Papadakis and Cizeron, 2018 Olympic vice-champions in search of gold at the 2022 Olympics - the only one missing from their brilliant record - have given up participating in the European Championships as a health precaution.
On Estonian ice, Sinitsina (26) and Katsalapov (30) won with a total of 217.96 points, ahead of their compatriots Alexandra Stepanova and Ivan Bukin (213.20) and the Italians Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri ( 207.97).
The order of the provisional podium after the rhythmic dance thus remained unchanged.
Russian skaters Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov pose with their gold medals, after retaining European gold in ice dancing, on January 15, 2022 in Tallinn Daniel MIHAILESCU AFP
For their last competition before the Olympics, Sinitsina and Katsalapov obtained their best score of this Olympic winter.
But, with two overall scores beyond the 220 points obtained in Grand Prix in November (in Turin and Grenoble), Papadakis and Cizeron keep their hand in their duel from a distance.
Sinitsina and Katsalapov, crowned European champions for the first time in 2020, then narrowly deprived the French of the title, already five-time European champions and four-time world champions.
Then they were crowned world champions in their absence last March.
The Russians Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov, during their ice dance free program, on January 15, 2022 at the European Championships in Tallinn Daniel MIHAILESCU AFP
The Estonian competition ends in the evening with the women's free programme.
Russia is heading straight for a Grand Slam: its skaters and skaters have already won the first three gold medals at stake (men, pairs and dance) and Kamila Valieva will start with a very comfortable lead over her main competitors. .
© 2022 AFP