 103.12 | 16 | 158.51 |
| Nov 1–3, 2019 | 2019 IceLab International Cup | 2 | 56.91 | 2 | 101.16 | 2 | 158.07 |
| Dec 12–15, 2019 | 2020 Italian Championships (Junior) | 2 | 64.23 | 2 | 94.58 | 2 | 158.81 |
| Jan 10–15, 2020 | 2020 Winter Youth Olympics | 7 | 62.18 | 8 | 114.37 | 8 | 176.55 |
| Feb 12–18, 2020 | 2020 Sofia Trophy | 2 | 56.20 | 2 | 115.40 | 2 | 171.60 |
Results in the 2020–21 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Apr 9–11, 2021 | 2021 Italian Championships (Junior) | 1 | 62.33 | 2 | 111.82 | 2 | 174.15 |
| Apr 29 – May 2, 2021 | 2021 Egna Spring Trophy | 1 | 68.23 | 2 | 113.87 | 1 | 182.10 |
Results in the 2021–22 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Oct 6–9, 2021 | 2021 JGP Austria | 4 | 71.05 | 7 | 126.58 | 4 | 197.63 |
| Feb 12–13, 2022 | 2022 Italian Championships (Junior) | 1 | 78.75 | 1 | 140.96 | 1 | 219.71 |
| Apr 13–17, 2022 | 2022 World Junior Championships | 10 | 71.42 | 6 | 141.52 | 7 | 212.94 |
Results in the 2022–23 season :
| Date | Event | SP | SP | FS | FS | Total | Total |
| Date | Event | P | Score | P | Score | P | Score |
| Aug 31 – Sep 3, 2022 | 2019 JGP Czech Republic | 4 | 71.56 | 2 | 142.55 | 2 | 214.11 |
| Sep 7–10, 2022 | 2022 JGP Latvia | 1 | 83.04 | 1 | 142.72 | 1 | 225.76 |
| Dec 8–11, 2022 | 2022–23 Junior Grand Prix Final | 2 | 79.84 | 1 | 150.66 | 1 | 230.50 |
| Feb 27 – Mar 5, 2023 | 2023 World Junior Championships | 6 | 76.72 | 4 | 139.72 | 4 | 216.44 |