Another team to emerge from the Ice Academy of Montreal is Sandrine Gauthier and Paul Ayer. Both trained at the school with their previous partners for the past few years.
Gauthier previously skated with Quentin Thieren, announcing their split after 8 years together.
“I stopped skating with my previous partner a couple months ago, we decided to go our separate ways, then I was on the market,” Gauthier said of her split. In her previous partnership, she rose through the junior circuit, and the team made their senior debut in the 2023/24 season. Following the amended upper age limit of junior ice dance they returned to the junior ranks before ageing into the senior level last season.
“It’s kind of a long process being in senior and to mature from juniors. I had a lot of experience in junior and [being a] senior is a different game. I think having the opportunity to have Paul, who has a lot of experience in seniors, will for sure help me.”
Coincidentally Ayer skated with his former partner, Alicia Fabbri, for the same length of time.
“From my side, I was training up until the World Championships with my previous partner in case we got the call to go, so it was a later start for me to start partner searching. We did try out, I think it was my second week partnerless, and then we both had several tryouts with different people from around the world,” Ayer explained.
He also pointed out how much aesthetics matter in, not just ice dance (although the discipline is known as the most critical with female ice dancers encouraged to attend morning practice sessions at competition in full costume and make-up), but figure skating as a whole sport. “As much as it can feel amazing [skating] with somebody, at the end of the day, it is a judged sport. Whoever’s gonna look the best externally will likely get you the higher points, which will get you the results that you’re wanting and the objectives that you’re looking for. The fact that from both of our sides, the coaches agreed with us feeling super natural together, it was just like why not just choose right now because everybody’s on the same page.”
The team is excited for the return of the pattern dance this year. Gauthier said, “I was really happy to do the pattern dance. I’ve been doing it since pre-novice with my old partner, so when they said we’re doing Golden Waltz, I was like ‘Oh my God I’m so excited for it’. We’re just working so well together that it’s fun to try new things.”
“To have done pattern dances, like she said, from when we were both younger has really made a difference. Hopefully this season, you’ll be able to tell who has had that experience on being able to do patterns together,” Ayer said. He also mentioned an advantage they have with Gauthier being a left-handed dancer. “It works out perfectly for the golden waltz because the twizzle is on the left back outside, which is quite tough, especially with the timing.”
For their rhythm dance, they describe it as “an energetic program” to Queen, starting with ‘We Will Rock You’. Ayer explained, “Looking at other music options, there were great songs but for the golden waltz restraints, it was like, just choose something that works. So the fact we were able to find something like Queen for a strong golden waltz, it’s going to be a highlight of our rhythm dance.”
Their free dance will be The Hunger Games. “It’s a different style for me that I haven’t done in recent years which I’m really excited for because, not only can we work on portraying the connection that we have, but the acrobatic side of things that our skating will bring, is exciting for both of us.”
The team listed out their goals in three parts:
The short term: “Compete at Championnats québécois d’été.”
Ayer described that as the toughest and detailed, “We’re aiming to do both programs. We’re not done with either of them. There’s definitely a reason why teams take their time to build their programs and be ready for the Grand Prix seasons. The fact that we are aiming [to compete] in three weeks, and we’re five or six weeks into the partnership, is a tall order.”
Their goal for the end of the season: “To be National Champions.”
The long-term goal: “In four years we’re going to be on the Olympic team.”
