The three-time world champion suffered a thigh injury at a World Cup event in Budapest in September.

Christie has decided not to participate at the European Championships to ensure she is fit for next month's Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.

The 27-year-old is one of her country's main medal hopes at Pyeongchang 2018 and will bid to banish her Olympic demons after she was disqualified from all three of her races at Sochi 2014.

She reached the A-final of the 500 metres but was disqualified after colliding with Italian skater Arianna Fontana.

Christie was also disqualified in the 1,500m for not crossing the finishing line in the heats and was penalised for the third time after colliding with China's Li Jianrou on the final turn of the 1,000m semi-final race.

Fontana, the six-time overall European champion, is among the athletes who will be hoping to capitalise on Christie's absence from the Championships, which begin tomorrow and conclude on Sunday (January 14).

Dutch duo Suzanne Schulting and Yara van Kerkhof could also be among the contenders for European glory in Dresden.

In the men's races, Semion Elistratov of Russia will aim for a third consecutive overall title, while Dutchman Sjinkie Knegt will battle to retain the European crown he clinched in 2015.

This year's event will be the third European Short Track Speed Skating Championships held at the Sportpark Ostragehege in Dresden.

The German city also staged the Championships in 2010 and 2014.