Anissina/Peizerat lose World title

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat lost their World title in a close and controversial decision on Friday (23 March) in Vancouver. The French showed a wounderful free dance, the best they've skated their "Beethoven's last night". It was an emotional, flowing dance that featured deep edges, original lifts and intriciate footwork. The crowd gave them a standing ovation. Marina and Gwendal lost on a four to five split. The judges from France, Germany, Hungary and Great Britain had them first while Russia, Italy, Ukraine, Switzerland and Azerbajian voted for second place.

"Things that don't kill you make you stronger", said Gwendal. "I'm very happy with our performances today and yesterday, but not with the result. I think we should have won. We were clearly better today and yesterday. Yes, the Italians have a very strong Original Dance, but you don't win Worlds with the OD. We will work even harder for next year, because it will be a very important year", Marina said.

"I think we gave a strong performance and the audience was on our side. It was our best this season. There is more movement in ice dancing. Before, a World Champion in Ice Dance usually didn't loose the title. (On what they need to win next season) We need the faith and we have to believe in ourselves and our sport. With the will we have to improve and to win we will do it. (On doing two different free dances) I don't think this is possible. Even now we have not much time to prepare two programs; Original and Free Dance. We are working up to eight hours a day on the ice. To do two dances would mean twice the work", Gwendal added.

Anissina/Peizerat sit in second after Original Dance

Defending Champions Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat sit in second at Worlds in Vancouver, following the Original Dance on Thursday (March 22). The French presented their completely revamped OD for the first time in competition. They decided to change the OD after the Europeans. The new version to "Mr. Pinstripe Suit" (Quickstep) and "More" (Foxtrot) was more oriented on the ballroom style the judges obviously want to see, but it still was not able to beat the Italians Barbara Fusar Poli/Maurizio Margaglio. The marks ranged from 5.6 to 5.8 for composition and from 5.7 to 5.9 for presentation. Three judges had Anissina/Peizerat in first, the others voted for second place.

"We are very happy, because it really was a beautiful Original Dance. It was the first time that we skated it in competition, so it went very, very well. We felt good on the ice, we did a good job. Unfortunaly we didn't get the first place", Gwendal commented. "We don't feel more pressure. We were in the same situation last year, sort of get used to it", he added about going into the free dance. "We worked very, very hard before Worlds", Marina said. "We hadn't the time to show the judges before what we can do, so it was the first time that they saw it. The other were doing their dance all season long. I believe that our dance deserved to be first."

Anissina/Peizerat win their Qualifiying Round

World Champions Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat did the first step to a successful title defense. They won their Compulsory Dance Qualifying Round (A) on Tuesday (20 March) at Worlds in Vancouver. The compulsories were used as a qualifying for the first time in history. Like the single skaters, the dancers were divided into two groups A and B. From each group, the top 15 couples advance to the Original Dance. Anissina/Peizerat didn't meet yet their main competitors, Barbara Fusar Poli/Maurizio Margaglio as they competed in the other group. All dancers in both groups skated the Rhumba and the Tango Romantica. Marina and Gwendal won both dances clearly, collecting all first place ordinals from the judges. Both dances were well done, the Tango - which is the more difficult dance - was even excellent.

"We are pleased with both dances, we skated really well", Anissina said. "We felt good out there on the ice. The audience was very nice, and it was fun to skate." She actually liked the new qualifying system. "It's very good. Now we finish quickly, we don't have to wait so long between the two dances. It doesn't change the results. It's probably also better for the judges."

"It is somewhat strange", Peizerat commented on the qualifying rounds. "They (the other group) had to skate early in the morning. It's correct that the conditions weren't exactly the same. But it doesn't really change anything on the level of the skating in competition I think. It's more of a psychological factor. It is good, because now there is not such a big time difference between the two dances. It almost didn't feel like the same competition.

We've changed our OD, that's the next part of the competition. We showed it already in France, at the Top Jump (exhibition). It was very well received. The dance is very different now. The music hat changed, (for the Quickstep), the choreography has changed. We changed it for various reasons. First, we thought we could do better, second, we didn't win with this dance at Europeans. We want a choreography that wins, and that's what we've done. We set up a choreography to win. There were also other details, for example the music (Dancing Fool) was overused.

"Marina added: "We did not have much time (for changing the OD). It seems that the people really like it, and we are much more confident with it."

Anissina/Peizerat withdraw from Grand Prix Final

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat have withdrawn from the ISU Grand Prix Final due to injury. This means that they are not able to defend their Grand Prix title.
First alternates for the Final are Canada's Shae-Lynn Bourne/Victor Kraatz and second alternates are Marie-France Dubreuil/Patrice Lauzon, also from Canada.

Anissina/Peizerat take the silver at Europeans

When defending Champions Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat took the ice on Friday evening (january 26) at the Europeans in Bratislava, their main rivals had already skated. Barbara Fusar Poli/Maurizio Margaglio delivered a clean program. Marina and Gwendal looked somewhat tense from the very beginning, but they started well into their Beethoven program. They were fast and displayed a lot of good footwork. The audience carried them through the performance, but then everyting ended in a split of a second.

Gwendal suddenly slipped and fell, taking Marina down with him. They got up quickly after that ugly fall, but it was over. The title was lost. "I was probably less ‘free’ than she (Marina) was. We were well prepared, everything was going well, and it was our best competition." commented Gwendal. "I think it’s a pity, because Barbara and Maurizio won’t be happy to have won the Championship because of our fall. We have to tell ourselves that these are not the Olympic Games. We lost it (the competition) in the last ten seconds of the program. If that hadn’t happened we would have been European Champions." He explained that they are not planning to make major changes in their program.

Marina added: "We are taking risks in our program, so it can happen."

Anissina/Peizerat 2nd in Original Dance at Europeans

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat finished second to Italy's Barbara Fusar Poli/Maurizio Margaglio in the Original Dance on Thursday (January 25) at Europeans. The defending Champions delivered their best OD this season so far. Their elegant Foxtrott and fast paced Quickstep looked smooth and had much flow. Anissina/Peizerat had made some changes to the dance.

"We are very happy with how we’ve skated", commented Peizerat. "We did a lot of good work since the beginning of the season. Now we think already of the free dance. We know that we have a very good free dance and we want to give our best, to score the highest marks and to win strongly tomorrow. We have a lot of new things in the free dance, the program is much better now", he promised. Marina added: "We hope for the best for tomorrow. We are motivated, and we really want to do it. We expect a success, a triumph tomorrow."

The judges were divided on the top couples. Anissina/Peizerat got one first place ordinal (EST), five second place ordinals (SVK, BUL, JPN, AUS, FRA) and three third places (ITA, RUS, USA).

Anissina/Peizerat tied in first place after Compulsories at Europeans

Defending Champions Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat are tied in first place with Silver Medallists Barbara Fusar Poli/Maurizio Margaglio (Italy) after the Compulsories at Europeans in Bratislava. On Tuesday (January 23), Marina and Gwendal won the Westminster Waltz but placed second in the Silver Samba. In both dances, it was a split 5 to 4 decision.

"We have very good memories of Bratislava, because Marina and I did our very first competition together here, in this rink, and we won! (In 1993) We'd like to win again. We did well, without any mistake", Peizerat commented. Anissina added: "Sure, many things have changed since then (1993). It is fun to skate here, because the audience was great. We feel that they like us, support us and that helps.

Both dances went well. You can't compare the Waltz and the Samba, because they are very different. We try not to pay attention to the judging. We want to skate for the audience and for ourselves. We really wanted to come to the Europeans and to skate our best. We worked very  hard."

Anissina/Peizerat win French Nationals

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat clearly won French Nationals on Saturday (December 16) in Briancon. It was their sixth National title in a row.
They also won the Compulsories and the Original Dance.

Anissina/Peizerat win NHK Trophy for the fourth time

World Champions Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat won their fourth NHK Trophy on Saturday (December 2) in Asahikawa, Japan. It was their third win in as many Grand Prix events this season. The French put in a convincing performance of their "Beethoven's Last Night" Free Dance. The dynamic program contained good footwork at high speed and innovative lifts. The French showed interesting moves, for example Peizerat is lifting himself up on his partner's knees. However, some of the twizzles were a bit out of sync. Anissina/Peizerat scored marks ranging from 5.6 to 5.8 for technical merit and from 5.8 to 5.9 for presentation.

That meant straight first place ordinals from all nine judges. "We are very glad to have won the NHK Trophy for the fourth time", commented Peizerat. "We improved since the first competition this season, and this is the best we've skated so far this season."

Anissina/Peizerat retain lead in the OD at NHK Trophy

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat retained their lead in the OD at NHK Trophy in Asahikawa, Japan on Friday (December 1). The World Champions started well with an elegant and smooth Slow Fox to "More" by Nat King Cole. The part featured a very nice dance spin. However, their straight line footwork in the Quickstep "Dancing Fool" was out of sync at the beginning.
"We still have a lot of work to do", commented Anissina. "The performance today wasn't  perfect, but it was better than at the previous two competitions. It is physically difficult to do the footwork towards the end, but we'll stick to it." Anissina/Peizerat received marks up to 5.8 for both composition and presentation. All ninge judges had them first.

Anissina/Peizerat win Compulsory at NHK Trophy

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat won the compulsory dance (Rhumba) Thursday 30 November) in Asahikawa, Japan, at the NHK Trophy. The World Champions had  drawn first to skate just two hours before the competition started. Their  Rhumba was solid, and they took the lead. "Actually I liked to skate first", said Anissina. "We've never skated first before in competition, so it was a bit unusual. But you're done quickly, and I liked it for the Compulsory Dance." She felt that they had skated very well. The judges agreed and voted unanimously for the first place.

Anissina/Peizerat win the Gold at Trophee Lalique

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat overtook the leading Russian couple Irina Lobatcheva/Ilia Averbukh in the Free Dance Saturday (25 November) night in Paris in the Free Dance and won the Trophee Lalique. They showed much improvement since the debut of their program three weeks ago at Skate Canada. The difficult dance had much more flow, more speed and was skated with a lot more confidence. The French execute a lot of difficult steps at high speed. The pressure on Anissina/Peizerat was enormous. Gwendal looked tight when the team took the ice right after the Russian competitors. However, as soon as the music "Beethoven's Last Night" started, the French were right on and delivered a strong performance. At the end, Gwendal hugged Marina tightly, and their relief and happiness became obvious to everyone. The audience gave them a partly standing ovation. The French scored marks from 5.6 to 5.8 for technique and from 5.8 to one perfect 6.0 for presentation (from the French judge).

