“Did I just ask her, “Do you want to skate with me?” Literally, yes. With a glass of wine, of course (laughs).” Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron on how their friendship quickly turned into a professional partnership
Interview with Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron: how their deep friendship quickly turned into a strong professional partnership on the ice
original source: eurosport.fr dd. 21st November 2025 by Tiffany Zahorski and Muriel Pichon
Olympic champion Guillaume Cizeron returned to competition with longtime friend Laurence Fournier Beaudry, describing how their deep friendship quickly turned into a strong professional partnership on the ice. Here’s a translation of his comments.
“Q: Guillaume, we last saw you as a recent retiree at the end of 2024. Now you’re back with Laurence Fournier at the end of this year. How did this new story begin?
Guillaume Cizeron: The idea started in my mind. I really thought I was done with my career, but last November, Laurence and I found ourselves in a similar situation. We had to decide whether to stop for good or if there was still a future. So I suggested to Laurence that we skate together – not just for shows, but also for competitions. I didn’t know if it was too crazy or if it was possible. We talked about it with people around us, with Romain (Haguenauer), with the federation, and we felt supported. Laurence took time to think it over, and in the end, we decided to go for it together.
Q: Did you just ask her, “Do you want to skate with me?”
Guillaume Cizeron: Literally, yes.
Laurence Fournier Beaudry: With a glass of wine, of course (laughs).
Q: Your long-standing friendship must have played a big role…
Laurence Fournier Beaudry: Yes, we’re very close friends. I think our friendship has become a professional partnership. We’ve discovered new sides of each other, but it makes the work very enjoyable. There’s nothing better than skating with your best friend.
Guillaume Cizeron: We met when we were 13, at a camp, so we’ve known each other for a long time and became very close when I moved to Canada. So yes, it all started from that friendship. I wouldn’t have suggested it if I didn’t know her so well and if we weren’t so close.
Q: Guillaume, you had already won everything in your career. What motivated you to return to competition?
Guillaume Cizeron: I’m not sure there was a single defining moment. I really enjoyed going to Paris for the Olympics. Seeing other athletes with long careers made me reflect on my own. I felt the desire to be in their place again. Last year, I was in Angers as a coach. I enjoyed it, but I still felt that desire deep inside. Eventually, everything aligned, and here we are together on this project.
Q: Your coach was amazed at how quickly you created chemistry together. Is friendship the key to all this?
Guillaume Cizeron: Yes, absolutely. Even though our preparation time was short, our friendship made it very intense. When you know someone well, the connection is faster. It allowed us to understand each other without speaking, which is useful on the ice. It’s a huge plus.”
Related topics: Guillaume Cizeron, Laurence Fournier Beaudry
It’s so cool… I really love their free skate this season, I think they’re doing amazing