# Robert Kunkel

Robert Kunkel (born 28 April 1999) is a German pair skater. With his skating partner, Annika Hocke, he is the 2023 European bronze medalist, the 2023 Skate America champion, 2022 Grand Prix de France bronze medalist, and has won five medals on the ISU Challenger Series, including gold at the 2022 CS Finlandia Trophy. Domestically they are the 2023 German national champions.
With his former skating partner, Talisa Thomalla, he is a two-time two German junior national champion (2017, 2019).

## Career
### Early career

Kunkel began figure skating in 2004. He originally competed as a singles skater before teaming up with Talisa Thomalla in 2014 to compete in the pairs discipline. The duo trained in Berlin, where they were coached by Romy Oesterreich and Rico Rex. Together, they won two German junior national titles and competed at three World Junior Championships, finishing as high as seventh. Their partnership would dissolve following the 2018–19 figure skating season.

### Partnership with Hocke
#### 2019–20 season

It summer 2019, it was announced that Kunkel had teamed up with fellow German pair skater, Annika Hocke and that they would be coached in Berlin by Rico Rex, Dmitri Savin, Alexander Koenig, and Romy Oesterreich. Despite Hocke having previously competed at the Olympics, the pair were still age-eligible for international junior competitions, and so began on the Junior Grand Prix, where they won two bronze medals at JGP Croatia and JGP Poland, and were the only non-Russian team to qualify to the Junior Grand Prix Final, where they placed sixth. On the senior level, Hocke/Kunkel debuted at the 2019 CS Warsaw Cup, placing sixth, and then won silver medals at the German nationals championships and the 2020 Bavarian Open. They were seventh at the 2020 European Championships.
Hocke/Kunkel concluded the season at the 2020 World Junior Championships, where they placed fourth and won a small bronze medal for a third-place finish in the free skate; only Kunkel invalidating their pair spin element by putting both feet down kept them from winning the overall bronze medal. Despite this, Hocke remarked, "our first and last Junior World Championships — it was amazing!" They had been scheduled to make their senior World Championship debut in Montreal, but the Championships were cancelled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

#### 2020–21 season

With the pandemic continuing to affect events, Hocke/Kunkel made their season debut at the 2020 CS Nebelhorn Trophy, which featured only pairs training in Europe. They were second in the short program, behind countrymen Hase/Seegert, who subsequently had to withdraw because of injury. They were overtaken in the free skate by Italian team Ghilardi/Ambrosini and won the silver medal.
Hocke/Kunkel were scheduled to make their Grand Prix debut at the 2020 Internationaux de France, but the event was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Initially, both Hocke/Kunkel and Hase/Seegert were assigned to represent Germany at the 2021 World Championships in Stockholm, but Hase/Seegert were forced to withdraw after Hase sustained a leg injury, leaving Hocke/Kunkel as the lone representative. They placed thirteenth in their Worlds debut.

#### 2021–22 season

Hocke/Kunkel began the season at the 2021 CS Nebelhorn Trophy, where they placed fourth. Hocke said afterward she was pleased with their performance in light of multiple disruptions to their summer training caused by injury and illness. They went on to place eleventh at the 2021 CS Finlandia Trophy.
Initially assigned to the 2021 Cup of China on the Grand Prix, Hocke/Kunkel were reassigned to the 2021 Gran Premio d'Italia following the former event's cancellation. They placed eighth in the short program, and then withdrew for medical reasons. In the new year, they finished thirteenth at the 2022 European Championships.

#### 2022–23 season

Before the season, Hocke/Kunkel relocated to Bergamo, Italy with Ondrej Hotarek, Franca Bianconi, and Rosanna Murante becoming their new coaches. They began the season with a bronze medal at the 2022 CS Nebelhorn Trophy and a gold medal at the 2022 CS Finlandia Trophy. Kunkel contracted COVID-19 shortly after the Finlandia Trophy, impeding their preparations for the Grand Prix, but they were able to compete at their first assignment, the 2022 Grand Prix de France. They won the bronze medal, their first Grand Prix medal, with Kunkel saying they were "very happy with the outcome."
On November 15, Hocke announced via her Instagram that she and Kunkel had withdrawn from the 2022 NHK Trophy due to Hocke testing positive for COVID-19 just prior to the event.
Hocke/Kunkel returned to competition at the German championships, winning their first national gold medal and an assignment to compete at the 2023 European Championships. With Russian pairs banned from competing due to the Russo-Ukrainian War, the podium was considered far more open than in prior years. Both made jump errors in the short program, but they finished second in the segment, winning a silver small medal. Third in the free skate, they dropped to third overall, winning the bronze medal. Hocke/Kunkel finished the season at the 2023 World Championships, where they came ninth.

