Carolina Kostner of Italy held off a stiff challenge from Sarah Meier to win her second straight European figure skating title on Saturday in Zagreb, Croatia.

"It's been a tough week," Kostner said. "Now I can relax, and party."

Italy's Carolina Kostner retained her lead Saturday in Zagreb to secure her second European title.
(Darko Bandic/Associated Press)

Kostner finished with 171.28 points overall. Swiss skater Meier scored 169.44 points to win the silver medal for the second straight year.

Kostner last year became the first Italian woman to win a European title, and had no interest in doing anything less this year. But Meier didn't make it easy on her, winning the free skate with a program that included five triple jumps.

Kostner, 20, appeared nervous as she opened up with a triple-triple-double combination to music by Dvorak. But she scaled a planned triple lutz into a double — just as she did in the short program — and it looked as if she might be in trouble.

"I have tried to stay really calm and concentrate all week," Kostner said. "I thought I did it really good, but I think I can do it better."

Last year, Meier was leading the competition after the short program only to falter in the free skate and watch Kostner pass her. 

Skater says she 'kept her nerves'

After having trouble with her salchow in the short program, Meier executed two nice ones Saturday.

"I think I was the only one to keep my nerves," Meier said. 

Finland's two skaters couldn't duplicate their strong effort from the short program, when they finished second and third. Each managed only three clean triples.

Laura Lepisto finished third with 166.65 points. Kiira Korpi, who was second entering the free skate, dropped to fifth place behind Julia Sebestyen of Hungary.

Finland had three women finish in the top 10.

The world championships take place in Gotheburg, Sweden in March. Joannie Rochette of Île Dupas, Que., won her fourth straight Canadian championship last week to guarantee her spot, with Vancouver's Mira Leung also qualifying.

The women wrapped up the European championship.

On Thursday, Kostner's rinkmate Tomas Verner of the Czech Republic took the men's title.

Russia finished the European championships with four medals, double what it had last year.

Ice dancers Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin gave Russia its only gold medal, overtaking Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder of France.

Germany's Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy won the pairs title.