Gabriela Papadakis and Guillaume Sizeron will miss next season.
One of the most titled couples of our time in ice dancing decided to take a break from the competition and focus on gala concerts and tours.
It is likely that the pause in the career will stretch for a longer period, as the skaters have not set clear deadlines for returning.
At first glance, the decision looks logical and expected.
The second Olympic cycle of the couple ended, in which they finally reached the most significant goal - the gold medals of the Games.
In addition, this year the French have replenished their collection of awards with another, already fifth, victory at the World Cup.
Only Lyudmila Pakhomova and Alexander Gorshkov have more, who in the 70s of the last century climbed to the highest step of the podium six times.
Perhaps no one would be surprised if Gabriela and Guillaume decided to put an end to their careers, leaving at the peak of popularity and fame.
However, the partner, commenting on the pause, said that they had not yet said their last word in sports.
Probably, titled athletes have not yet had enough of victories.
But the performance in the coming season would be devoid of any sports excitement for them - with the removal of Russian skaters from international tournaments, there were no competitors left for the great French at all.
The only defeat of Papadakis and Sizeron in the completed Olympic cycle was inflicted by Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov at the 2020 European Championship.
Then the wards of Alexander Zhulin won the title, ahead of their rivals by a measly 0.14 points.
Among the top five couples at the Beijing Games, only Americans Madison Chalk and Evan Bates, as well as Italians Charlene Gignard and Marco Fabbri, will perform on the world stage this season.
With all due respect, neither of them are rivals for five-time world champions.
That is why Ilya Averbukh considers it natural that the French decided to take time to rest.
“They have reached their peak: they have won all the tournaments that are possible ... Five-time world champions, Olympic champions ... I think they have lost moral motivation.
Such a pause is quite understandable.
They will try themselves in a different role, ”the Championship specialist quotes.
According to Alexander Zhulin, the removal of Russian figure skaters from international competitions played an important role in the decision of the French, and in this situation it was an absolutely right step for them.
“In fact, they have no rivals, since now there will be no Russian couples either - this is the first.
Secondly, I think they want to see if they are tired of the sport at all, if it makes sense to continue skating.
To be honest, I thought they would be completely finished.
So, there are still some ambitions, ”said the honored coach of Russia.
The current career break for Papadakis and Sizeron will not be the first: they have already missed the 2020/21 season, albeit for different reasons.
Then, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the French decided to minimize the risks and refused to perform.
But it is difficult to compare these two situations, since then it was obvious that the question of ending a career was not worth it.
The couple did not stop training, but systematically prepared for the upcoming Olympics.
Now, having reached the maximum goals, Gabriela and Guillaume can afford to relax and live a life outside of sports.
And who knows if they will then find the strength in themselves to return to severe restrictions and a tough training regimen.
Zhulin, for example, does not exclude that a pause in his career will turn into its final completion.
“Maybe there will be some interests that will captivate them more.
I fully admit that they will not return at all, ”the specialist noted.
However, there is a positive example of a similar break before our eyes - Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir.
After the Sochi Olympics, which they lost to training group partners Meryl Davis and Charlie White, the frustrated Canadians missed two seasons at once.
Many then already wrote them off, especially at the beginning of the new Olympic cycle, the star of Papadakis and Sizeron had already sparkled in the dance sky.
But Tessa and Scott were able to return to the previous level again - and not only return, but also become the first ever two-time Olympic champions in ice dancing.
A significant role in their triumph was played by a new team of coaches - Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon, who train both Gaby and Guillaume, and who set the tone for this type of figure skating in recent years.
It can be assumed that the victors of Beijing will follow the same path and try to repeat the achievements of Virtue and Moir.
At the very least, many amateurs and specialists would be curious to observe such a development.
"Why not?
Moreover, they ride with the same coaches.
It would be interesting to watch this, ”Sochi Olympic champion in the team tournament Yekaterina Bobrova told RT.
RT journalist Elena Vaitsekhovskaya noted that she would look forward to the return of Papadakis and Sizeron.
In her opinion, it is not time for them to end their careers completely, since so far not a single dance couple is visible on the horizon, at least close in ability and potential.
“Firstly, it is highly likely that during the year that the French decided to take as a vacation and have already announced this to the world, Russia will return to international sports and excitement will again appear in competitions.
And secondly, they already had the experience of skipping the season, and this experience turned out to be more than successful, as the Games in Beijing showed.
For some reason, and now does not leave the feeling that history will repeat itself.
That Gaby and Guillaume clearly understand what they want and how to achieve it, although they don’t talk about it out loud, ”Vaitsekhovskaya wrote in her Telegram channel.
And according to Bobrova, in the absence of leaders in the world of ice dancing, other couples may appear, as Gabriela and Guillaume progressed after the Sochi Games.
“When strong couples left after the Olympics eight years ago and Papadakis and Sizeron took off, it was unexpected for everyone.
No one could have imagined such a development of events before the start of the season.
Perhaps this time something similar will happen and we will see the rise of new figure skating stars.
But that might not happen.
Then we will observe the initial picture of the formation of the notorious queue, when many couples are fighting for first place, ”said the former athlete.
She also noted that it is difficult to make more accurate predictions before the start of the competitive season, since it is not yet clear which of the skaters will continue their careers.
“Maybe someone will miss the start of the season and return only to the championships of Europe, four continents and the world.
When we understand who is starting to perform, and how well they are ready, then it will be possible to speak more definitely, ”concluded Bobrova.