Yannick Ponsero

Yannick Ponsero
Ponsero at the 2008 Skate Canada.
Born (1986-10-17) 17 October 1986 (age 38)
Annecy, France
HometownPringy, Haute-Savoie
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Figure skating career
CountryFrance
CoachDidier Lucine
Sophie Golaz
Claudie Lucine
Skating clubSG Annecy

Yannick Ponsero (born 17 October 1986) is a French former competitive figure skater. He won two medals at the World Junior Championships (silver in 2005, bronze in 2006) and two medals on the ISU Junior Grand Prix series, including gold in France. On the senior level, he is the 2008 NHK Trophy bronze medalist, a two-time International Cup of Nice champion, and the 2009 French national champion.

Personal life

Ponsero was born on 17 October 1986 in Annecy, France.[1] In addition to skating, he competed in skiing events until the age of 12. He studied physiotherapy.[2]

Career

Ponsero began skating at age four after watching his sister Christina at the rink. He represented the SG Annecy club and was coached by Didier Lucine for many years.

In the 2001–02 season, Ponsero debuted on the Junior Grand Prix (JGP) series and competed at his first World Junior Championships, finishing 8th. In March 2005, he stepped onto the podium at the World Junior Championships in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada; ranked third in his qualifying group, first in the short program, and second in the free skate, he won the silver medal behind Nobunari Oda of Japan.

Making his senior Grand Prix (GP) debut, Ponsero placed fifth in October 2005 at Skate America. He was seventh at his second GP assignment, the 2005 NHK Trophy. In March 2006, he ranked second in his qualifying group, first in the short, and seventh in the free at the World Junior Championships in Ljubljana, Slovenia; he was awarded the bronze medal behind Japan's Takahiko Kozuka and Russia's Sergei Voronov.

Ponsero won the International Cup of Nice in 2007 and 2008. Competing in the 2008–09 Grand Prix series, he finished fourth at the 2008 Skate Canada International, having dropped from first after the short program. He won his only Grand Prix medal, a bronze, at the 2008 NHK Trophy and became an alternate for the Grand Prix Final. At the 2009 European Championships, Ponsero was 9th following the short program. He won the long program with a new personal best but missed out on a medal by 0.06 of a point.[3]

At the 2010 European Championships, Ponsero was third following the short program and seventh in the long program, finishing sixth overall. He was not selected for either the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver or the 2010 World Championships in Turin. In January 2011, he announced that he had decided to take time off from skating in order to focus on his studies.[4]

Programs

Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2010–11
  • La Corrida
    by F. Gabrel
  • Diem
    by Rodrigo y Gabriela
2009–10
[1]
  • La Corrida
    by F. Gabrel
  • Diem
    by Rodrigo y Gabriela
2008–09
[5]
2007–08
[6]
2006–07
[7]
  • In the Mood for Love
    remix by Maxime Rodriguez
  • The Da Vinci Code
    remix by Maxime Rodriguez
2005–06
[8]
  • In the Mood for Love
    remix by Maxime Rodriguez
  • Les Lacs Du Conemara
    by Michael Sardou
    remix by Maxime Rodriguez
2003–04
[9]
2001–03
[10][11]
  • Vivre Pour le Meilleur
    by Johnny Hallyday

Competitive highlights

GP: Grand Prix; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

International[12]
Event 01–02 02–03 03–04 04–05 05–06 06–07 07–08 08–09 09–10 10–11
Worlds 14th 18th 16th
Europeans 12th 12th 4th 6th
GP Bompard 5th
GP Cup of China 7th 5th
GP Cup of Russia 6th
GP NHK Trophy 7th 3rd
GP Skate America 5th
GP Skate Canada 6th 6th 4th
Cup of Nice 1st 1st WD
Nebelhorn 3rd 6th
NRW Trophy 1st
Universiade 9th
International: Junior[12]
Junior Worlds 8th 14th 9th 2nd 3rd
JGP Czech Rep. 5th
JGP France 1st
JGP Germany 5th
JGP Italy 13th 6th
JGP Netherlands 9th
JGP Poland 6th
JGP Slovakia 3rd
EYOF 2nd
National[12]
French Champ. 14th 10th 5th 5th 2nd 2nd 1st 2nd
Master's 1st J. 1st J. 1st J. 1st J. 4th 3rd 2nd 3rd 4th
J. = Junior level; WD = Withdrew

References

  1. ^ a b "Yannick PONSERO: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 16 March 2010.
  2. ^ Mittan, Barry (8 February 2008). "World Champion of Training". SkateToday. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
  3. ^ "A new start for the French national champion". Icenetwork. January 30, 2009. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
  4. ^ "Yannick PONSERO : I chose my studies over figure skating". annecy-infosports.com. 13 January 2011. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011.
  5. ^ "Yannick PONSERO: 2008/2009". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 June 2009.
  6. ^ "Yannick PONSERO: 2007/2008". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 9 June 2008.
  7. ^ "Yannick PONSERO: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 12 August 2007.
  8. ^ "Yannick PONSERO: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 23 May 2006.
  9. ^ "Yannick PONSERO: 2003/2004". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 4 June 2004.
  10. ^ "Yannick PONSERO: 2002/2003". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 15 April 2003.
  11. ^ "Yannick PONSERO: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2 June 2002.
  12. ^ a b c "Competition Results: Yannick PONSERO". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
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