The Pakistan Post

Olympic Ice Dance Champion Guillaume Cizeron Announces New Skating Partner: Laurence Fournier Beaudry

Guillaume Cizeron and Laurence Fournier Beaudry (FFSG photo / Schaël Marcéus)

Guillaume Cizeron, the Olympic ice dance champion from the Beijing 2022 Winter Games, has announced his return to competition with a new partner: Canadian Olympian Laurence Fournier Beaudry.

The French skater made the announcement on Sunday (2 March) via social media, teasing the partnership a day before. Cizeron, who has not competed in nearly three years, previously skated alongside Gabriella Papadakis. The pair’s last competitive appearance together was at the 2022 World Championships in Montpellier, France, where they claimed the world title on home ice. Afterward, Cizeron and Papadakis performed in a few ice shows and skated in the exhibition gala at the 2024 European Championships before announcing their retirement as a duo in December 2024.

Since retiring from competition, Cizeron has shifted his focus to choreography, even working with Republic of Korea's Cha Junhwan on his exhibition routine.

Cizeron and Fournier Beaudry have been long-time training mates at the Ice Academy of Montreal, one of the top ice dance training centers in the world. In his announcement, Cizeron expressed his excitement about their new partnership.

“For over a decade, we have grown side by side, sharing joys, challenges, and an unwavering passion for ice,” Cizeron wrote. “We’ve supported each other through every step of our journeys, inspiring one another, never imagining that one day, our paths would unite on the ice."

“Today, the universe offers us a new adventure—a duo born from friendship, respect, and a shared love for the sport. A dance written by the years, fueled by the fire of our dreams. A new story begins.”

The new duo will represent France, and Fournier Beaudry is now listed under the French flag by the International Skating Union. The French Ice Sports Federation (FFSG) also shared Cizeron’s Instagram post, expressing excitement about this collaboration.

A statement from the FFSG read: “This unprecedented sporting challenge brings together two of the world’s greatest skating talents. Their ambition is not only to make France shine at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Games but also to inspire the next generation of skaters and make a lasting contribution to French sport and culture.”

The FFSG continued, “Together, Guillaume Cizeron and Laurence Fournier Beaudry embody the renewal and ambition of French figure skating, supported by a federation that is undergoing transformation and focusing on the future. This new alliance marks a decisive step in the trajectory of French ice dance.”

Their primary objective is clear: to excel at the highest level, push their limits, and position their duo among the world’s elite, with a view to major national and international events, including the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics.

To be eligible to compete at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, Fournier Beaudry would need to obtain French citizenship.

Fournier Beaudry previously competed with Nikolaj Sørensen for Canada at the Beijing Olympics. Before that, she represented Denmark but was unable to obtain Danish citizenship. She has not competed this season after Sørensen was suspended for six years by the Canadian Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner’s Abuse-Free Sport department in October.

Meanwhile, Papadakis, who has indicated she does not intend to return to competition, has been skating with Madison Hubbell, the former U.S. ice dancer who won team gold in Beijing. They have been promoting the formation of same-sex pairs and dance teams.