'Rollercoaster' for injury-hit Dundee skaters who 'almost didn't make it' to World Championships

The duo slipped four places from ninth position in the short programme to 13th after the free skate in Prague, where they scored 109.99 points, but said they were just “grateful” to be at the competition as Digby recovered from wrist and back injuries.

Digby and Vaipan Law, who train at Ice Dundee, are the most successful British pairs skaters for almost 40 years, with only Cheryl McGehee and Andrew Naylor topping their achievement with a ninth place finish at the World Championships in 1987.

The pairs competition at the O2 Arena in Prague was won by German couple Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin, with European champions and Winter Olympic silver medallists Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava from Georgia in second. The bronze medal was won by Lia Pereira and Trentt Michaud from Canada.

Digby said he had suffered from a wrist and back injury after the Winter Olympics, with the pair unable to train together for most of the month since the Games, only getting back on the ice together a week ago. They also admitted it had been “touch and go” whether they would be able to compete in the team event at the Olympics due to injury.

“It was questionable whether we’d make it here, to be honest,” said Digby. “There was a time when it wasn’t going to happen.”

The pair, who achieved an overall score of 176.33 at the championships, hinted that this season could be their last, saying they would take time after the event to “reflect”.

Digby said: “We’re ready for a time of reflection to look back at what we’ve achieved, then we’ll make a decision.”

“It’s been a really tough season, so we’ve had to focus on that and haven’t had to much time for [thinking about] the future. For now, we’re just here and now in the moment at the World Championships.”

He added: “In the coming weeks, we’ll be able to reflect a little bit more on what we’ve achieved. We’re both our own harshest critics at times and over this last six years, we’ve been endlessly chasing to be better and better, but now we can reflect. We’ve achieved everything we wanted to and more.

Vaipan Law said: “We qualified for the Olympic Games, we’ve done many great skates that we’re proud of. These are all things we just dreamed of at one time.”

They said the free skate in Prague had seen some “silly mistakes” which had cost them points, but ultimately said they are proud of their performance this season.

Earlier this year, they placed seventh at the European Figure Skating Championships in Sheffield - with a fifth place in the rhythm dance - and 13th overall at the Winter Olympic Games in Milan.

Digby said: “I’d say this season has been a rollercoaster, emotionally, we’ve had many highs and lows and we’ve memories for life.”

Vaipan Law added: “Being in the UK [at Europeans] was so special to Luke, being from Sheffield, but it was special to me that it was in the UK as well.”