Romain Le Gac (born 31 May 1995) is a French-Canadian
ice dancer who currently represents Canada with his partner and wife
Marie-Jade Lauriault
Marie-Jade Lauriault (born 10 November 1996) is a Canadian-French ice dancer who currently represents Canada with her partner and husband Romain Le Gac, in which capacity she is the 2022 Skate America bronze medalist.
Lauriault and Le Gac init ...
, in which capacity he is the
2022 Skate America
The 2022 Skate America was the first event in the 2022–23 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at the Tenley E. Albright Performance Center in Norwood, Massachusetts on ...
bronze medalist.
Lauriault and Le Gac initially represented his birth country of France upon partnering in 2014, winning four silver medals at the
French Championships and a national junior title, and representing France at the
2018 Winter Olympics
, nations = 93
, athletes = 2,922 (1,680 men and 1,242 women)
, events = 102 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, opening =
, closing =
, opened_by = President Moon Jae-in
, cauldron = Kim Yun-a
, stadium = Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium
, winte ...
. Internationally they won four
Challenger
Challenger, Challengers, or The Challengers may refer to:
Entertainment
Comics and manga
* Challenger (character), comic book character
* ''Challengers'' (manga), manga by Hinako Takanaga
Film and TV
* ''The Challengers'' (TV series), a 1979 ...
medals, including gold at the
2019 CS Warsaw Cup
The 2019 CS Warsaw Cup was held in November 2019 in Warsaw, Poland. It was part of the 2019–20 ISU Challenger Series
The 2019–20 ISU Challenger Series was held from September to December 2019. It was the sixth season that the ISU Challenge ...
, before switching to represent her birth country of Canada in the summer of 2021.
He previously competed with
Estelle Elizabeth
Estelle Elizabeth (born 29 June 1996) is a French ice dancer. She and former partner Romain Le Gac represented France at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics and at two World Junior Championships, achieving their best result, 11th, in 2014.
Career
E ...
, winning two junior national titles and representing France at the inaugural
Winter Youth Olympics
The Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is an international multi-sport event for athletes between 15 and 18 years old, organized by the International Olympic Committee. The games are held every four years in staggered summer and winter events consisten ...
.
Personal life
Romain Le Gac was born on 31 May 1995 in
Nogent-sur-Marne
Nogent-sur-Marne () is a Communes of France, commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the Kilometre Zero, centre of Paris. Nogent-sur-Marne is a ''Subprefectures in France, sous-préfecture'' of the Val-de-Marne ''Depar ...
, France.
[ He moved to Montreal, Quebec, Canada in July 2014.][ He married Marie-Jade Lauriault in December 2015.][ He has expressed interest in working as an osteopath.][
]
Career
Early career
Le Gac began skating in 2001.[ Disliking jumps, he switched from singles to ice dancing two years later.][
Le Gac debuted on the junior international level with ]Estelle Elizabeth
Estelle Elizabeth (born 29 June 1996) is a French ice dancer. She and former partner Romain Le Gac represented France at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics and at two World Junior Championships, achieving their best result, 11th, in 2014.
Career
E ...
in the 2010–11 season. In January 2012, they represented France at the Winter Youth Olympics
The Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is an international multi-sport event for athletes between 15 and 18 years old, organized by the International Olympic Committee. The games are held every four years in staggered summer and winter events consisten ...
in Innsbruck
Innsbruck (; bar, Innschbruck, label=Bavarian language, Austro-Bavarian ) is the capital of Tyrol (state), Tyrol and the List of cities and towns in Austria, fifth-largest city in Austria. On the Inn (river), River Inn, at its junction with the ...
, Austria, placing sixth in the short dance, fifth in the free dance, and fifth overall. They won bronze in the team event.
Elizabeth/Le Gac finished fifteenth at the 2013 World Junior Championships in Milan after ranking thirteenth in the short and eighteenth in the free dance. They placed eleventh in both segments and eleventh overall at the 2014 World Junior Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. They were coached by Muriel Boucher-Zazoui
Muriel Boucher-Zazoui is a French coach and choreographer, and retired competitive ice dancer. She competed with Yves Malatier, and together they are the 1977 and 1978 French national champions. They competed twice at the European Championships ...
