Robert Kunkel
Robert Kunkel (born 28 April 1999) is a German pair skater. With Annika Hocke, he is the 2020 Bavarian Open silver medalist and 2019 German national silver medalist. With his former skating partner, Talisa Thomalla, he competed at three World Junior Championships, placing 12th in 2017, 7th in 2018, and 12th in 2019. Partnership with Hocke. 2019–20 season. Kunkel formed a partnership with Annika Hocke shortly after the dissolution of her pairing with Ruben Blommaert. Despite Hocke having previous attended the Olympics, the two 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 leve, 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 performancei 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 due to medical reasons. In the new year, they finished thirteenth at the 2022 European  Championships. Competition results. "GP: Grand Prix; CS: ISU Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix" Detailed results. "Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships."