Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron, winning their fifth World title at home Worlds, in Montpellier, under the eyes of an adoring audience. Photos 1, 2, 3 © International Skating Union
This photo-story encapsulates the evidence: no better ending of Gabriella and Guillaume’s second Olympic season than savouring their triumph – Olympic triumph, World triumph, career’s highlights so far – with people at home: fans, family, lovers of the sport.
A celebration, if you may.
The entire ice dancing event in Montpellier had a celebratory air. France’s Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron were expected to win their 5th World title – the first one on home ground – and everyone was ready to give them the praises, the accolades, the love they are worth.
The skaters themselves talked about it at the end of competition – how lucky one can be, and how rare to be gold medal contender at Worlds on home soil.
Gabriella: “Last Worlds in France were in Nice, in 2012, and we weren’t even competing [smiling]. I think it’s once in a lifetime, and to be in the event with a chance of winning is pretty rare – so I think we are just very lucky to have had that opportunity, and to be able to experience that moment at home”.
Guillaume: “Having Worlds in France and being at the top of our career is a very special timing – and knowing how fast it goes, we really tried to grasp every moment of it.
In Beijing [at the Olympics], we were really going there to compete and get the gold – that was our goal. And here, I think we saw it as more of a celebration of our journey, of our school, of the sport – and being able to share that with our parents, our friends, our fans, was extremely special.
It was much better than we could have imagined – it’s an indescribable feeling to have this many people screaming for you. So I think this time we didn’t just do it for us – we did it for the public, and we tried to be as generous as we could”.
And so they did – and surrounded themselves with the love of the audience, who gave them maybe the loudest cheers of their career.
Deservedly loud.
***
We’re showing you, through pictures, how the journey in Monpellier, at 2022 Worlds, was for Gabriella and Guillaume. But not just that: through Alberto Ponti’s beautiful photos taken in Sud de France arena this March, we’re showing you how the entire ice dancing event unfolded, one layer after the other.
You know the results – now relive the emotions.
***
2022 World Figure Skating Championships
March 21-27, 2022
Montpellier, France
***
ICE DANCE
Gold: Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron, France
Silver: Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue, USA
Bronze: Madison Chock and Evan Bates, USA
We’re starting with the end: the joy, excitement, love the three teams medaling share – all coming from one school, Ice Academy of Montreal.
Madison Hubbell said it best in the press conference room: “What I know for our school, beyond just being 1-2-3 on the podium… we’re walking away with a friendship that I think is very unique in the sport.
And our coaches have led the way in many respects when it comes to art and creation, and transforming the sport in many ways – but I think one of their best contribution has been changing the way that we, as sportsmen, interact with each other.
And standing on the podium all together isn’t an accolade that they’re taking as separate individuals being 1-2-3… I think it’s them looking at us and realizing what they’ve created is a true family”.
Guillaume: “The podium here – with all three teams from Montreal – shows the type of energy that we have every day in training. It helped us to train with pleasure and fun, and sometimes, when we have lows, it’s to remember why we like to skate, and especially do it together”.
And watching them all being happy for one another – and seeing, minutes later, all Ice Academy of Montreal dance teams present at Worlds and coaches grouping for a photo around the podium, well, that was a moment to remember.
FREE DANCE HIGHLIGHTS
(for Rhythm Dance Highlights, see NEXT PAGE)
First: Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron
Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron: this is art, they are art. And to be part of this, to get to live this in Montpellier was an indescribable joy. Gabriella and Guillaume skating their Élégie free dance – watch and be amazed.
…Gabriella and Guillaume twizzling their way into the free dance, with a very committed team of coaches at the boards: Patrice Lauzon, Marie-France Dubreuil and, on the right, arms in the air, their longtime coach Romain Haguenauer. And if you want to understand their journey better, from early years in Lyon to pinnacle of success in Montreal, at I.AM, there’s a detailed story around: Team Papadakis-Cizeron-Haguenauer. Journey to The Top.
2nd: Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue
Madison Hubbell, Zachary Donohue, and their free dance to “Drowning” by Anne Sila.
For a split-second, Madison flied. And so did we. And they kept flying, with our emotions as well, during their last competitive free dance. “I hope to cry before and after the program, not during”, Madison had said a day before the free dance. Well, we cried before, during and after the dance – and we thank them for the journey their career has been.
3rd: Madison Chock and Evan Bates
This free dance is like watching a show – the alien and the astronaut, Madison Chock and Evan Bates, their journey, their story in Montpellier, at 2022 Worlds.
“We had the idea for the free dance a few years ago – but we didn’t anticipate that it would become our Olympic program. And it took a little bit of faith, a lot of faith from our coaching staff to push us in this direction and reassure us that this was the right vehicle for us in an Olympic year”.
4th: Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri, Italy
This free dance, the Atonement free dance, got us all emotional. Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri excel at telling stories, and this has been a beautiful performance.
5th: Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier, Canada
Ah, pink blue sparkling butterflies flying in the arena, the kind of butterflies that you feel, while watching this dance as skated by Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier.
6th: Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson, Great Britain
Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson’s Lion King free dance was definitely created to entertain a crowd. Which they did. To their paws.
7th: Olivia Smart and Adrian Diaz, Spain
Olivia Smart and Adrian Diaz’s free dance has been one of our personal highlights at the Olympics – and this time was no different: we had a blast watching it. Expression-wise, an absolute hit. Ole!
8th: Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker, USA
This dance, Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker’s free dance, is like a bubble of beauty. And Chopin, their best friend, their best companion throughout this journey. And then there’s Kaitlin, eyes closed, talking in all the good energy coming from the audience – a gift for the gift they offered us.
9th: Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Sorensen, Canada
This partnership, Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Sorensen, exudes power, exudes confidence – especially with a free dance to music from the movie “The Gladiator”. And this team is special, you surely noticed that.
10th: Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius, Lithuania
Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius skating to “Vinegar & Salt”, “White Lies” and “Lacrimosa” – and this team has become a great team.
11th: Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha, Canada
Marjorie Lajoie and Zachary Lagha’s Rio free dance requires tons and tons of energy – how is it possible to keep that energy for 4 minutes, we don’t know, but they did it, and they did it well.
12th: Juulia Turkkila and Matthias Versluis, Finland
We couldn’t be more happy with Juulia Turkkila and Matthias Versluis continuing to skate for (at least) 4 years to Olympics in Milano Cortina. There’s something very special about this partnership.
15th: Maria Kazakova and Georgy Reviya, Georgia
Maria Kazakova and Georgy Reviya are a sparkling team, they are – and what an intriguing, peculiar free dance they had this season.
16th: Kana Muramoto and Daisuke Takahashi, Japan
What an absolute pleasure was to watch Kana Muramoto and Daisuke Takahashi ballet their way into the ice dancing world. And if this free dance is an indicator of what they can do in the future, then we’re in for a treat.
NEXT PAGE: Rhythm Dance Highlights