France’s Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron emerged victorious in the ice dance category at the European figure skating championships held in Sheffield, England. The competition was marked by a dispute involving Cizeron and his previous dance partner. Cizeron and Fournier Beaudry, originally from Montreal and having transitioned from representing Canada to becoming a French citizen in November, garnered 135.50 points in their free skate routine set to music from the film “The Whale,” accumulating a total score of 222.43. This score represents the highest in ice dance for the season, solidifying their position as contenders against American duo Madison Chock and Evan Bates for the top spot at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. Cizeron expressed the significance of this win as a crucial milestone in their journey, particularly given that this was their inaugural European championships together. The duo’s performance showcased their potential for further improvement in the future. In contrast, Cizeron’s past partnership with Gabriella Papadakis, with whom he clinched the Olympic gold medal in 2022, has been marred by allegations of a controlling dynamic and unequal collaboration as outlined in Papadakis’s recent book. Cizeron has refuted these claims, labeling them as part of a deliberate campaign to tarnish his reputation. Papadakis disclosed that she lost her commentary position with NBC for the Winter Olympics as a consequence. Meanwhile, the experienced Italian pair Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri claimed the silver medal with a total score of 210.34 after making their European championship debut in Sheffield fourteen years ago. The Italians surpassed the British duo Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson, who initially held the second position following the rhythm dance but ultimately settled for third place overall with a score of 209.51.
French Ice Dance Duo Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron Triumph at European Championships
