Robert Kunkel Explained

Robert Kunkel
Country: Germany
Birth Date:28 April 1999
Birth Place:Berlin, Germany
Hometown:Berlin
Partner:Annika Hocke
Formerpartner:Talisa Thomalla
Coach:Ondrej Hotarek, Franca Bianconi, Rosanna Murante
Formercoach:Rico Rex, Knut Schubert, Aljona Savchenko, Dmitri Savin, Alexander König, Romy Österreich
Choreographer:Anna Cappellini, Luca Lanotte
Formerchoreographer:Aljona Savchenko, Joti Polizoakis, Catherine Papadakis, Dmitri Savin, Stefano Caruso
Skating Club:SCC
Currenttraininglocations:Bergamo, Italy
Formertraininglocations:Berlin
Beganskating:2004
Combined Total:191.76
Combined Date:2023 CS Lombardia Trophy
Sp Score:69.13
Sp Date:2022 CS Nebelhorn Trophy
Fs Score:125.70
Fs Date:2023 CS Lombardia Trophy
Show-Medals:yes

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 competed at three World Junior Championships, placing twelfth in 2017, seventh in 2018, and twelfth 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 previously 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 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."

Programs

With Hocke

SeasonShort programFree skatingExhibition
2023–2024
  • Without You
2022–2023
Mamma Mia!
2021–2022
  • The Other Side
2020–2021
2019–2020

With Thomalla

SeasonShort programFree skating
2018–2019
2017–2018
2016–2017

Competition results

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

Pairs with Hocke

International
Event19–2020–2121–2222–2323–24
align=left C 13th 9th 5th
align=left 7th 13th bgcolor=cc9966 3rd 7th
align=left WD
align=left C 4th
align=left C bgcolor=cc9966 3rd
align=left WD
align=left WD
align=left bgcolor=gold 1st
align=left WD
align=left 11th bgcolor=gold 1st
align=left WD
align=left bgcolor=cc9966 3rd
align=left bgcolor=silver 2nd 4th bgcolor=cc9966 3rd bgcolor=cc9966 3rd
align=left 6th
align=left bgcolor=silver 2nd
align=left bgcolor=silver 2nd
align=left bgcolor=gold 1st
align=left bgcolor=silver 2nd
International: Junior
align=left 4th
align=left 6th
align=left bgcolor=cc9966 3rd
align=left bgcolor=cc9966 3rd
National
align=left bgcolor=silver 2nd WD bgcolor=gold 1st
TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew; C = Event cancelled

Pairs with Thomalla

International: Junior
Event14–1515–1616–1717–1818–19
align=left 12th 7th 12th
align=left 9th
align=left 10th
align=left 13th
align=left 16th
align=left 8th
align=left 5th 4th
align=left bgcolor=gold 1st
align=left bgcolor=gold 1st
align=left 4th
International: Advanced novice
align=left bgcolor=gold 1st
align=left bgcolor=gold 1st
National
align=left bgcolor=gold 1st N bgcolor=gold 1st N bgcolor=gold 1st J bgcolor=gold 1st J
Levels: N = Novice; J = Junior

Men's singles

International
Event10–1111–1212–1313–1414–1515–16
align=left 8th N 15th J
align=left 9th N
align=left 11th N
align=left 5th D
National
align=left 4th N1 bgcolor=cc9966 3rd N1 4th N2 7th N2 6th J 7th J
Levels: D = Debs; N1= Novice Under-13; N2= Novice Under-15;
N = Advanced novice; J = Junior

Detailed results

Current personal best scores are highlighted in bold.

Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships.