#### 2023–24 season

Hocke/Kunkel began the season by winning the bronze medal at the 2023 CS Lombardia Trophy, finishing behind new domestic rivals Hase/Volodin. They went on to win a second Challenger bronze on home soil at the 2023 CS Nebelhorn Trophy, finishing 2.70 points behind Italian silver medalists Beccari/Guarise. Hocke said afterward that they were "very happy with where we are at this point in the season." They were invited to the Shanghai Trophy, taking the silver medal.
Beginning on the Grand Prix at the 2023 Skate America, Hocke/Kunkel narrowly won the short program despite Hocke falling on her triple Salchow attempt. They won the free skate as well, winning their first Grand Prix gold. In the interval between their Grand Prix assignments, Hocke was ill. They finished fourth at the 2023 Cup of China after making multiple errors in both segments. Their placements were sufficient to qualify them to the Grand Prix Final in fifth position. However, they were forced to withdraw after Kunkel developed an injury causing "immense" pain. They were replaced by first alternates Pavlova/Sviatchenko of Hungary.
Kunkel recovered sufficiently for the team to resume practice three weeks before the 2024 European Championships, where they came seventh. He said that they "didn't feel any pressure. We had nothing to lose. Of course, mistakes are annoying. Overall the result is not that bad." The team then finished the season at the 2024 World Championships in Montreal, where they were seventh in the short program with a clean skate. Fifth in the free skate, they rose to fifth overall. Kunkel said that he was pleased that they had "finally" been able to prepare without dealing with injuries, while Hocke called it one of the "competitions you dream of."

#### 2024–25 season

Hocke/Kunkel started the season with a fifth-place finish at the 2024 CS Lombardia Trophy. They would go on to compete on the 2024–25 Grand Prix series. At their first Grand Prix event, 2024 Skate Canada International, Hocke/Kunkel would place second in the short program but fourth in the free skate, falling to fourth place overall. Kunkel described the event as "a little bit frustrating." They would subsequently finish fourth at the 2024 NHK Trophy.
In mid-December, Hocke announced that she and Kunkel would miss the 2025 German Championships due to Hocke sustaining a foot injury.

## Programs
### With Hocke

| Season | Short program | Free skating | Exhibition |
| 2024–2025 | I Love Rock 'n' Roll by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Black Betty by Ram Jam choreo. by Anna Cappellini & Luca Lanotte | Out of the Dark Jeanny Rock Me Amadeus by Falco choreo. by Anna Cappellini & Luca Lanotte | |
| 2023–2024 | I Love Rock 'n' Roll by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Black Betty by Ram Jam choreo. by Anna Cappellini & Luca Lanotte | Without You by Ursine Vulpine, Annaca choreo. by Anna Cappellini & Luca Lanotte | Funiculì, Funiculà performed by Joel Francisco Perri 'O sole mio performed by Complesso Tipico Napoletano Bongo Cha Cha Cha performed by Goodboys |
| 2022–2023 | Mamma Mia!: Lay All Your Love On Me performed by Amanda Seyfried & Dominic Cooper Voulez-Vous performed by Philip Michael, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, & Stellan Skarsgård choreo. by Anna Cappellini, Luca Lanotte, & Joti Polizoakis | (I've Had) The Time of My Life (from Dirty Dancing) by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes The Time (Dirty Bit) by Black Eyed Peas |
| 2021–2022 | Mamma Mia!: Lay All Your Love On Me performed by Amanda Seyfried & Dominic Cooper Voulez-Vous performed by Philip Michael, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, & Stellan Skarsgård choreo. by Anna Cappellini, Luca Lanotte, & Joti Polizoakis | The Other Side by Ruelle choreo. by Catherine Papadakis | |
| 2020–2021 | Shout performed by Zayde Wolf choreo. by Aljona Savchenko & Joti Polizoakis | The Other Side by Ruelle choreo. by Catherine Papadakis | |
| 2019–2020 | Wasting My Young Years by London Grammar | Do You Love Me (Now That I Can Dance) by The Contours Cry to Me by Solomon Burke Wipe Out by The Surfaris | |

### With Thomalla

| Season | Short program | Free skating |
| 2018–2019 | Shatter Me by Lindsey Stirling Transcendence by Lindsey Stirling | Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis Presley Don't by Elvis Presley Hard Headed Woman by Elvis Presley choreo. by Stefano Caruso, Dmitri Savin |
| 2017–2018 | Petite Fleur by Sidney Bechet performed by Henri René and his Orchestra Booty Swing by Parov Stelar choreo. by Paul Boll | Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis Presley Don't by Elvis Presley Hard Headed Woman by Elvis Presley choreo. by Stefano Caruso, Dmitri Savin |
| 2016–2017 | Petite Fleur by Sidney Bechet performed by Henri René and his Orchestra Booty Swing by Parov Stelar choreo. by Paul Boll | Soul Bossa Nova by Quincy Jones Andalucia by Ernesto Lecuona performed by Pink Martini choreo. by Paul Boll |

## Competition results

GP: Grand Prix; CS: ISU Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

### Pairs with Hocke

International :
| Event | 19–20 | 20–21 | 21–22 | 22–23 | 23–24 | 24–25 |
| Worlds | C | 13th | | 9th | 5th | TBD |
| Europeans | 7th | | 13th | 3rd | 7th | 8th |
| GP Cup of China | | | C | | 4th | |
| GP France | | C | | 3rd | | |
| GP Skate America | | | | | 1st | |
| GP Skate Canada | | | | | | 4th |
| GP NHK Trophy | | | | | | 4th |
| CS Finlandia Trophy | | | 11th | 1st | | |
| CS Lombardia Trophy | | | | | 3rd | 5th |
| CS Nebelhorn Trophy | | 2nd | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | |
| CS Warsaw Cup | 6th | | | | | |
| Bavarian Open | 2nd | | | | | |
| Challenge Cup | | 2nd | | | | |
| NRW Trophy | | 1st | | | | |
| Shanghai Trophy | | | | | 2nd | |
| International: Junior |||||||
| Junior Worlds | 4th | | | | | |
| JGP Final | 6th | | | | | |
| JGP Croatia | 3rd | | | | | |
| JGP Poland | 3rd | | | | | |
| National |||||||
| German Champ. | 2nd | WD | | 1st | | |

### Pairs with Thomalla

International: Junior :
| Event | 16–17 | 17–18 | 18–19 |
| Junior Worlds | 12th | 7th | 12th |
| JGP Austria | | | 9th |
| JGP Belarus | | 10th | |
| JGP Estonia | 13th | | |
| JGP Germany | 16th | | |
| JGP Poland | | 8th | |
| Bavarian Open | 5th | | 4th |
| Cup of Tyrol | 1st | | |
| NRW Trophy | 1st | | |
| Volvo Open Cup | 4th | | |
| National ||||
| Germany | 1st J | | 1st J |

### Men's singles

International :
| Event | 14–15 | 15–16 |
| Bavarian Open | | 15th J |
| National |||
| German Champ. | 6th J | 7th J |

## Detailed results

Current personal best scores are highlighted in bold.
Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships.
ISU personal best scores in the +5/-5 GOE System :
| Segment | Type | Score | Event |
| Total | TSS | 199.23 | 2024 World Championships |
| Short program | TSS | 69.13 | 2022 CS Nebelhorn Trophy |
| Short program | TES | 39.01 | 2022 CS Nebelhorn Trophy |
| Short program | PCS | 31.15 | 2024 World Championships |
| Free skating | TSS | 130.59 | 2024 World Championships |
| Free skating | TES | 68.21 | 2024 World Championships |
| Free skating | PCS | 62.38 | 2024 World Championships |