"We skated better than at Skate Canada", said Peizerat. "We are glad that we got a good response from the audience, but also from the judges and from the French Federation. Our program has still room left for improvement, and it will be perfect at the World Championships." He added: "The first mark reflects that our program is still at the beginning of the season and can be perfected. Compared to last year, I'm very pleased with the marks." He commented again on loosing the Original Dance the day before. "What happened yesterday wasn't a question of not being ready. It was an accident. It brought everything down to zero again, we had to chase the others. It is good for the sport - and if we still can win, I don't have any problem with it", he laughed.

Anissina/Peizerat collected 24 points in the Grand Prix and are qualified for the
Final. They will skate at NHK Trophy next week, their additional event.

Anissina/Peizerat second after CD and OD at Trophee Lalique

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat took the lead at the Compulsory at Trophee Lalique, but lost it in the Original Dance Friday (November 24) night. Their Tango Romantica (Compulsory) looked strong and confident. The French skated close together and showed good unison. They had a little mistake that didn't really affect their performance. "We skated well", said Anissina. "There was a very small mistake, but it wasn't bad. I don't want to blame it on the ice, it's still just the beginning of the season for us."

Their OD looked much improved since they debuted it at Skate Canada three weeks ago. The Slowfox "More" was smooth and soft, the Quickstep "Dancing Fool" fast and full of turns. Gwendal unfortunaly slightly slipped and nearly fell, but recovered in a split of a second. However, in a split decision (six to three judges), Anissina/Peizerat lost the OD to Russia's Irina Lobatcheva/Ilia Averbukh. The French were disappointed about their mistake. "The beginning was good, but there was a little mistake at the end that spoiled the rest a bit. We are somewhat disappointed about that. We have to do much more run throughs and need more time", said Peizerat. Asked how the slip happened, he explained: "It just happened so fast. I arched my back to much and lost balance."

Anissina & Peizerat win Skate Canada - First Gold this season

World Champions Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat started their new season with a clear victory at Skate Canada in Mississauga. The event concluded Sunday with the Free Dance. The French were the last of the current World Medallists to unveil their new Free Dance. As they had managed to keep secret their music "Beethoven's Last Night" for a long time, everyone was very curious about what the French had put together over the summer.

Anissina/Peizerat did not dissappoint their competitors and fans. "Beethoven's Last Night" features extremly difficult footwork, orignal spins and lifts. Marina and Gwendal had even come up with yet another unique lift where Gwendal is lifting himself up on Marina's knees! The dance combines classical pieces by Ludwig van Beethoven from "Moonlight Sonata" and the 9th Symphony ("Freude Schöner Götterfunken") with more modern music, inspired by the German composer. The Free Dance tells the story of Beethoven's last night on earth. At the end, the team slowed down a bit, but overall the impression was strong. "We still a bit stuck with some technical things", Gwendal commented. The French received 5.7s and one 5.6 for technique and marks from 5.7 to 5.9 for presentation. All seven judges had them in first place.

"We are very happy with what we've done today", said Peizerat. "We know we've still a lot of work to do and we'll improve a lot during the season. We are glad that a lot of people liked the program." The team still wants to skate much more emotionally. "Don't worry, it will be a lot more theatrical, the emotion will come", Gwendal promised. Marina, who still suffered from her bad cold, was also pleased with the performance.

A&P lead after the CD at Skate Canada

As expected, reigning World Champions Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat took the lead easily Thursday (November 2) at their first Grand Prix event, Skate Canada, in Mississauga. They got first place votes from all seven judges in the compulsory dance, the Rhumba. The marks ranged from 5.4 to 5.7 for technique and from 5.6 to 5.8 for timing and expression. "Today was the first day of the competition, and we are happy with our presentation in the Compulsory Dance", said Anissina. "Our first competition started well and we are glad that the new season took off." Asked about the marks, Gwendal explained: "The marks are never very high in the compulsory dance. They were good for the first competition."

Anissina & Peizerat arrived safely at Skate Canada

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat arrived safeley in Toronto for Skate Canada in spite of the storms in France. Many flights were cancelled or delayed and the few that could leave were overbooked. "We hardly got on the plane", said Marina.
"They told us that there is no room, that we have to fly tomorrow. But we had to go, because we need the practice at Skate Canada, to try the  ice and to adapt to the different size of the rink." The airline officials  finally found place for the World Champions so they arrived Tuesday. The  French took the ice for the first time Wednesday morning and were greeted by  an enthusiastic audience. Anissina/Peizerat presented their new OD in practice.

French tour finishes on a high note

The French Tour finished on a high note on Wednesday (May 10) in Reims for Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat and the rest of the French team. After five weeks, the skaters had a lot of fun at the last stop and celebrated the end of the tour. In the second part, they joked with each other. For example, when pair skaters Sarah Abitbol/Stephane Bernadis did their "Zorro" number, the other skaters had dressed up as "Zorros" as well and came on the ice. Anissina/Peizerat did "Esmaralda" in the second part, and the other skaters sung the song on the microphone alongside the music. At the end, Bernadis stepped on the ice, carrying a young local skater who also had long red hair, and imitated the beginning pose of the number. Everyone stormed on the ice at the end of Marina and Gwendal's enocre, the Merengue part from the OD. In the first part, the World Champions showed a three-minute version of their gold winning Free Dance "Carmina Burana".

They both had enjoyed the tour very much. The tour had started on April 6 and consisted of 24 shows in 22 cities. According to tour manager André Philippe, the tour was a big success with sold out arenas everywhere. "But it was long, and I'm a bit tired", admitted Marina. Well, there's no time for vacation yet. On Thursday, she and her partner took the plane from Paris to fly to the US to join the Tom Collins Tour. They will stay until the end of this tour. Then, Marina is looking forward to have some time off, she plans to relax somewhere on the beach.

Four times 6,0 for Anissina & Peizerat at the Masters Miko 2000

In their first competition since they won Worlds in Nice, Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat took home the victory at the Masters Miko in Paris (April 27 and 28). In this first pro am competition in France ever, the crowd favorites got four times a perfect 6,0 for presentation in the artistic program.

They had chosen to skate to "Danse mon Esmeralda" from the musical "Notre Dame de Paris". Gwendal filled the role of a suffering Quasimodo perfectly while Marina was a wounderful Esmeralda. As expected, the French had also won the Original Dance before this. They skated to a shortened version of this season's OD - the Rhumba and the Merengue part - with power and expression.

The Masters Miko opposed a Russian and a French team. In the ice dancing event, Russian Champions Irina Lobatcheva/Ilia Averbukh competed with Anissina/Peizerat. There were only two professionals skating, Olga Markova and Eric Millot in the singles event.

Originally, the Masters Miko was set to the theme of "Future", but only a few skaters had programs ready. There was not enough time to do new ones so shortly after Worlds. Lobatcheva/Averbukh used a revised version of their "Release" program that they had skated at Europeans in futuristic costumes.

In the exhibition, Anissina/Peizerat skated to a three minute version of "Carmina Burana" that fascinated the audience once more. Currently, the ice dancers are on tour with the French team and will join the Tom Collins Tour after this.

Anissina/Peizerat are World Champions 2000

"Winning the Worlds at home, in France is a dream come true. A dream, we didn't even think about a couple of years ago" said Gwendal Peizerat, visibly moved, after he and Marina Anissina had stepped on the very top of the ice dance podium Friday night (31 March) at Worlds in Nice. It was also a dream for the 8 000 spectators at the ice rink who supported their team with endless cheering.

However, Marina and Gwendal looked tense when they took the ice. "It has been extremely difficult to concenctrate. The audience was great, but there was also a lot of pressure", recalled Marina. The six minutes warm up must have been like hell. Anissina/Peizerat skated first in their flight, and their names were hardly to be heard, when the crowd greeted them once again with defeaning applause. They started their beautiful Carmina Burana program, and they pulled it through. All the difficult elements; the lifts, the steps, the spins melted into one flowing movement. "We were a little off balance in the deep move, but it's a very difficult one, so I think we did very well overall, and we are pleased", said Anissina.

Eight judges awarded the team a 5.8 for technique and one judge (from USA) gave a 5.7, and the crowd suddenly went quiet. But when the presentation marks came up, the French hugged each other tightly in the Kiss & Cry. Four 6.0 (from France, Israel, USA and Poland) and five 5.9 were hard to beat, and they knew they should have won. In fact, all nine judges put Anissina/Peizerat first while the Italian team Fusar-Poli/Margaglio got nine second place ordinals. During the victory ceremony, the whole crowd sung the French National anthem.

"I've a lot of emotions. We never put so much physically and mentally into a program. I'll feel this for a long time in my body", commented Peizerat. "It wasn't easy tonight. With the thought competition we had, we had to give the very best. There were doubts." Doubts, after the French had lost the OD to their rivals from Italy. It was a happy end, but not the end of the story. "We haven't yet reached our limits, we can get better", Gwendal promised.

The World title for Anissina/Peizerat is the first one for France since Isabelle and Paul Duchesnay won Worlds 1991 in Munich.

Anissina/Peizerat lose OD to Fusar-Poli/Margaglio

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat unexpectantly lost the Original Dance (Latin Combination) to the Italians Barbara Fusar-Poli/Maurizio Margaglio on Thursday (March 30) afternoon at Worlds. The European Champions started well into their fast paced Samba, but then Gwendal somehow slipped in the side by side step secquence. The new Rhumba "Nostalgia de Palmeras" was smooth and included a beautiful lift. But the mistake costed the French dearly. The lost in a split decision five to four to the Italian team.

"I guess I had to much power going into the steps", Peizerat explained. "I can't say exactly what happened. I was a bit off balance. We didn't want to assure our position, we just wanted to show the best we can." Marina remained optimistic for the free dance on Friday. "Tomorrow , it's a different story, another competition.

The European Champions drew to skate first in the last flight. "It can be good to skate first", Peizerat said. "You don't lose the contact with the ice after the warm up. We've skated first in our group before, at Europeans for example."

Anissina/Peizerat win compulsories at Worlds

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat clearly won the compulsory dances at Worlds on Tuesday (March 28). Their Vienniese Waltz looked good, and their Argentine Tango was excellent. The marks went up to 5.9 (for technique and expression) in the Waltz and up to 5.9 for timing and expression in the Tango. In both dances, one judge placed Anissina/Peizerat 2nd, but everyone else had them first.