With Hocke

Senior results

2023–24 season
DateEventSPFSTotal
March 18–24, 20242024 World Championshipsalign=center 7
67.64
align=center 5
130.59
align=center 5
198.23
January 8–14, 20242024 European Championshipsalign=center 6
62.52
align=center 7
115.23
align=center 7
177.75
November 10–12, 20232023 Cup of Chinaalign=center 4
60.76
align=center 4
109.89
align=center 4
170.65
October 20–22, 20232023 Skate Americaalign=center 1
63.59
align=center 1
120.64
align=center bgcolor=gold 1
184.23
October 3–5, 20232023 Shanghai Trophyalign=center 2
63.37
align=center 3
116.06
align=center bgcolor=silver 2
179.43
September 20–23, 20232023 CS Nebelhorn Trophyalign=center 2
65.55
align=center 4
123.46
align=center bgcolor=cc9966 3
189.01
September 8–10, 20232023 CS Lombardia Trophyalign=center 4
66.06
align=center 4
125.70
align=center bgcolor=cc9966 3
191.76
2022–2023 season
DateEventSPFSTotal
March 22–26, 20232023 World Championshipsalign=center 15
60.89
align=center 9
123.71
align=center 9
184.60
January 25–29, 20232023 European Championshipsalign=center bgcolor=silver2
67.08
align=center bgcolor=cc99663
117.18
align=center bgcolor=cc99663
184.26
January 5–7, 20232023 German Championshipsalign=center 1
72.73
align=center 1
121.15
align=center bgcolor=gold 1
193.88
November 4–6, 20222022 Grand Prix de Francealign=center 5
60.11
align=center 2
119.62
align=center bgcolor=cc9966 3
179.73
October 4–9, 20222022 CS Finlandia Trophyalign=center 1
63.58
align=center 1
117.04
align=center bgcolor=gold 1
180.62
September 21–24, 20222022 CS Nebelhorn Trophyalign=center 1
69.13
align=center 3
115.34
align=center bgcolor=cc9966 3
184.47
2021–2022 season
DateEventSPFSTotal
January 10–16, 20222022 European Championshipsalign=center 13
55.17
align=center 13
101.74
align=center 13
156.91
November 5–7, 20212021 Gran Premio d'Italiaalign=center 8
49.16
align=center WDalign=center WD
October 7–10, 20212021 CS Finlandia Trophyalign=center 11
47.72
align=center 11
91.10
align=center 11
138.82
September 22–25, 20212021 CS Nebelhorn Trophyalign=center 5
59.11
align=center 5
109.10
align=center 4
168.21
2020–2021 season
DateEventSPFSTotal
March 22–28, 20212021 World Championshipsalign=center 13
57.48
align=center 14
105.33
align=center 13
162.81
February 26–28, 20212021 International Challenge Cupalign=center 2
60.75
align=center 2
116.48
align=center bgcolor=silver 2
177.23
November 26–29, 20202021 NRW Trophyalign=center 2
64.41
align=center 1
116.07
align=center bgcolor=gold 1
180.48
September 23–26, 20202020 CS Nebelhorn Trophyalign=center 2
60.55
align=center 2
93.71
align=center bgcolor=silver 2
154.26
2019–2020 season
DateEventSPFSTotal
3–9 February 20202020 Bavarian Openalign=center 3
61.58
align=center 2
115.05
align=center bgcolor=silver 2
176.63
January 20–26, 20202020 European Championshipsalign=center 7
58.43
align=center 7
107.67
align=center 7
166.10
January 1–3, 20202020 German Championshipsalign=center 2
63.52
align=center 2
113.18
align=center bgcolor=silver 2
176.70
November 14–17, 20192019 CS Warsaw Cupalign=center 3
58.05
align=center 9
95.42
align=center 6
153.47

Junior results

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2019–2020 season
DateEventSPFSTotal
March 2–8, 20202020 World Junior Championshipsalign=center 4
63.57
align=center bgcolor=cc9966 3
103.58
align=center 4
167.15
December 5–8, 20192019–20 Junior Grand Prix Finalalign=center 6
59.47
align=center 6
99.75
align=center 6
159.22
September 25–28, 20192019 JGP Croatiaalign=center 3
60.74
align=center 3
95.57
align=center bgcolor=cc9966 3
156.31
September 18–21, 20192019 JGP Polandalign=center 3
58.04
align=center 5
98.16
align=center bgcolor=cc9966 3
156.20