A touching father-and-son moment helped open one of Europe’s biggest figure skating events when Evgeni Plushenko took to the ice with his young son Alexander Plushenko during the opening ceremony of the 2018 European Figure Skating Championships in Moscow.

The special performance took place on January 17, 2018, inside the packed Megasport Arena, where thousands of spectators gathered to celebrate the start of the prestigious competition. Rather than a traditional solo exhibition, organizers surprised the crowd with a heartwarming appearance from the Olympic champion and his son skating side by side.

Plushenko, widely regarded as one of the most decorated skaters in the sport’s history, appeared relaxed as he guided the routine, while young Alexander—often nicknamed “Sasha” or “Gnom Gnomych” by fans—confidently matched his father’s movements on the ice. The moment quickly became one of the most talked-about highlights of the ceremony, blending elite athletic legacy with a family story unfolding in real time.

The performance formed part of the championship’s opening festivities, which welcomed top European skaters to Russia for several days of competition. Yet for many in the arena, the sight of a legend skating alongside his son carried a symbolic meaning beyond the ceremony itself.

For longtime fans of the sport, the image felt like more than a brief exhibition—it looked like a quiet passing of inspiration from one generation to the next. And as cameras captured the pair gliding across the rink together, the crowd responded with warm applause, celebrating not only the start of the championships but also a moment of skating history shared between father and son.