by Maria Bagdasarova
The 2025 ISU Grand Prix of Determine Skating Collection options six worldwide senior occasions this season, hosted this time within the following order: France, China, Canada, Japan, the USA, and Finland. The collection will conclude with the ISU Grand Prix Last in Nagoya, Japan, on December 4–7, the place the highest six skaters/groups in every self-discipline will compete.
The primary occasion, Grand Prix de France, passed off in Angers on October 17–19. The ice dance competitors noticed a triumphant debut for Olympic Champion Guillaume Cizeron and his new accomplice Laurence Fournier-Beaudry who claimed victory of their first worldwide look collectively in entrance of the ecstatic dwelling crowd.
Occasion recap
Guillaume Cizeron and Laurence Fournier-Beaudry needed to come from behind to assert the title in Angers. This season’s rhythm dance theme, set by ISU, focuses on “The Music, Dance Types, and Feeling of the Nineties”. The newly shaped French duo needed to redo their vogue routine initially set to 2 Depeche Mode tracks after their first home competitors, which was the 2025 French Masters. The revamped program to Madonna premiered in Angers and was the efficiency to open the ice dance competitors. Cizeron and Fournier-Beaudry delivered a characterful and technically sturdy efficiency wealthy in signature vogue hand actions with Fournier-Beaudry carrying a powder-pink corset costume impressed by Madonna’s iconic Jean Paul Gaultier design. Nevertheless, Cizeron’s fall on the choreographic rhythm sequence didn’t permit them to attain greater than 78.00 factors within the section.
Within the free dance, Laurence Fournier-Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron delivered an beautiful efficiency to The Whale soundtrack, highlighted by emotional depth of their motion, alongside seamless circulation and deep edges. Their interpretation was each refined and highly effective, incomes them 4 excellent 10.00s in this system elements scores from the judges. With a commanding rating of 133.02 factors earned within the free dance, they achieved a complete of 211.02 factors which now tops the season’s finest standings.
“We’re actually pleased with the efficiency and the sensation we had as we speak,” Cizeron mentioned. “It’s the form of efficiency we practice and reside for — the sensation we’ve missed. It felt superb to recollect how a lot we love competing and to share this primary occasion collectively.”
World bronze medalists Lilah Concern and Lewis Gibson claimed first place within the rhythm dance with their energetic and fascinating Spice Ladies medley, a program that felt each genuine and completely suited to their upbeat fashion. Their dynamic efficiency earned excessive grades of execution throughout components and a complete section rating of 84.38 factors. Of their free dance, the British duo paid tribute to Gibson’s Scottish roots with a heartfelt program that includes amongst others a conventional Scottish music Auld Lang Syne. Combining expressiveness with sturdy technical content material, they achieved the best base worth among the many high 5 groups within the section. Concern and Gibson’s means to venture pure pleasure and connection on the ice earned them 125.86 factors within the free dance and 210.24 total (lower than a degree behind Fournier-Beaudry and Cizeron) and secured their place on the Grand-Prix podium as soon as once more.
“We actually take it someday at a time,” Concern mentioned, after narrowly lacking the gold by lower than a degree. “After all, it’s good to win, however greater than that, we’re simply so pleased with that efficiency — it felt very very similar to what we’ve been coaching.”
Allison Reed and Saulius Ambrulevicius confirmed sturdy early-season kind, having already competed on the Skate to Milano occasion final month to safe an Olympic spot for Lithuania. Their rhythm dance to I’m Too Attractive and Can’t Loop was playful and fascinating, completely suited to their outgoing fashion. The duo delivered a assured and well-balanced efficiency, ending second within the section behind Concern and Gibson however forward of Fournier-Beaudry and Cizeron. Within the Free Dance, Reed and Ambrulevicius skated to the music of Faithless, combining rhythm and emotional depth. With two strong and constant performances, they earned a complete of 201.05 factors, inserting third total and claiming the bronze medal on the Grand Prix de France.
“We’re pleased with what we put out on the ice as we speak and what we achieved as a group,” Reed mentioned. “The medal is a pleasant bonus and offers us an enormous increase heading into our subsequent Grand Prix in Canada, which we will’t await.”
For Charlène Guignard and Marco Fabbri, the Grand Prix de France proved to be a disappointing begin to the season. The Italian duo missed out on the rostrum by a substantial five-point margin and obtained uncharacteristically low element scores in each segments of the competitors. Their rhythm dance to the Backstreet Boys was warmly obtained by the gang, however scored solely 77.25 factors inserting fifth within the section. Three judges additionally flagged a doable violation of the music necessities. Their free dance to the soundtrack of Diamanti by Ferzan Özpetek mirrored their signature lyrical fashion and powerful technical basis, however at this level of the season it lacked the standard sharpness and circulation which have outlined their performances of their latest years. They scored 118.73 factors within the free dance and 195.98 factors total, shifting to the fourth place total.
Diana Davis and Gleb Smolkin of Georgia proceed their upward trajectory within the ice dance rankings, exhibiting regular enchancment and creating maturity of their skating. After competing for the third consecutive week, following successful appearances on the Denis Ten Memorial in Kazakhstan and the Trialeti Trophy in Georgia, the duo delivered two sturdy and polished applications in Angers. Their rhythm dance to The Offspring captured the spirit of the Nineties with vitality and cohesion. They earned 77.80 within the section, which was the fourth rating of the night time. Within the free dance, set to Sonata for Cello & Piano No. 1 in D Main by Nikolai Myaskovsky and A Style of Class by Anne-Sophie Versnaeyen and Gabriel Saban, they displayed flowing motion and fantastically constructed choreography with intricate holds and sculptural positions. The one seen error got here from Smolkin on the twizzle, probably an indication of fatigue after three consecutive weeks of competitors. They have been awarded 116.47 factors in free dance and 194.27 as a complete competitors rating that locked them within the fifth place total.
Marie-Jade Lauriault and Roman Le Gac had a powerful outing in Angers and seemed properly ready on their quest to make the Canadian Olympic group this season. Their rhythm dance to Prince was sharp, that includes a visually hanging elevate, whereas their Cleopatra-themed free dance showcased their originality and expressive choreography. Skating with conviction and powerful chemistry in each applications, the duo completed sixth total.
The 2 American groups delivered commendable performances in Angers. Eva Pate and Logan Bye continued to construct momentum this season, exhibiting improved consistency and musical connection. Their energetic rhythm dance to Metallica and AC/DC and free dance to the Lion King soundtrack earned them a complete of 178.68 factors, inserting them seventh total. Emily Bratti and Ian Somerville, in the meantime, rebounded strongly after a disappointing rhythm dance with a mistake on the twizzles. Their lyrical interpretation of White Crow and clear execution secured a complete of 172.80 factors (107.71 in free dance) and an eighth-place end.
Competing on dwelling ice, Natacha Lagouge and Arnaud Caffa delivered two partaking performances. The French duo earned a complete of 171.29 factors, inserting ninth total.
Lastly, Celina Fradji and Jean-Hans Fourneaux, competing of their first senior season and making their Grand Prix debut, rounded out the standings with two strong performances.