Brian Joubert

Biography

Brian skated for the first time at the age of 4, on the ice-rink of Poitiers with his sisters. He loved the contact with the ice and began to play hockey, but soon he chose figure skating. His first coach, Véronique Guyon-Desgardins, quickly saw that this little boy was very gifted.

Season 2001 - 2002

Véronique Guyon taught him everything he knows and obviously, it? wih her that he qualified for the European championships of Lausanne thanks to his third place at the Nationals. His goal was to be in the ten first European, and to be the first French. Brian would do really better than that, he won a bronze medal and climbed onto the podium, near of the most gifted Russian skaters ( yagudin and abt) who were at the past his idols and who are now his adversaries. With this result, he was qualified for the Olympic Games, and it was above all to see the opening ceremony that he went there. Brian got the 14th place, knowing that it was not his last Olympic Games. He was 13th at the World Championships in Nagano.

Season 2002-2003

This season was really better than the previous one. He won the Skate America and the National championships, he got a second place at the European of Malmoe, a third place at the ?rand prix Final , and he was sixth at the World Championships in Washington.

Season 2003-2004

This year was extraordinary ! We can note his victory at the Masters of Colmar and a second place at the China cup. In these times, he began to work with Laurent Depouilly and could benefit of the precious pieces of advice of Alexe Yagudin ( Olympic champion who is now a professional) for several days. After a 4th place at the NHK trophy in Japan, Brian didn? succeed to qualify for the Grand Prix final unfortunately : he is 7th. He got his second National title in Briançon. Then came the European, he was second after the short but succeeded to beat Evgeny Plushenko after the free program ! Brian is the new European champion ! The season ended with the World Championships where Brian got the second place, after his rival Plushenko. He spent the summer to Simsbury with Laurent Depouilly, Alexei Yagudin many others in order to prepare the following season well.

Season 2004-2005

The season started with some difficulties marked by one 3rd place in French Masters. To cure that the free program of Brian was entirely re-examined and the result was not long in proving reliable at the time of Skate America, which it gained for the second time. At the end of November the public of Paris with pleasure discovers its new programs and more particularly its free program on the topic of "1492 - Christophe Colomb" who made an ovation and allowed him to obtain the second place of the Trophy Eric Bompard. One will also note obtaining its 3rd title of champion of France. Then in January one learns separation with his trainer Laurent Depouilly, it is his trainer of "always" Veronique Guyon who accompanies it at the time of the last straight line which carries out it to the Championships of Europe of Turin. On the ice of Turin one year before the Olympic Games gold is transformed into a 2nd place with a plushenko eager to take its revenge. The season ended with the World Championships where Brian got the sixth place.

Season 2005-2006

The 2005-2006 season begins with a new coach, Andrei Berezinstev, who is Russian, and two new programmes with themes that seem to go marvellously with Brian's personality: James Bond 007 and Lord of the Dance. This season is very important because it is necessary to be ready by February for the much-awaited Olympic Games. The beginning of the season is rather promising with several podium finishes and his fourth victory at the French National Championships. However, all of the jumps don't quite work yet, particularly in the free programme, and the great deadline approaches. In Torino (Olympic Games), Brian, a true sportsman, takes risks that unfortunately will not pay off. Essentially, he will have to be content with sixth place, whereas his goal was doubtlessly the Olympic gold medal. This disappointment was the starting point for a reconsideration concerning the difficult free programme. For the last important date of this season, Brian makes the decision to take back a programme dear to his heart, the one that allowed him to win his greatest victory (European champion in 2004): Matrix. This decision proved itself a very good thing because he finishes the season by coming in second place at the World Championships.»

Traduction by Sophie and Rach