Both skaters were very happy with the way they started the competition. "This is very important to us. The Worlds are in Nice, in France. We were very focused. It doesn’t matter if we are the favorits or not. We prepare for each competition to be ready", said Marina. "I like both dances, and we skated the compulsories better than at Europeans", she added. "Don’t say it too much. This is just the beginning of the competition," she cautioned when asked how it does feel to be the sure winner. "We worked a lot on interpretation and the purity of the technique in the compulsories", Gwendal explained.

For the Original Dance on Friday, Anissina/Peizerat drew to skate next to last in the final flight.

"I never felt as stressed as today. We were tense. We wanted to win so much", said Marina right after the performance. As always, the French remained realistic and down to earth. "At the end of the program, I was happy that we didn't make any mistakes and that the audience liked our performance. But we can skate this program better", she added. "We always think that we can do better", Gwendal added.

Anissina/Peizerat win the Original Dance

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat are on their way to win their fist European title. They maintained their lead after the compulsories by winning the Original Dance on Thursday afternoon. Their Latin Combination, consisting of Samba, Rumba and Merengue, impressed with speed and excellent footwork. Six judges put the French first, but the other three voted for the Italian couple Fusar-Poli/ Magaglio. The Australian judge only awarded a 5.6 for technique and 5.7 for presentation. "Yes, I saw the 5.6, but I didn't know from which judge it came from. I didn't know at all who is on the panel, and it doesn't really matter to me anyway", explained Marina. "I had thought of switching on the TV and watching while I was still at the hotel, but then I didn't. While skating, I saw the judges from Israel and from France and the Russian substitute judge." Both were happy with their performance. "We felt better than in the compulsories", said Gwendal. "The atmosphere at the arena was better, there were more people. We are ready for tomorrow's free dance."

Anissina/Peizerat lead at Europeans

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat are leading at Europeans in Vienna, Austria (February 6 to 13) after the compulsory dances. The French team had two little mistakes in the Yankee Polka, but still got first place ordinals from all seven judges. Anissina/Peizerat's Argentine Tango was fine, but they faced tough competition from Italy's Barbara Fusar-Poli/Maurizio Margaglio. A&P won the second dance in a split decision with 5 to 4 judges.

"Well, we had two little mistakes in the first dance. But they didn't affect the overall skating and expression", said Marina. "The second dance went very well. We are here to skate and to earn our placement. We really appreciate the support of the audience." Gwendal added: "This was a very good start into the competition. We enjoyed skating the Polka and Tango, and we are looking forward to the rest of the competition."

Four times 6,0 for Anissina/Peizerat at Grand Prix Final 2000

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat won their first Grand Prix Final on Saturday (January 15) and got four perfect 6,0s for presentation in the second Free Dance (Carmina Burana). In the Original Dance, the French presented a completely changed version. They now start with the Samba and then comes the Rhumba. At the end, they added a piece of Merengue. "To enlighten the routine", as Gwendal explained. The changed OD looks very dynamic and was well received by the audience and the judges. "We really worked hard on the OD, which has completely changed", said Marina. "We are happy about the way we skated it. People were telling us it doesn't look like it's so new.

Actually, we didn't have much time to change it, because I caught the flu over the holidays (in December). We found the new piece of music accidentally, we liked it and so we added it. Everything worked out well."

In the Free Dance, Anissina/Peizerat triumphed again and no one matched their power and presence of the ice. Their footwork was fast and difficult, they turn a lot and their breathtaking lifts excited the crowd in the sold out stadium. The judges from Italy, France, USA and Lithuania awarded A&P a 6,0, the other three judges opted for a 5,9. The marks for technique reached also 5,9.

"There was some more pressure in skating in front of our home crowd", said Gwendal. "You want to give everything, you want to give your heart and to be there totally." On the other hand the team enjoyed to skate at home. "It's easier and more difficult at the same time", said Gwendal.

Now the French are looking forward to the next competitions. "This is the middle of the season for us, and we still can do better. Our Free Dance improved a lot already, but we will continue to improve, we want to do it smoother, faster, with more expression, everything!"

Anissina/Peizerat lead after the first round at the Final

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat started well in the Grand Prix Final in their hometown of Lyon on Friday. They easily took the lead in the first round of the event.The Grand Prix has a new format for the first time. The skaters have to perform a Free Dance and their Original Dance. The top four advance to the final round where the skaters placed third and fourth and the skaters placed first and second will compete head to head respectively.

However, Marina and Gwendal skated their "Man in the Iron Mask" brilliantly, displaying high speed, spectacular lifts and difficult footwork. They received first place ordinals by all judges, and the Italian judge even awarded them a 6,0 for presentation.

Fall shocks Anissina/Peizerat at Nationals - Gold and five time 6,0

A bad fall shocked Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat during their Free Dance at French Nationals Saturday (December 11) in Courchevel. Apparently Gwendal's boot had come loose, and he fell suddenly hard in the middle of the demanding "Carmina Burana" program. Marina and Gwendal had to stop their performance and looked on the ice for a lace of the boot. The referee allowed them to continue the dance from the point of the fall. Marina and Gwendal pulled themselves together and managed to finish the program strongly. The judges awarded them five times the maximum mark of 6,0 for presentation. Anissina/Peizerat defended their title and are French Champions.

