Favourite French Men Skater ever

Kunstrijdster · Jun 7, 2009

Plain and simple :biggrin:

Who is your favourite French Men singles skater ever.
Post the reasons for your choice and feel free to compare and contrast... :clap:

janetfan · Jun 7, 2009

I voted for Candeloro because I saw him skate Live with COI and he really put on a show and got the crowd going.

vlaurend · Jun 8, 2009

Sure, Brian Joubert is hot, but just seems a bit full of himself and his edge quality doesn't impress me, either. Ponsero stole my breath and my heart this season. When he's on, he's the whole package. Gorgeous edging, huuuuuuge 4T with beautiful outflow, and great expression and movement. I really hope he can keep his head together and deliver what he's capable of at the Olympics next year!

NatachaHatawa · Jun 8, 2009

No prizes for guessing who I voted for...
:biggrin:

Wicked · Jun 9, 2009

Philippe Candeloro, because he could spin on his knees.

Kwanford Wife · Jun 10, 2009

Wicked said:
Philippe Candeloro, because he could spin on his knees.

Philippe had an understanding of combining sport w/ performance that has yet to be matched... A true gift to the sport

vlaurend said:
Sure, Brian Joubert is hot, but just seems a bit full of himself and his edge quality doesn't impress me, either. Ponsero stole my breath and my heart this season. When he's on, he's the whole package. Gorgeous edging, huuuuuuge 4T with beautiful outflow, and great expression and movement. I really hope he can keep his head together and deliver what he's capable of at the Olympics next year!

I never understand Joubert critism of being arrogant... he's a competitive athlete in a competitive sport and he is quick to own his mistakes and is always very honest with his opinions. His bluntness doesn't upset me like it does some - but like my husband points out, I'blunt so what do I know... And he IS hot...

antmanb · Jun 11, 2009

Dambier

He had a great quad sal, his programmes were more "french" (ie completely off the wall!) than skaters like Joubert.

I loved his choreography, even if he didn't always land the jumps. It's a shame that he had to compete against some of the strongest skaters in the history of the sport Pluschenko and Yags, together with very strong skaters like Abt, Klimkin and Joubert.

EDIT: oh and he is HOT! Hotter than Joubert IMO

Ant

Medusa · Jun 11, 2009

antmanb said:
Dambier

He had a great quad sal, his programmes were more "french" (ie completely off the wall!) than skaters like Joubert.

I loved his choreography, even if he didn't always land the jumps. It's a shame that he had to compete against some of the strongest skaters in the history of the sport Pluschenko and Yags, together with very strong skaters like Abt, Klimkin and Joubert.

EDIT: oh and he is HOT! Hotter than Joubert IMO

Ant

Yes! Another Dambier vote! I thought that he would get several votes, but I was all alone. Now he got at least two votes.

Joubert simply doesn't skate French. I remember the British Eurosport guys saying at Europeans 2002 (!) that Joubert's style is more reminiscent (did I spell that correctly?) of the strong American "masculine" style.

NatachaHatawa · Jun 12, 2009

Medusa said:
Yes! Another Dambier vote! I thought that he would get several votes, but I was all alone. Now he got at least two votes.

Joubert simply doesn't skate French. I remember the British Eurosport guys saying at Europeans 2002 (!) that Joubert's style is more reminiscent (did I spell that correctly?) of the strong American "masculine" style.

His influences are Stojko and Yagudin so it's kind of normal. What makes Brian really different to other French skaters is that French skaters (ex: Stannick Jeannette) tend to be more bothered about creativity, esthetics and originality than quads.

Medusa · Jun 12, 2009

NatachaHatawa said:
His influences are Stojko and Yagudin so it's kind of normal. What makes Brian really different to other French skaters is that French skaters (ex: Stannick Jeannette) tend to be more bothered about creativity, esthetics and originality than quads.

Oh, I am not really complaining. Joubert is also the only consistent male single's skater France had in, well, all eternity? And look at the current crop, Ponsero skates French but is such a headcase, it's not even funny any more. Amodio seems to go down a similar road like Ponsero and Contesti was all inconsistent while skating for France and now hits 7 to 8 Triples performances for Italy on a regular basis. There is probably some curse; Joubert is immune and Contesti escaped by changing countries.

antmanb · Jun 12, 2009

Medusa said:
Oh, I am not really complaining. Joubert is also the only consistent male single's skater France had in, well, all eternity? And look at the current crop, Ponsero skates French but is such a headcase, it's not even funny any more. Amodio seems to go down a similar road like Ponsero and Contesti was all inconsistent while skating for France and now hits 7 to 8 Triples performances for Italy on a regular basis. There is probably some curse; Joubert is immune and Contesti escaped by changing countries.

