Nepela Memorial

in 1972 The inaugural edition of the Nepela Memorial – then called the Ondrej Nepela Memorial – was held in 1993 in Bratislava. and was named the Slovak Athlete of the Century in 2000. He died in February 1989 at the age of 38. The ISU Challenger Series was introduced in 2014. It is a series of international figure skating competitions sanctioned by the International Skating Union and organized by ISU member nations. The 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 Ondrej Nepela Trophy 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 Slovak Figure Skating Association may enter an unlimited number of entrants in their own event. In February 2016, the ISU declared that the Ondrej Nepela Trophy, along with the Nebelhorn Trophy, the Finlandia Trophy, and the Golden Spin of Zagreb would constitute a "core group" of Challenger Series events in recognition of their long-standing tradition. The Nepela Memorial has been a Challenger Series event every year since, except for 2020 and 2021, when the competition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ==Medalists==