Anissina/Peizerat win NHK Trophy 1999

With a victory at NHK Trophy in Japan on Saturday (December 4), Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat qualified for the Grand Prix Final. The Final will be held in their hometown of Lyon.

Their Free Dance to "Carmina Burana" was very powerful und fast. The couple had bumped up the speed since Trophee Lalique two weeks ago. The lifts, the steps and all the other elements amazed the audience. The difficulty of the steps is impressive. After the performance, many fans rushed to the boards to throw presents and flowers on the ice. The judges gave marks up to 5,8 for technique and up to 5,9 for artstic impression.

"We are very happy about today's performance", said Gwendal. "After Lalique, we only had one week to work, and it was hard. But we skated a lot better here than at Lalique, and this is very encouraging for the rest of the season. This program has the potential to bring us the Gold at Worlds."

Anissina/Peizerat maintain lead in the OD

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat kept their lead in the Original Dance on Friday at NHK Trophy in Nagoya, Japan. Their Latin Combination featured a sensual Rhumba and a fast paced Samba. Their step sequences were well synchronized and skated close together. The team made changes in the dance, they had changed some steps and moves. The judges awarded the flawless performance with marks form 5,5 to 5,7 for composition and from 5,5 to 5,8 for presentation. "I'm pleased with this OD", said Marina. "We made some changes, and we will do so more. There was not enough time yet to change everything we wanted." The couple also had a new costume. Marina wore a pink dress, and Gwendal dark blue trousers and a wide shirt.

Anissina/Peizerat take lead at NHK Trophy

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat took the lead at the NHK Trophy at the Compulsory Dance Thursday evening (December 2nd) in Nagoya, Japan. Their Yankee Polka had speed and was right on the beat. Both skaters were pleased with their performance. Their marks ranged from 5,3 to 5,7 for composition and from 5,4 to 5,8 for timing and expression.

6,0 and Gold for Anissina/Peizerat at Trophee Lalique 1999

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat won a perfect 6,0 and the Gold at Trophee Lalique Saturday (November 20) night in Paris. Their captivating Free Dance, set to the powerful "Carmina Burana" by Carl Orff, was breathtaking. The program never came to a stop, it was one fluid movement. At the same time the incredible dance featured many difficult steps and turns, as well as spectacular lifts. Right at the beginning, Gwendal lifts Marina so she rests on his head. Marina also lifts her partner in a move similar to the inverse lift from "Romeo and Juliet".

"We are very pleased with the way we skated, but there is still a lot left to work on", said Marina. "It is very encouraging to get a 6,0 at the beginning of the season", added Gwendal. "But we want to give more."

The night before, the French had also won the Original Dance. For their Latin Combination, they chose a very sensual Rhumba "Passion" and a wild Samba "Black Machine". The Rhumba is not a traditional one and different from others. Some observers critisized that it was not a "real Rhumba". However, Anissina/ Peizerat use the correct rhythm and just interpret the dance in a new and different way. "It was a good dance, the audience liked it", commented Gwendal.

Anissina/Peizerat lead at Trophee Lalique

In their first competition this season, Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat took the lead easily in the Compulsory Dance Thursday night (November 18) in Paris at the Trophee Lalique. Their Argentino Tango was very expressive and skated strongly. The marks went up to 5.7 for technique and up to 5.9 for timing and expression.

1999 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN HELSINKI

Anissina & Peizerat win the silver at Worlds - and the hearts

Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat may not have won the ice dance gold medal on Friday, March 26th at Worlds in Helsinki, but they won the hearts of millions of ice dance fans from all over the world with their stunning performance of the "Man in the Iron Mask" free dance. The audience was behind them all the way through, the program was skated better than ever: fast, difficult moves and steps, flow and full of emotions all melted together to the highlight of the week at Worlds. However, five of the nine judges on the panel (GER, ITA, CHN, RUS and UKR) voted against the French and they won the silver, not the gold. The judges from Canada, USA, GBR and BUL had them first. It was Anissina & Peizerat's best performance of the season. "Of course we are sad and disappointed that we didn't win tonight", Gwendal said. "We fought until the end, and we have to move on now. Next year!" The reaction of the audience who cheered for them endlessly was a comfort for the French, as Gwendal said. "This support gives us the power to carry on. This is very important to us, and it can't be replaced by anything - even not by a medal."
Some unexpected things happended during the event. The Italian and the German judges, who seemed to support Anissina & Peizerat (the Italian voted for them in other competitions) suddenly had them second. The Chinese judge changed his marks in the last minute. The French Federation planned to file a protest. However, it is the right of the judge to change his marks. He can do that until the announcer says "The marks for..."
However, Marina and Gwendal are the true champions of the heart!

Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat win OD at Worlds!

A&P surprisingly won the Original Dance on Thursday at the Worlds in Helskinki. Their Waltz was excellent, flowing and had speed.It had been improved again since the Grand Prix Final in St. Petersburg. When the second marks and the ordinals came up, the skaters hugged in the Kiss and Cry, and Gwendal shouted in joy. His first comment immediately afterward was just: "WOW!!!!" Marina smiled. "We skated very well, we were really into it. I think we deserved to win the Waltz." "It was great", Gwendal said later in the press conference following the draw. "We did a good job today. We felt very confident on our Waltz. We beat Anjelika and Oleg for the first time in the Waltz. Getting off the ice, were were just happy with the way we skated and with the reaction of the audience. This was really important to us. Yes, we were surprised to see the result. It's a big change in our sport that we can see that we really move during the competition." He added: "The competition isn't over yet." It was a close split five to four decision. The French had five first places (HUN, SUI, EST, GER, FRA), two second places (JPN, POL) and two third places (RUS, CAN).

