Chock & Bates move training base to Montreal

[gsk8]

Press Release:

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (May 25, 2018) – Madison Chock and Evan Bates announced today they will begin training with Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon and Romain Haguenauer this summer in Montreal, Canada. Most recently, the team trained under Igor Shpilband in Novi, Michigan.

“We are so appreciative to Igor and his team,” Bates said. “He helped us advance our careers and reach new heights and we are very thankful for that.”

“We’re really excited to start a new chapter in Montreal,” Chock said. “I’m looking forward to getting back on the ice this summer once I’m fully recovered from my ankle surgery.”

Chock and Bates, who are six-time U.S. medalists and two-time World medalists, finished fifth at the World Championships in Milan. The duo has been to two Olympic Winter Games together, while Bates skated at an additional Olympic Games with partner Emily Samuelson.

Chock and Bates will join the American duos of Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue and Kaitlin Hawayek and Jean-Luc Baker in Montreal.

 

[Colonel Green]

Rumoured for a while, and now confirmed.

Marie-France captures another Pokémon for her collection.

 

[skylark]

I'm very excited about this change. Igor has been wonderful for Madison and Evan, but for instance, even Meagan Duhamel said last year about this time that she and Eric "needed new eyes" on their skating, if I'm recalling her phrase correctly. I think the same is true of Madison and Evan. And I definitely admire how their first quote from them in the press release is appreciating and thanking Igor.

I'm very happy for Madi and Evan. I'm also very intrigued that Marie-France, Patrice, and Romain took them on. To me it indicates they see something new, some potential or some new possibilities, in the team. And because now they'll be coaching the top 3 US ice dance teams.

:hap93:

 

[Manitou]

I think that ice rink is running out of space now.
Let's have all the dancers, all of them, move to Montreal.
I was hoping for some diversity in dance, but now it looks like we will have multiple copies of P/C everywhere.
This makes me root even more for the Russians now.

 

[oly2018]

I have a feeling things will start to look the same too. I understand that Chock and Bates have had a tough few seasons, but is this the answer? I know both C/B and H/D have said they want to go a whole other cycle, but with so much promising talent right behind them, I wonder if it will really be possible for both teams to hold on. That also doesn't account for a possible comeback form the Shibs. It will definitely be interesting to see how C/B stack up this coming season.

 

[Colonel Green]

I was hoping for some diversity in dance, but now it looks like we will have multiple copies of P/C everywhere.

The other Gadbois teams don't generally try to imitate P/C.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

What I love about the Montreal camp is that all the teams train in the same place but are all very different.
This is rare and obviously working which is why so many dancers are flocking to MF and her team.

Best to C/B!

 

[lesnar001]

I think that ice rink is running out of space now.
Let's have all the dancers, all of them, move to Montreal.
I was hoping for some diversity in dance, but now it looks like we will have multiple copies of P/C everywhere.
This makes me root even more for the Russians now.

well V&M and P&C were about as different in styles as 2 dance teams could be....

 

[NoNameFace]

The other Gadbois teams don't generally try to imitate P/C.

I think that people could perceive the situation that way due to the fact that quite a few top/solid teams are training in Montreal under same coaches ALONG with Papadakis/Cizeron. It is not their nor coaches' fault that judges lean towards that kind of aesthetic, it is very unfair in my opinion for teams like Soucisse/Firus, Lauriault/Le Gac or Fournier-Beaudry/Soerensen to call them P/C imitators. Besides, for me Marie-France and Patrice worked very hard and effective to make a brand for their school and get it onto top level - it is fairly simple to zoom it all just into Papadakis/Cizeron success and label others involved as imitating ones. I think that the fact that Marie-France and Patrice are taking another top team like Chock/Bates says that their intentions and perspective are much broader than people think.

Nothing but the best for Madison and Evan - make that new, fresh start into a fabulous finish!

 

[Lester]

How long before Worlds can be held in Montreal?

 

[rosy14]

well V&M and P&C were about as different in styles as 2 dance teams could be....

Virtue/Moir are Virtue/Moir and use different choreographers than Marie-france, etc.

 

[danse]

I was hoping for some diversity in dance, but now it looks like we will have multiple copies of P/C everywhere.

MF & Patrice's camp hasn't made clones, instead seems to have brought out the best in each individual couple and helped them find and nourish their style, starting with expertise in technique. They're technicians who have bettered twizzles in some couples, increased speed, edges, quality of movement... H&D have never looked stronger. They're more than just sex appeal now. P&C have a style that's all their own and they've mastered it. V&M came from Gadbois with better twizzles, a fresher approach and look nothing like P&C.

I think all the 'new' that's coming to Gadbois is looking to hone in on their "best selves" and MF & Patrice have obviously proven to the world that they're capable of bringing that out of people. 3 of the top 4 at the Olympics came from their camp! That HAS to say something.

Hawayek/Baker and Chock/Bates both have strong male skaters and females who, well they are good in PCS, lack some of the technical prowess of their male counterparts. The goal here will be to improve their technique and instill confidence in their abilities. They ARE able. They just don't have the finishing touches yet.

 

[Colonel Green]

Incidentally, I find it kind of ironic that going into next season the two top-ranked teams* not from the Gadbois are both Canadian.

* assuming that Bobrova/Soloviev and Cappellini/Lanotte are retiring.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Virtue/Moir are Virtue/Moir and use different choreographers than Marie-france, etc.

They used the same core of choreographers which start with MF, (Chouinard and a few others). Then an add on of Wilson for V/M and Dean for P\C. The bigger difference was MF and Patrice coaching V/M while P/C is mainly coached by Haguenauer.

 

[Seren]

Consider me intrigued. I like Chock and Bates but I feel like they have stagnated. It's like the Shibs beating them for the first time at Nationals back in 2016? took the wind out of their sails. I hope they find what they are looking for in their new environment. Like many other skaters changing coaches I think it's a situation of either retire or make a change. I'm glad they went for the latter.

 

[Lester]

Incidentally, I find it kind of ironic that going into next season the two top-ranked teams* not from the Gadbois are both Canadian.

* assuming that Bobrova/Soloviev and Cappellini/Lanotte are retiring.

Yeah interesting, Gadbois will only have the 3rd Canadian team, whichever it happens to be. It would be very interesting to see how all the top teams will be scored.

 

[synian]

Yeah interesting, Gadbois will only have the 3rd Canadian team, whichever it happens to be. It would be very interesting to see how all the top teams will be scored.

where do you place the Canadanes (ex danes team) ?

 

[Colonel Green]

where do you place the Canadanes (ex danes team) ?

Carolane and Shane have a higher personal best, and since they're a newer team they probably have more inherent room to grow, but some people like that Laurence and Nikolaj's scores to date are lower than they otherwise would have been because they were hitherto representing a pauper fed, so we'll see.

 

[gmyers]

Of course! C/b are very smart people who want to do well in ice dance

 

[WeakAnkles]

Well on the one hand, at least last year Marie-France branched out at least somewhat from the usual mush. Though the most interesting programs out of Montreal were not primarily choreographed by her.

On the other hand, I fear the boredom factor with my favorite discipline will rise, which is what always happens when too many top teams are coached and choreographed by the same team.

Not sure this is the wisest move for them.