Great Britain's Christie will not defend her overall women's title at the Palavela in Turin after she decided to concentrate on the World Championships.

The 26-year-old, who has won five ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup gold medals and broke the 500 metres world record this season, says she wants more time to prepare for the Worlds which are scheduled to take place in Dutch city Rotterdam from March 10 to 12.

It was a decision made by both Christie, the overall gold medallist at the last two editions of the European Championships, and her coach Nicky Gooch.

Five time European champion Arianna Fontana of Italy will be hoping to make the most of Christie's absence and home advantage as she attempts to win the crown again.

Dutch rising star Suzanne Schulting will also be looking to add European glory to a consistent campaign on the World Cup circuit.

Schultin has claimed four silver and four bronze medals so far this season. 

Kateřina Novotná of the Czech Republic and Russian Tatiana Borodulina won European titles in 2010 and 2005 respectively, and will be hoping to add a second to their collections.

Reigning overall European champion Semen Elistratov of Russia has shown so far this season why he is the favourite to retain his men's crown.

Elistratov cruised to the overall victory in this event last year, held in Sochi, as he finished 41 points clear.

The Liu brothers from Hungary pose the greatest threat though.

Sándor Liu Shaolin, the oldest brother, is the reigning 500m world champion while his brother, Liu Shaoang, claimed 1,500m silver and 500m bronze at the World Championships in Seoul last year.

Viktor Ahn of Russia, the 2014 European champion, is also a contender.

Unlike the World Cup where skaters race one or two distances and win distance titles, during the European Championships the skaters have to compete over four distances. 

The all-round classification is based on the results of each skater in the three individual distances of 500m, 1,000m and 1,500m. 

After the completion of the three distances, only the top eight point scorers and any level with them will skate in the 3,000m super final. 

Qualifying rounds of the men's and women's 500m, 1,000m and 1,500m are set to take place tomorrow (January 13).

Quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals then take place across the various categories on Saturday (January 14) before the latter stages of the 1,000m, the super finals and relay races take centre stage on Sunday (January 15).