A&P were second in the compulsories (Paso Doble and Tango Romantica) on Tuesday, March 23rd at the World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. The Paso Doble was excellent, looked dynamic and sharp. However, the jugdes weren't in favor of the French and placed them only 3rd. The Tango Romantica also was skated very well. The second panel was more on the side of the current World Silver Medalists and they finished second here, so that they are tied with the Canadians Shae-Lynn Bourne/Victor Kraatz in second after the compulsories. "It went very well. We have worked a lot and it showed",. Marina said. I was a bit shocked that we were 3rd in the first dance. But the compulsories are counting only 20%, and the competition continues." Also Gwendal was shocked after the first dance. "I thought they are going to keep us in 3rd, and that would have been it. Well, now there is still hope.

Anissina/Peizerat narrowly beaten at Grand Prix in St. Petersburg '99

A&P just were narrowly beaten at the Grand Prix Final in Sankt Petersburg, Russia (March 5th to 7th). In a close decision they lost by four to three judges against their main rivals, World Champions Anjelika Krylova/Oleg Ovsiannikov (Russia). The French delivered a strong Paso Doble compulsory dance and a strong waltz. They had changed some steps towards the end of the waltz to make it speedier, as Peizerat explained. Already then they had three judges on their side.

However, the free skating lacked a bit the magic and fire from Prague (Europeans), as Gwendal said. "The music was not loud enough, and the ice was very hard", he explained. But he views it as a good sign that even in Russia they won over three judges (France, USA and Italy). The knowledgable audience supported the French couple well during the performance. The marks went up to 5,7 for technical merit and 5,9 for artistic impression

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS 1999

Anissina/Peizerat are European Silver Medallists 1999!

A&P won their first silver medal at Europeans on Friday night in Prague (January 29th). In an exciting final, they just lost in a split decision to Russia's World Champions Anzhelika Krylova/Oleg Ovsiannikov. But they had won the audience in the near sold out arena. The fascinating free dance, set to the soundtrack of "The Man in the Iron Mask" brought the crowd to its feet. The public supported the French team throughout the program and yelled and booed at the marks. If the old results system (majority of judges) would have been in place, Anissina & Peizerat would have won. "It is important that we won the audience. I think we are European Champions in the eyes of the audience and for us", Gwendal said. "I'm not disappointed, because we skated well. I would have been disappointed if we made a mistake and lost because of this. I knew that the marks of Krylova and Ovsiannikov were quite low, and I thought we have a chance to win. Well, there will be a next time."

Anissina/Peizerat finish second in the OD

A&P finished second in the OD on Thursday in Prague. They presented their new Waltz to music from the Russian film "Moi laskovyi i nezhnyi zver'" ("My soft and tender beast") for the first time in competition. The Waltz was flowing and emotional. It was accelerating and decelerating, and perfectly expressed the character of the dance. Anissina & Peizerat displayed great lines and speed. They received marks up to 5,9. However, the judges didn't vote unanimously for a second place.The Italian and French judge had the couple first, the US and the British judge put them third. "We are very pleased with our performance", Marina said. "We skated it for the first time in competition, and it was really coming out from inside of us. Tomorrow we will fight for the gold. We are prepared and ready for it." Added Gwendal: "We started to work on it in January, so it was a lot of work. Yes, we are very confident about our free program, and we expect a lot from tomorrow."

Anissina/Peizerat 2nd after the compulsories

A&P skated to clean compulsory dances (Ravensburg Waltz and Tango) to finish second in this part of the competition. Both compulsories were skated cleanly. Their marks ranged from 5,5 to 5,7 (A) and 5,6 to 5,8 (B) in the Waltz and from 5,4 to 5,7 (A) and 5,6 to 5,8 (B) in the Tango. Just the judge from the USA had Anissina & Peizerat 3rd in this dance. "We had good expression in both dances", Marina said. "We hope that we get better marks in the OD and Free Dance", Gwendal commented. "I think the difference (between their marks and those of Krylova/Ovsiannikov) was too big."

Anissina/Peizerat have a new OD waltz!

A&P changed their OD and are skating now to music from the Russian movie "Moi laskovyi i nezhnii zver'" (My sweet and tender beast"), a melanchonic and dramatic piece which underlines perfectly Marina's and Gwendal's emotional style."We changed the waltz because many other couples also used the music (Waltz Masquerade by Aram Katchaturian)", coach Muriel Boucher-Zazoui said. They started to work on the new waltz right after Trophee Lalique. "It was a lot of work", Boucher-Zazoui added.

French Nationals 1999

Five time 6.0 for Anissina & Peizerat at Nationals

A&P triumphed at French Nationals in their hometown of Lyon (December 18th to 20th) and received five time 6.0 for artistic impression in the free dance. The couple never had received so many 6.0s in their career. According to the French press, their only 6.0 at Nationals dates back two years. They got another one at the Grand Prix Final in Munich in december 1997. "This is beautiful", said Marina. "We will work to get these marks also at the Europeans", Gwendal added. Their FD has improved again since their last competition, was even smoother and more powerful. Of course, A&P dominated the competition and also won the Compulsory and the Original Dance.