### With Hocke
#### Senior results

2024–25 season :
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| January 28–February 2, 2025 | 2025 European Championships | 5 62.68 | 8 113.87 | 8 176.55 |
| November 8–10, 2024 | 2024 NHK Trophy | 4 67.37 | 4 121.17 | 4 188.54 |
| October 25–27, 2024 | 2024 Skate Canada International | 2 64.82 | 4 119.48 | 4 184.30 |
| September 12–15, 2024 | 2024 CS Lombardia Trophy | 5 63.54 | 5 112.64 | 5 176.18 |
| 2023–24 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 18–24, 2024 | 2024 World Championships | 7 67.64 | 5 130.59 | 5 198.23 |
| January 8–14, 2024 | 2024 European Championships | 6 62.52 | 7 115.23 | 7 177.75 |
| November 10–12, 2023 | 2023 Cup of China | 4 60.76 | 4 109.89 | 4 170.65 |
| October 20–22, 2023 | 2023 Skate America | 1 63.59 | 1 120.64 | 1 184.23 |
| October 3–5, 2023 | 2023 Shanghai Trophy | 2 63.37 | 3 116.06 | 2 179.43 |
| September 20–23, 2023 | 2023 CS Nebelhorn Trophy | 2 65.55 | 4 123.46 | 3 189.01 |
| September 8–10, 2023 | 2023 CS Lombardia Trophy | 4 66.06 | 4 125.70 | 3 191.76 |
| 2022–23 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 22–26, 2023 | 2023 World Championships | 15 60.89 | 9 123.71 | 9 184.60 |
| January 25–29, 2023 | 2023 European Championships | 2 67.08 | 3 117.18 | 3 184.26 |
| January 5–7, 2023 | 2023 German Championships | 1 72.73 | 1 121.15 | 1 193.88 |
| November 4–6, 2022 | 2022 Grand Prix de France | 5 60.11 | 2 119.62 | 3 179.73 |
| October 4–9, 2022 | 2022 CS Finlandia Trophy | 1 63.58 | 1 117.04 | 1 180.62 |
| September 21–24, 2022 | 2022 CS Nebelhorn Trophy | 1 69.13 | 3 115.34 | 3 184.47 |
| 2021–22 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| January 10–16, 2022 | 2022 European Championships | 13 55.17 | 13 101.74 | 13 156.91 |
| November 5–7, 2021 | 2021 Gran Premio d'Italia | 8 49.16 | WD | WD |
| October 7–10, 2021 | 2021 CS Finlandia Trophy | 11 47.72 | 11 91.10 | 11 138.82 |
| September 22–25, 2021 | 2021 CS Nebelhorn Trophy | 5 59.11 | 5 109.10 | 4 168.21 |
| 2020–21 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 22–28, 2021 | 2021 World Championships | 13 57.48 | 14 105.33 | 13 162.81 |
| February 26–28, 2021 | 2021 International Challenge Cup | 2 60.75 | 2 116.48 | 2 177.23 |
| November 26–29, 2020 | 2021 NRW Trophy | 2 64.41 | 1 116.07 | 1 180.48 |
| September 23–26, 2020 | 2020 CS Nebelhorn Trophy | 2 60.55 | 2 93.71 | 2 154.26 |
| 2019–20 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| 3–9 February 2020 | 2020 Bavarian Open | 3 61.58 | 2 115.05 | 2 176.63 |
| January 20–26, 2020 | 2020 European Championships | 7 58.43 | 7 107.67 | 7 166.10 |
| January 1–3, 2020 | 2020 German Championships | 2 63.52 | 2 113.18 | 2 176.70 |
| November 14–17, 2019 | 2019 CS Warsaw Cup | 3 58.05 | 9 95.42 | 6 153.47 |

#### Junior results

2019–20 season :
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| March 2–8, 2020 | 2020 World Junior Championships | 4 63.57 | 3 103.58 | 4 167.15 |
| December 5–8, 2019 | 2019–20 Junior Grand Prix Final | 6 59.47 | 6 99.75 | 6 159.22 |
| September 25–28, 2019 | 2019 JGP Croatia | 3 60.74 | 3 95.57 | 3 156.31 |
| September 18–21, 2019 | 2019 JGP Poland | 3 58.04 | 5 98.16 | 3 156.20 |