Ukrainian figure skater Kirill Marsak concluded his first start of the new 2026/27 season with a silver medal at the Tallinn Open international tournament, held in Tallinn. For the 22-year-old athlete from Kherson, this program became an important benchmark following his Olympic debut and the season that just ended, in which he posted career-best results at the continental and world championships. Marsak competed in the men's singles and demonstrated a confident build-up in form from the short program to the free skate.
Results and Final Standings
The victory in the men's singles at the Tallinn Open was claimed by Estonia's Mikhail Selevko, who scored a combined total of 251.91 points across the two programs. It was Selevko who led after the short program, as confirmed by the competition data. Silver went to Kirill Marsak with a score of 219.97 points, while bronze was won by fellow Estonian skater Arlett Levandi, who tallied 210.70 points. Thus, the podium was entirely occupied by athletes from two countries — Estonia and Ukraine.
The Road to the Podium: From Third to Second
The dynamics of Marsak's performances at the tournament became one of the key storylines of the competition. After the short program, the Ukrainian skater held third place, trailing the leader and the second-place finisher. However, in the free skate he managed to step up and move up to second in the final protocol. This shift in the rankings indicates that Marsak delivered a cleaner and more technically demanding program in the second part of the competition than in the first, which is especially important for the first start of a new season, when athletes are still finding their form.
Career and Coaching Team
Kirill Marsak was born on September 7, 2004, in Kherson. He began figure skating in 2009 and currently represents the Kyiv sports school "Lider." His coach is Finnish specialist Alina Mayer-Virtanen, and his choreographer is Ekaterina Ivleva Guarise. Marsak is a four-time Ukrainian champion and, in the just-ended 2025/26 season, established himself among the strongest European singles skaters: he finished eighth at the European Championships and placed 13th at the World Championships in Prague, posting a career-best score of 234.67 points.
Olympic Debut in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo
In February 2026, Marsak made his debut at the Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. In the short program, the Ukrainian delivered a clean run and scored 86.89 points, setting a personal record in that segment at the time. This allowed him to finish 11th and qualify for the free skate. In the free program, Marsak made a number of mistakes and received 137.28 points. His combined total across the two programs was 224.17 points, which secured 19th place in the Olympic competition. Despite the less-than-ideal free skate, the very fact of his Olympic debut and a clean short program became an important milestone in the athlete's career.
Prospects for the New Season
The silver at the Tallinn Open lays the foundation for further starts in the 2026/27 season. For Marsak, who last season rose to a new level in European and world competitions, it is important to maintain his form and minimize mistakes in the free program. The first start of the new season showed that the Ukrainian skater is capable of competing for podium places at international tournaments and continues to move forward following his Olympic experience.