NHK Trophy 1998

A&P won clearly OD and FD and thus the NHK Trophy in Japan. With their third victory in their third Grand Prix event this season, A&P advanced easily to the Grand Prix Final in Russia next march. For the waltz, the French team received marks ranging from 5.6 to 5.8 (A) and 5.7 to 5.8 (B). All judges placed them first as well in the free dance with marks from 5.6 to 5.8 (A) and 5.8 to 5.9 (B).

Marina and Gwendal easily took the lead in the Compulsory Dance at NHK Trophy in Japan. They received marks from 5.5 to 5.7 (A) and 5.6 to 5.8 (B). NHK Trophy is the third Grand Prix event and the second scoring event for the Olympic Bronze medalist. They want to secure their place in the Grand Prix Final there.

Trophee Lalique 1998

A&P skated their free dance in the exhibition at Trophee Lalique, but unfortunaly Marina twisted her right thumb and the couple could not do an encore. Marina's thumb was bandaged, but she did come back on the ice and waved to the crowd in the parade of champions.

A&P clearly won the free dance and the Trophee Lalique on Saturday evening in Paris. Their passionate interpretation of the movie soundtrack "Man in the Iron Mask" brought the audience to its feet. The lifts and the flow were amazing, even more so than at Skate America according to some observers. The marks went up to 5.9. In the warm up, Gwendal crashed into Israelian competitor Sergei Sachnovski. "I don't know why it happened", Gwendal said. The judges critizised that the circular step sequence wasn't closed and the diagonal one didn't go from one end to the other, he explained. "But we will fix that until the next competition", Gwendal promised. Gwendal named winning the World title as the main goal for the season. "We are Vice-Champions, and it always has been our goal to advance further." He regretted that they don't meet the other top ice dance couples before the Grand Prix Final or the Europeans/World Championships. "We are doing three competition in the series, they are doing two. This is a strategic game. I would have liked to meet them before."

A&P won the Original Dance on Friday evening in Paris at the Trophee Lalique in spite of a fall. They fell during the last part of the waltz during a small lift, when Gwendal suddenly tripped over a sequin someone had lost on the ice. He came down first, Marina fell on top of him. But they were up again very quickly and back into the music immediately. "I didn't understand what happened", Gwendal said. "There was something on the ice, a sequin, a little stone. I had no balance problem in the waltz. The rest of it went well". "We only missed three steps", he added. "This was the mistake of the season, knock on wood". The rest of the waltz was good indeed, smooth and powerful. The French received marks ranging from 5.1 to 5.5 for composition and 5.6 to 5.8 for presentation.

A&P took the lead easily at the Trophee Lalique in Paris beginning with the compulsory dance on Thursday evening. They interpreted the character of the Blues very well, had the right timing and received marks ranging from 5.4 to 5.7 (A) and 5.6 to 5.8 (B).

Skate America 1998

A&P's new free dance debuted Saturday evening in Detroit, and it was just great. The flow and speed were amazing, the lifts difficult and daring, and there are plenty of new and unique moves in the program. This dance will be hard to top. The audience loved it, the press loved it, only the judges were reserved and deducted something in the first mark, so that the first mark ranged from 5.4. to 5.7. For presentation, A&P got marks from 5.7 to 5.9. "I don't know why we got deductions", Gwendal said. "I'm sure that there is nothing forbidden in the program and that nothing is missing either." He said that it was difficult for them during the summer when they put together the routine, because the rules were changing quite often. "We were in touch with the ISU constantly." However, Gwendal said the team would be ready to make changes in the program if something should be wrong. Coach Muriel Boucher-Zazoui will get into touch with the ISU to find out what the judges deducted in the program.

The French were pretty excited about skating their new program in front of an audience for the very first time. They were obviously relieved that the program was received with enthusiasm by the audience. The first thing Gwendal asked in the press conference was if the journalists liked their program (which they did). "There was much pressure because of last year", Peizerat explained. "Everyone talked about Romeo and Juliette."

A&P had a very good start into the post olympic season at Skate America in Detroit. They unveiled their new "Waltz Masquerade" Original Dance and their "Man in the Iron Mask" free dance. Just about two week prior to the competition, Marina had hurt her ankle badly in practice. "It was all swollen", she said. "I thought we wouldn't be able to come here." Fortunaly, the ankle is better now. She still experiences some pain when she's warming up on the floor, but it's ok when she skates because the boot is stabilizing the ankle, as she said.

The French took the lead right away with the "Ravensburg Waltz" in the compulsory, skating confidently and well. There was no one who equaled their speed and flow in the OD either. A&P chose "Waltz Masquerade" by Armenian composer Aram Katchaturian, a dramatic and powerful music. "We wanted to do a classical waltz", Marina explains. "This was a good start for our first competition this season", Gwendal commented on the debut of the new OD. Their marks ranged from 5.5 to 5.7 for composition and 5.6 to 5.8 for presentation. Gwendal said he wasn't aware of any problem in the program when asked why the marks were a bit low. The two US teams Lang/Tchernyshev and Chalom/Gates used the same music as A&P. "This doens't really matter in the OD", Peizerat said. "The important thing is the originality of the composition."