Tree planting, farewells, and a double title defense—Debrecen’s Junior World Championships wrapped up with a memorable final day. On Saturday, following the women’s event, last year’s champions also retained their title in pairs. Meanwhile, beyond the competition on the ice, the skating community participated in National Tree Planting Day and bid farewell to referee Zsuzsa Homolya.
The final day of the Junior Figure Skating and Ice Dance World Championships in Debrecen began in an unusual but meaningful way, with a strong focus on social responsibility.
As part of National Tree Planting Day, 150 saplings were planted near the Debrecen Ice Rink. Among those taking part were the championship’s three ambassadors—former ice dancers Krisztina Regőczy, András Sallay, and Nóra Hoffmann. They were joined by Dr. Diána Széles, Deputy Mayor of Debrecen; Lajos Kósa and Orsolya Váradi, the President and Executive Director of the Hungarian National Skating Federation; and András Becsky, Managing Director of Debreceni Sportcentrum. The international initiative also saw participation from Wieland Lüders, the event manager of the International Skating Union.
Beyond the tree planting, the day also featured a farewell ceremony alongside the women’s and pairs’ free programs, as Zsuzsa Homolya bid goodbye to her career as a referee.
Zsuzsa Homolya has been skating since the age of three. She competed in the sport, performed in ice shows, and later earned a coaching degree from the University of Physical Education. She coached for nearly fifteen years before transitioning to judging in 2000, specializing in figure skating (singles and pairs) and synchronized skating. She has officiated at World and European Championships and twice served as a judge at the Winter Olympics, scoring the pairs’ events on both occasions. The Debrecen Junior World Championships marked her final ISU event in figure skating, though she will still officiate at the upcoming Synchronized Skating World Championships.
The competition concluded on Saturday with the pairs’ free skate. Leading after the short program, the reigning champions, Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava of Georgia, held onto their top position, securing the junior world title once again. Just a month after winning bronze at the European Championships in the senior category, they claimed gold in Debrecen, cementing their dominance in the junior ranks.