, Romain Haguenauer
Romain Haguenauer (born 16 July 1976) is a French ice dancing coach, choreographer, and former competitor. He is best known for his work with the French five-time World and 2022 Olympic champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron; and with ...
, and Olivier Schoenfelder
Olivier Schoenfelder (born 30 November 1977) is a French retired ice dancer and coach. With partner Isabelle Delobel, he is the 2008 World champion, the 2007 European and the 2008 Grand Prix Final champion.
Career
Schoenfelder began skating ...
in Lyon.[ Their partnership ended around July 2014 due to personal problems.][
]
2014–15 season: Debut of Lauriault/Le Gac
Le Gac relocated with Haguenauer to Montreal, Quebec in July 2014 and was paired with Canadian ice dancer Marie-Jade Lauriault
Marie-Jade Lauriault (born 10 November 1996) is a Canadian-French ice dancer who currently represents Canada with her partner and husband Romain Le Gac, in which capacity she is the 2022 Skate America bronze medalist.
Lauriault and Le Gac init ...
the same month.[ The two decided to represent France. They are coached by Haguenauer, ]Patrice Lauzon
Patrice Lauzon (born November 26, 1975) is a Canadian ice dancing coach and former competitor. With his wife Marie-France Dubreuil, he is a two-time (2006–2007) World silver medalist.
Personal life
Patrice Lauzon was born in Montreal, Quebec, ...
, Pascal Denis
Pascal Denis (born May 20, 1975 in Repentigny, Quebec) is a Canadian former ice dancer. He competed with partner Josée Piché for 17 years, winning a bronze medal at the 2000 Canadian Figure Skating Championships and finishing 23rd at the 2004 ...
, and Marie-France Dubreuil
Marie-France Dubreuil (born August 11, 1974) is a Canadian ice dancing coach and former competitor. With her husband Patrice Lauzon, she is a two-time (2006–2007) World Figure Skating Championships, World silver medallist.
Personal life
Mari ...
in Montreal.[
Lauriault/Le Gac competed on the senior level in the 2014–15 season. They won silver at the ]Open d'Andorra The Open d'Andorra is an international figure skating competition held annually in Canillo, Andorra, usually in November. Medals may be awarded in Single skating, men's singles, ladies' singles, and ice dancing on the senior, junior, and novice leve ...
and finished ninth at the 2014 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb
The 2014 Golden Spin of Zagreb ( hr, Zlatna pirueta Zagreba) was the 47th edition of the annual senior-level international figure skating competition held in Zagreb, Croatia. A part of the 2014–15 ISU Challenger Series, event was held at the D ...
before taking silver at the French Championships.
2015–16 season: International junior season
Lauriault/Le Gac decided to compete on the junior level in 2015–16. They won two medals on the Junior Grand Prix
The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating (titled the ISU Junior Series in the 1997–98 season) is a series of international junior-level competitions organized by the International Skating Union. Medals are awarded in the disciplines of men ...
(JGP) series — silver in Linz, Austria and gold in Logroño, Spain. Their results gave them a spot at the JGP Final in Barcelona, where they finished fifth.
In February 2016, Lauriault/Le Gac won gold at the French Junior Championships ahead of Abachkina/Thauron
Thauron (; oc, Tauron) is a commune in the Creuse department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in central France.
Geography
An area of forestry and farming comprising the village and several hamlets situated in the Taurion river valley some s ...
. In March, they represented France at the 2016 World Junior Championships in Debrecen, Hungary, and won a small bronze medal after placing third in the short dance. They finished eighth overall. Over eight days in April, they skated in ten ice shows in France.[
]
2016–17 season: Grand Prix, European and World debuts
Returning to the senior ranks for the pre-Olympic season, Lauriault/Le Gac placed fifth at the 2016 CS Autumn Classic International
The 2016 CS Autumn Classic International was a figure skating competition held from September 28 – October 1, 2016 at the Sportsplexe Pierrefonds in Montreal, Quebec. It was part of the 2016–17 ISU Challenger Series. Medals were awarded in the ...
. They were then invited to make their senior Grand Prix debut, finishing sixth at both the 2016 NHK Trophy
The 2016 NHK Trophy was the final event of six in the 2016–17 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at the Makomanai Sekisuiheim Ice Arena in Sapporo on November 25–27. Me ...
and the 2017 Internationaux de France
The 2017 Internationaux de France was the 5th event of six in the 2017–18 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at Patinoire Polesud in Grenoble on November 17–19. Medals ...
