Returning Plushenko headlines Europeans

Russian superstar Yevgeny Plushenko will be the star attraction as he looks to test his form for a possible challenge at the 2014 Olympics during the European figure skating championships which get underway here on Monday. Plushenko, the 2006 Olympic and six-time European champion, has not competed in an international competition since taking silver at the 2010 Vancouver Games. But the three-time world champion, still hopeful of competing in his home Games in Sochi two years time, enjoyed a winning return to the amateur ranks last month by claiming a ninth Russian figure skating title. The 29-year-old will be up against former foe Brian Joubert, 27, who will be looking for an eleventh consecutive European medal, and younger competitors including 20-year-old Spaniard Javier Fernandez. "Plushenko would not be coming back if he were not ready to win again," Joubert, the 2007 world champion, told icenetwork.com. "Javier Fernandez from Spain is in great shape, Also, several newcomers will have matured and will be ready." Joubert, who finished runner-up at the Europeans last year behind compatriot Florent Amodio, had to skip this season's Grand Prix series due to injury but recaptured his French national title in December. Amodio will be looking to defend his title with Grand Prix Final bronze medallist Fernandez, the first Spanish skater to win a medal in the Grand Prix series this season, hoping to finally break onto the podium at Europeans. Medals hopefuls include Michal Brezina and fellow Czech Tomas Verner, a former European champion, along with world bronze medalist Artur Gachinski of Russia, and two-time European bronze medalist Kevin van der Perren of Belgium. Italy's Carolina Kostner, 24, is targetting a fourth European women's title after claiming her first Grand Prix Final crown this season. Grand Prix final bronze medalist Alena Leonova of Russia and two-time European bronze medalist Kiira Korpi of Finland are among the challengers. In pairs, three-time world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy are favourites for a fifth continental title. But the German pair should be pushed hard by world silver medalists Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov of Russia, who finished a very close second to them at the Grand Prix Final. France's Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat are bidding to defend their ice dancing title, with their main challengers Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev, last year's silver medallists, from Russia.