Grand Prix de France (figure skating)
| Grand Prix de France | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Grand Prix competition |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Country |  France |
| Inaugurated | 1987 |
Previous event | 2025 Grand Prix de France |
Next event | 2026 Grand Prix de France |
| Organized by | French Federation of Ice Sports |
The Grand Prix de France is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union (ISU), organized and hosted by the French Federation of Ice Sports (French: Fédération Française des Sports de Glace).[1] The first iteration of the Grand Prix de France was held in 1987 in Paris. When the ISU launched the Champions Series (later renamed the Grand Prix Series) in 1995, the Grand Prix de France was one of the five qualifying events. It has been a Grand Prix event every year since, except for 2020, when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Grand Prix de France has been held under several names: the Grand Prix International de Paris, the Trophée de France, the Trophée Lalique, the Trophée Éric Bompard, and the Internationaux de France.
Medals are awarded in men's singles, women's singles, pair skating, and ice dance. Skaters earn points based on their results at the qualifying competitions each season, and the top skaters or teams in each discipline are invited to then compete at the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. Alexei Yagudin of Russia holds the record for winning the most Grand Prix de France titles in men's singles (with five), while Surya Bonaly of France holds the record in women's singles (also with five). Aljona Savchenko and Bruno Massot of Germany, and Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze of Russia, are tied for winning the most titles in pair skating (with three each), although Berezhnaya won an additional title with a different partner. Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat, and Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron, both of France, are tied for winning the most titles in ice dance (with six each), although Cizeron has won an additional title with a different partner.
History
[edit]The inaugural competition – the 1987 Grand Prix International de Paris – was held in Paris. Petr Barna of Czechoslovakia won the men's event, Jill Trenary of the United States won the women's event, Natalie and Wayne Seybold of the United States won the pairs event, and Lia Trovati and Roberto Pelizzola of Italy won the ice dance event.[1]
The competition was known as the Trophée Lalique from 1987 to 1993 and from 1996 to 2003 in recognition of its sponsor, the luxury glassmaker Lalique.[2] In addition to their gold medals, champions received crystal trophies designed by Marie-Claude Lalique.[3] The 1991 Trophée Lalique was held at the Halle Olympique in Albertville and served as the test event for the 1992 Winter Olympics.[4] Test events are held prior to the Olympics to test the readiness and infrastructure of the venues to be used.[5]
From 1994 to 1995, the competition was known as the Trophée de France. Beginning with the 1995–96 season, the International Skating Union (ISU) launched the Champions Series – later renamed the Grand Prix Series – which, at its inception, consisted of five qualifying competitions and the Champions Series Final. This allowed skaters to perfect their programs earlier in the season, as well as compete against the same skaters whom they would later encounter at the World Championships. This series also provided the viewing public with additional televised skating, which was in high demand.[6] The five qualifying competitions during this inaugural season were the 1995 Nations Cup, the 1995 NHK Trophy, the 1995 Skate America, the 1995 Skate Canada, and the 1995 Trophée de France.[7] Skaters earned points based on their results in their respective competitions and the top skaters or teams in each discipline were then invited to compete at the Champions Series Final.[6]
In 2004, the cashmere manufacturer Éric Bompard became the competition's principal sponsor and the name Trophée Éric Bompard was adopted.[8][9] The 2015 Trophée Éric Bompard in Bordeaux was cancelled after the November 2015 Paris terrorist attacks. The short programs had been completed on 13 November, but the free skating was to be held the next day.[10] On 23 November, the ISU announced that the results of the short programs would be considered the final results for the competition.[11]
Citing losses from the 2014 Trophée Éric Bompard – which had been relocated from Paris to Bordeaux while the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy was undergoing renovations – as well as diminishing television exposure, the cancelled 2015 competition, and the failure of the French Federation of Ice Sports to respond to its inquiries, Éric Bompard chose to end its sponsorship of the Grand Prix de France in 2016.[9] The competition returned to Paris in 2016 and the name Trophée de France.[12] The following year, it relocated to Grenoble and became known as the Internationaux de France.[13]
The 2020 Internationaux de France was cancelled after a curfew was imposed on Grenoble on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.[14] Beginning in 2022, the competition relocated to Angers and adopted its current name: the Grand Prix de France.[15] The 2026 Grand Prix de France is scheduled to be held from 23 to 25 October in Angers.[16]
Medalists
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Men's singles
[edit]
Women's singles
[edit]
Pairs
[edit]| Year | Location | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Paris |
|
[1] | ||
| 1988 | [17] | ||||
| 1989 | [18] | ||||
| 1990 |
|
[3] | |||
| 1991 | Albertville | [19] | |||
| 1992 | Paris | [20] | |||
| 1993 | [21] | ||||
| 1994 | Lyon | [22] | |||
| 1995 | Bordeaux | [23] | |||
| 1996 | Paris | [24] | |||
| 1997 | [25] | ||||
| 1998 | [26] | ||||
| 1999 | [27] | ||||
| 2000 | [28] | ||||
| 2001 | [29] | ||||
| 2002 |
