The first installment of the Golden Spin of Zagreb – originally called the Zagreb International Figure Skating Championship () – was held in 1967 in
Šalata, a neighborhood of
Zagreb, in what was at the time
Yugoslavia. The competition featured skaters from Austria,
Czechoslovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia. The competition adopted the name "Golden Spin" () in 1971. and no competition was held that year owing to the
Croatian War of Independence. Despite some hesitation, the Croatian government was adamant that the Golden Spin of Zagreb be held in 1992, even while Croatia experienced intermittent combat with Yugoslavia. In addition to its jubilee status as the event's 25th anniversary, 1992 also marked the 750th anniversary of the establishment of Zagreb as a
free royal city. Organizers hoped the competition would help dispel international perceptions of potential danger in travel to Croatia. While some nations declined to send athletes, the competition was held in 1992, The
Challenger Series was introduced in 2014. It is a series of international figure skating competitions sanctioned by the
International Skating Union (ISU) and organized by
ISU member nations. Its objective is to ensure consistent organization and structure within a series of international competitions linked together, providing opportunities for senior-level skaters to compete at the international level and also earn
ISU World Standing points. The
2014 Golden Spin of Zagreb was one of the inaugural competitions. When an event is held as part of the Challenger Series, it must host at least three of the four disciplines (
men's singles, women's singles,
pair skating, and
ice dance) and representatives from at least ten different ISU member nations. The minimum number of entrants required for each discipline is eight skaters each in men's singles and women's singles, five teams in pair skating, and six teams in ice dance. Each ISU member nation is eligible to enter up to three skaters or teams per discipline in each competition, although the Croatian Skating Federation may enter an unlimited number of entrants in their own event. In February 2016, the ISU declared that the
Nebelhorn Trophy, the
Finlandia Trophy, the
Ondrej Nepela Trophy, and the Golden Spin of Zagreb would constitute a "core group" of Challenger Series events in recognition of their long-standing tradition. In April 2026, the ISU again announced that the Golden Spin of Zagreb would again be included in a core group of Challenger Series events, along with the Nebelhorn Trophy, the Nepela Memorial, and one competition from either Canada or the United States. The Golden Spin of Zagreb has been a Challenger Series event every year since the series' inception, except for 2020, when the event was cancelled. ==Senior medalists==