Findlay Finds Fresh Start in France

Terra Findlay, a 19-year-old blond from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, has found new hope for her skating career by dancing with Benoît Richaud, 21, from Avignon, France. More

Very nice article. Findlay and Benoit did very well to be 3rd in France this last year. (Although I believe DelSchoes did not compete at Nationals.) And being chosen to go to Europeans really shows the confidence of their federation in them.

I got a kick out of this:

"I wasn't really comfortable in Montreal," Findlay said. "...I was really homesick, so I went back (home after my first partner and I) split up, but I realized that I still wanted to skate."

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Let's see. She's from the Soo, she was homesick in Montreal -- so she moved to France.

Although they are off to a good start in France, I wonder if this is really true:

"There are not as many couples in France (as in Canada)," Findlay said, "and some of them will leave after the Olympics next year.

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Maybe this part is more to the point:

Also the French federation did not want to let Benoît go. It's easier to get a passport as well, and we would be eligible for the Olympics in 2010, but our real goal is 2014."

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Delshoes will probably retire after the Olympics. But still remaining:

Pechalat/Bourzat - will be 26/29 at Vancouver. They will likely continue on until they win a world medal, but it's unlikely they'll continue to Sochi when they will be 30/33.

Carron/Jones - 23/21 in August - a new matchup after the Carron/Jost split.

Matthieu Jost turns 29 in January and is reportedly trying a new partnership with a Russian skater, which may or may not work out.

Blanc/Bouquet - 21/22

France has only two spots for the Olympics and Worlds 2010, and three spots for Euros 2010. Findlay/Richaud have no chance at an Olympics spot, as those will go to DelShoes and P/B. If Carron/Jones have some good French and International results, they will likely be the second team for Worlds.

Although Findlay/Richaud did get the Euros 2009 spot, their direct rivals Blanc/Bouquet got the Worlds 2009 spot. So these two teams will be ongoing head-to-head rivals.

Doesn't appear to have lasted long time in France, they left Lyon now. They will train at Detroit?. Interesting combination, National competitions in France and train in the US., sounds a lot of travelling.

Danse with me said:

Doesn't appear to have lasted long time in France, they left Lyon now. They will train at Detroit?. Interesting combination, National competitions in France and train in the US., sounds a lot of travelling.

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??

It says that they worked on their new routines in Detroit. It doesn't say that they have moved there full time.

davina said:

??

It says that they worked on their new routines in Detroit. It doesn't say that they have moved there full time.

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They did choreography at Detroit, but now they have differences with trainers at Lyon and decide to move to Detroit, don't know if it is move permanant.

Danse with me said:

They did choreography at Detroit, but now they have differences with trainers at Lyon and decide to move to Detroit, don't know if it is move permanant.

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Thanks for the news.
Muriel had a lot of couples in Lyon (not as many as some coaches) but I would never have been surprised if that had ended up in differences and / or a lack of time for some skaters and not others and / or lack of fresh creativity no matter how hard they tried.

If confirmed, I hope Findlay/Richaud do well in Detroit. The move away from Lyon seemed to work well for Pechalat/Bourzat last season in my opinion.