.[
After winning silver at the French championships for the second time at the senior level, Lauriault/Le Gac made their European Championship debut at the 2017 edition in Ostrava, coming twelfth. They won gold at the Cup of Nice before making their World Championship debut in Helsinki, finishing twenty-first in the rhythm dance and thereby narrowly missing the cut for the free dance. They were also invited to participate as part of Team France at the ]World Team Trophy The ISU World Team Trophy in Figure Skating is a figure skating team competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union. The World Team Trophy was held for the first time in Tokyo, Japan from April 16 to 19, 2009. Traditionally, the competit ...
, finishing sixth among dance teams while France also came sixth overall.[
]
2017–18 season: Pyeongchang Olympics
Sixth at the Autumn Classic to start the season, Lauriault/Le Gac were eighth at both the 2017 NHK Trophy
The 2017 NHK Trophy was the 4th event of six in the 2017–18 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held in Osaka on November 10–12. Medals were awarded in the disciplines of men ...
and the 2017 Rostelecom Cup
The 2017 Rostelecom Cup was the first event of six in the 2017–18 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at the Megasport Arena in Moscow on October 20–22. Medals were awarde ...
on the Grand Prix
Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour
Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to:
Arts and entertainment ...
. They won silver at the French championships for the third time and, as a result, were named to the French team for the 2018 Winter Olympics
, nations = 93
, athletes = 2,922 (1,680 men and 1,242 women)
, events = 102 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, opening =
, closing =
, opened_by = President Moon Jae-in
, cauldron = Kim Yun-a
, stadium = Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium
, winte ...
in Pyeongchang
Pyeongchang (; in full, ''Pyeongchang-gun'' ; ) is a county in the province of Gangwon-do, South Korea, located in the Taebaek Mountains region. It is home to several Buddhist temples, including Woljeongsa. It is about east southeast of Seou ...
. They finished twelfth at the 2018 European Championships
The 2018 European Championships were the first edition of the European Championships. It was a multi-sport event which took place in Berlin, Germany, and Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom (with Edinburgh hosting the diving events and Gleneagles ...
shortly afterward.[
French national champions Papadakis/ Cizeron declined to participate in the Olympic team event, allowing Lauriault/Le Gac to do so. They finished sixth in the rhythm dance segment, but Team France was tenth among ten teams after the first round and did not advance to the free portion of the competition. They then participated in the ice dance event, qualifying to the free dance and finishing seventeenth in their Olympic debut.][ Lauriault/Le Gac finished the season with a thirteenth-place finish at the post-Olympic World Championships in Milan.][
]
2018–19 season: Challenger medals
Lauriault/Le Gac won two medals on the Challenger series to begin the season, taking the bronze at both the 2018 CS Finlandia Trophy
The 2018 CS Finlandia Trophy was held in October 2018 in Espoo. It was part of the 2018–19 ISU Challenger Series. Medals were awarded in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, and ice dancing.
Entries
The Internatio ...
and the 2018 CS Inge Solar Memorial.[ On the ]Grand Prix
Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour
Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to:
Arts and entertainment ...
, they finished fourth at the 2018 Skate Canada International
The 2018 Skate Canada International was the second event of the 2018–19 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec from October 26–28. Medals wer ...
, 6.65 points behind bronze medalists Gilles/ Poirier of Canada.[ They were then sixth on home ice at the ]2018 Internationaux de France
The 2018 Internationaux de France was the sixth event of six in the 2018–19 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at Patinoire Polesud in Grenoble on November 23–25. Medals ...
.[
French national silver medalists once again, Lauriault/Le Gac were tenth at the 2019 European Championships and fourteenth at the 2019 World Championships in Saitama.][
]
2019–20 season: Struggles
After a bronze medal win at the 2019 CS Autumn Classic International
The 2019 CS Autumn Classic International was held in September 2019 in Oakville, Ontario. It was part of the 2019–20 ISU Challenger Series. Medals were awarded in the disciplines of men's singles, ladies' singles, and ice dance.
Entries
The ...