I have to admit that i just don't get Ponsero. That ice five (was that what it was called) just had me running from the TV, it was so stiff and wooden, the music was awful....i could go on but will refrain.

Right now I think Contesti out-frenches the whole french team put together. I disliked preaubert trying to do "classical" as well. He should do what he does best and just be himself.

Ant

NatachaHatawa · Jun 12, 2009

Medusa said:
Oh, I am not really complaining. Joubert is also the only consistent male single's skater France had in, well, all eternity? And look at the current crop, Ponsero skates French but is such a headcase, it's not even funny any more. Amodio seems to go down a similar road like Ponsero and Contesti was all inconsistent while skating for France and now hits 7 to 8 Triples performances for Italy on a regular basis. There is probably some curse; Joubert is immune and Contesti escaped by changing countries.

Don't worry, I didn't understand your comment as a complaint.

Well the curse must be recent, because if one takes skaters like Alain Calmat, then it hasn't alsays existed.

The "curse" is general with French atheltes, not just skaters. French atheltes always perform poorly when they're the favourites but rock the house when they're unexpected.

The irregularity of our skaters' performances might have something to do with our training culture, although I can't say as I'm not a skater myself.

Wicked · Jun 12, 2009

Kunstrijdster said:
And he had these Russian cossack hops, whatever they were/are called....

His exhibitions were always sure to include the knee spin, the hops, the backflip and most of the time also the removal of his shirt

I saw pictures of Candeloro recently and he might want to keep his shirt on!

Buttercup · Jun 12, 2009

antmanb said:
Right now I think Contesti out-frenches the whole french team put together.

That's a good point! That LP he had this year (one article described him as "starring in his own spaghetti western" :biggrin:

) was much Frencher than what the officially French guys came up with. Also agree about the need for the de-Albanization of Alban to stop. He should continue to be wacky - he doesn't have the posture or the technique to go all classical on us.

I'll ignore that bit of heresy about Ponsero, but admit that the Ice 5 outfit was indefensible. :eek:

Surely being French the guys should have a better feel for fashion?

Finally - my vote goes to Brian, of course, though I'll allow that it took me a while to decide; I love Brian, but he's French by nationality, not in his skating.

snowflake · Jun 12, 2009

Jeanette gets my vote because he was so unique. The LP he did in 2000 really surprised me and caught my attention. No other guy did moves or spins like that. I went to Paris in 2003 to see him live(among other favorites) but he WD after his SP.

He disappeared too soon from eligible skating in my opinion. I haven't seen or heard of him in a long time, but I hope he still skates?

Buttercup · Jun 12, 2009

snowflake said:
Jeanette gets my vote because he was so unique. The LP he did in 2000 really surprised me and caught my attention. No other guy did moves or spins like that. I went to Paris in 2003 to see him live(among other favorites) but he WD after his SP. He disappeared too soon from eligible skating in my opinion. I haven't seen or heard of him in a long time, but I hope he still skates?

I was surprised that there was no love for Stanick, so good to see he's gotten a vote. He was inconsistent, but really great when he was on.

He's no longer competing, of course, but has gotten into choreo and according to rumors will be involved in choreographing Florent Amodio's programs for 2009-10.

Eurofan · Jun 12, 2009

All-time favorite patineur français: Dambier, for all the reasons listed by Antman.
Least favorite: Candeloro. That guy made me wish people would throw bottles of shampoo instead of stuffed animals onto the ice.

Mamouchka · Jun 13, 2009

Stannick is very big skater, he could "alloy" interpretation and technology (the quad not at least seems to me you him)), he misses a lot!

My preference is Brian Joubert, what does not prevent me from appreciating, Alban Préaubert Yannick Ponsero and Florent Amodio. :rock:

We have a good masculine team in France, talented different :agree:!!

uncertainty · Jun 21, 2009

Voted for Stannick. His Little Prince program was really original and unique, just full of french.

museksk8r · Jul 9, 2009

My favorites are Ponsero and Dambier! :love:

Favourite French Men Skater ever

Favourite French Men skater ever

Laurent Tobel

Jean-Christophe Simond

Alban Preaubert

Yannick Ponsero

Eric Millot

Stannick Jeanette

Frederic Dambier

Philippe Candeloro

Brian Joubert

Other: Be sure to comment

Kunstrijdster

janetfan

Match Penalty

vlaurend

NatachaHatawa

Wicked

Kwanford Wife

antmanb

Medusa

NatachaHatawa

Medusa

antmanb

NatachaHatawa

Wicked

Buttercup

snowflake

I enjoy what I like

Buttercup

Eurofan

Mamouchka

uncertainty

museksk8r

Similar threads

Connect with us