Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France successfully defended their ice dance title at the figure skating world championships in Boston on Thursday, while Americans filled out the podium.
Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France successfully defended their ice dance title at the figure skating world championships in Boston on Thursday, while Americans filled out the podium.
The French pair backed up their first place finish in the short dance with a record score in the free dance, posting the second highest total of all-time at 194.46 points on the way to the title.
"Leur histoire à eux" @gabriellapks et @guillaumeciz dans @lequipe aujourd'hui
France's Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron created magic with a mesmerizing free skate to seal their second ice dance world title at the 2016 ISU World Figure Skating Championships.
The defending world champions also dazzled the judges who rewarded them with a whopping 118.17 points, the most ever awarded for a free dance performance.
Their winning points total of 194.46 was the second highest ever. "We are just speechless now," Cizeron said. "We didn't feel too much pressure after the short dance. Half of the job was already done. We had really good energy and a good feeling out there on the ice tonight."
Papadakis added, "We didn't expect these high scores at all. We were really able to give our very best tonight. "It took us a moment at the end of our programme to realize what we had achieved and I still can't believe it. I just want to catch this moment and enjoy it."
In Boston, which have closed the Worlds on Sunday, Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron rallied Saint Pierre and Miquelon for a gala, but already their thoughts wander to Pyeongchang, South Korea. Even if the summit just 20 and 21 years, the double world champion and double European champions know they will come away from zero, almost, barely closed the page of the 2016 season.
Exhibition practice with @gabriellapks & @guillaumeciz. #Worlds2016
"Looking ahead, we have the Olympics-2018, it will happen faster than we believed," warns William Cizeron, which already has some desires themes, choreography and music. "It will be even harder, we must also innovate and find other ideas," adds his partner, who acknowledged having suffered earlier in the season when designing the 2016 program: "We wanted to do so well that they doubted everything. "
Closing banquet with the champion @worlds2016 #Boston
If this second world crown has a different flavor than the first, after "a particular season full of pitfalls," says Gabriella Papadakis, who suffered a concussion in August 2015 prevented her from training for two months, it is also because it has validated their free program Build a Home on the music of the British band Cinematic Orchestra. "Despite the fact that we are young enough, it is trying to leave an impression in skating, I hope it will happen in the long term", appreciates the one who draws and also designed the costumes of the couple.
"It showed us that our first title was not due to an idea or concept. something more personal It was more complicated than last year, more abstract, more daring and it was well received," says Gabriella Papadakis, whose mother is the source of this couple of friends for life, which was formed twelve years ago on the ice of Clermont-Ferrand. "We want to innovate, do what nobody has ever done and take skating in a new direction," says this passionate music.
Dazzling, innovative, exciting, modern ... There are not enough words to express the sublime performance of the French skaters in the world championship skating. They dominated the head and skates competition. Italian and American competitors, also favorites, have done anything.
CHAMPION AFTER INJURING
Already European champions in January in Bratislava, Gabriella (20 years old) and William (21) prance on the catwalk. It was not won since the French skater is recovering from a concussion in August on a rather plain square fault. Migraine, struggling to bear the light, the challenge was huge!
The two champions skated together since childhood but are not life couple. "It's a little brother, we spend so much time working together," Gabriella confided in an interview with Téléloisirs recently. And no jealousy with her lover ...
A POINTS RECORD
They skating on The Cinematic Orchestra Music "Build a home". Excellent choice that showcases their athletic and artistic qualities. They have to be proud of getting a total of 194.46 point between the short program and free. Unheard of judges from memory!
AND NOW THE OLYMPICS!
Next goal, the Olympic Winter Games 2018 in South Korea. The title of Olympic champions is the Holy Grail for both French working hard to achieve it. With such results on the international stage, one can not imagine how he could escape. Crowing!