, Lauriault/Le Gac struggled in the early going, coming eighth at both the 2019 Skate America
The 2019 Skate America presented by American Cruise Lines was the first event in the 2019–20 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Oc ...
and the 2019 Internationaux de France
The 2019 Internationaux de France was the third event of the 2019–20 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at Patinoire Polesud in Grenoble, France from November 1–3. Medal ...
. They won gold at the 2019 CS Warsaw Cup
The 2019 CS Warsaw Cup was held in November 2019 in Warsaw, Poland. It was part of the 2019–20 ISU Challenger Series
The 2019–20 ISU Challenger Series was held from September to December 2019. It was the sixth season that the ISU Challenge ...
, their first Challenger title, but came fourth at the French championships and thus did not make the European Championship team.[ They were assigned to compete at the 2020 World Championships, to be held in Montreal near their training center, but the event was cancelled due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.][
]
2021–22 season: Switch to Canada
After not competing at all during the COVID-plagued 2020–21 season, Lauriault and Le Gac announced on June 6, 2021, that they would henceforth be representing her birth country of Canada.[ Lauriault would later say that it had been a difficult decision but that "with the pandemic, we certainly realized that we are very much at home in Canada, that our life is there. We felt that more and more as the years progressed, and Romain has established himself there as well. It is also complicated with me studying and Romain working in Canada."][
After competing domestically in the fall, Lauriault/Le Gac qualified for the 2022 Canadian Championships, held without an audience in ]Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
due to the spread of the Omicron variant. They finished fifth in their first appearance at the Canadian nationals, with Lauriault saying, "it wasn't perfect, but it was what we were hoping for."[ Their result earned them an assignment to the 2022 Four Continents Championships in Tallinn.][ Competing at Four Continents, their first international event in two years, they were fifth after the rhythm dance but dropped to sixth when Lauriault fell on her twizzles in the free dance. Despite the "technical error", she insisted afterward, "it was a great experience today; these are still good memories."][
]
2022–23 season: First Grand Prix medal
Beginning the season at the 2022 CS U.S. Classic, Lauriault/Le Gac finished in fourth place, 3.36 points behind American bronze medalists McNamara
Mac Conmara (anglicised as MacNamara or McNamara) is an Irish surname of a family of County Clare in Ireland. The McNamara family were an Irish clan claiming descent from the Dál gCais and, after the O'Briens, one of the most powerful families ...
/ Spiridonov.[ Given two ]Grand Prix
Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour
Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to:
Arts and entertainment ...
assignments representing Canada for the first time, they competed first at the 2022 Skate America
The 2022 Skate America was the first event in the 2022–23 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It was held at the Tenley E. Albright Performance Center in Norwood, Massachusetts on ...
and won the bronze medal, their first Grand Prix medal. Le Gac said afterward that it was a significant competition for them because they had not competed on the Grand Prix since 2019, while Lauriault called it a "life-changing experience."[ They then appeared at the ]2022 Skate Canada International
The 2022 Skate Canada International is the second event in the 2022–23 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, a senior-level international invitational competition series. It will be held at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre in Mississauga, Ontario ...
the following weekend, setting new personal bests and finishing in fifth place.[
Lauriault/Le Gac won the gold medal at the 2022–23 Skate Canada Challenge to qualify to the 2023 Canadian Championships. Lauriault said of the reception of their '' The Pink Panther'' program, "we've put so much work into our choreography this year, and we are pleased people are enjoying it as much as we enjoy performing it."][
]
Programs
With Lauriault
With Elizabeth
Competitive highlights
''GP: Grand Prix
Grand Prix ( , meaning ''Grand Prize''; plural Grands Prix), is a name sometimes used for competitions or sport events, alluding to the winner receiving a prize, trophy or honour
Grand Prix or grand prix may refer to:
Arts and entertainment ...
; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix
The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating (titled the ISU Junior Series in the 1997–98 season) is a series of international junior-level competitions organized by the International Skating Union. Medals are awarded in the disciplines of men ...
''
With Lauriault
For Canada
For France
With Elizabeth
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Le Gac, Romain
1995 births
French male ice dancers
Living people
Sportspeople from Nogent-sur-Marne
Figure skaters at the 2018 Winter Olympics
Olympic figure skaters of France
Figure skaters at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics