Isabelle_Delobel

Isabelle Delobel

Isabelle Delobel

French ice dancer

Isabelle Delobel (born 17 June 1978) is a French former competitive ice dancer. With partner Olivier Schoenfelder, she is the 2008 World champion, the 2007 European champion, and the 2008 Grand Prix Final champion.

Quick Facts Born, Height ...

Delobel and Schoenfelder retired from competitive skating following the 2010 Winter Olympics, having skated together for two decades.

Career

Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder at the 2008–09 Grand Prix Final

Delobel was born on 17 June 1978 in Clermont-Ferrand.[1] She began skating at age six and began ice dancing after only a year in singles.[2] She skated with her brother, Laurent, for three years.[2] She later moved to train in Lyon.[2]

Delobel and Schoenfelder were paired together in 1990 by coach Lydie Bontemps on the suggestion of Irina Moiseeva and Andrei Minenkov.[2][1][3] They won a silver medal at 1996 Junior Worlds before turning senior prior to the 1996–97 season. They won their first Grand Prix medal at the 1999 Skate Canada. Early in their career, they were coached by Muriel Boucher-Zazoui in Lyon, France. Tatiana Tarasova and Nikolai Morozov were their choreographers from 1998 to 2002 and their coaches from 2000 to 2002 in Newington, Connecticut.[2][4] While practising a lift at French Nationals in December 2001, Delobel tore an abdominal muscle, keeping her off the ice for six weeks and forcing the team to miss the European Championships.[2] Feeling more comfortable in France, Delobel and Schoenfelder decided to return to Lyon and Boucher-Zazoui after the 2001–2002 season.[2]

They won their first national championship in the 2002–2003 season. Delobel and Schoenfelder worked with choreographer Pasquale Camerlengo for the 2005–2006 season.[5]

Delobel and Schoenfelder often finished just outside the medals at major events,[6] including a 4th place at the 2006 Olympics, less than two points behind the bronze medalists.[7] The following season, they won their only European title but were unable to win a medal at Worlds.

Delobel and Schoenfelder did not repeat as European champions the following year, finishing second. They then went on to win the 2008 World Championships. They were first in both the compulsory and original dance portions of the event, and second in the free dance.[8] They considered retiring but decided to continue competing.[9]

Delobel and Schoenfelder perform a lift during exhibitions at the 2007 European Championships.

They began the 2008–09 season with wins in all three Grand Prix appearances – Skate America, Trophée Eric Bompard, and the Grand Prix Final. During their gala exhibition performance at the Grand Prix Final in December 2009, Delobel suffered a shoulder injury and underwent surgery on 5 January 2009, causing them to miss the remainder of the season.[1][10]

Delobel became pregnant during the injury layoff.[11] She and Schoenfelder trained cautiously, with Marie-France Dubreuil substituting for Delobel in lifts.[12] Dubreuil, along with Patrice Lauzon, also choreographed their final free dance.[12] Occasional falls caused Delobel to leave the ice in late July.[11]

Delobel's son was born in October and she returned to the ice toward the end of the month, beginning three-a-day sessions and intense physical training in November.[11] They also skipped French Nationals and the European Championships in order to spend more time on training.[11] The two returned in time for the Vancouver Olympics, competing just four-and-a-half months after she had given birth and announcing it would be their final competition.[13] They finished sixth and retired from competitive skating.[14] They continue to skate together in shows.[15]

Personal life

Delobel's twin sister, Véronique Delobel, also competed in the French national championships[2] and internationally.[16]

Delobel married Ludovic Roux, a bronze medalist at the 1998 Olympics in team Nordic combined, in June 2009, and their son, Loïc, was born on 2 October 2009.[1][13][17]

Programs

(with Schoenfelder)

More information Season, Original dance ...

Competitive highlights

(with Schoenfelder)

More information Results, International ...

References

  1. [1]
    "Isabelle DELOBEL / Olivier SCHOENFELDER: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2 September 2012.
  2. [2]
    Mittan, Barry (19 May 2002). "Delobel and Schoenfelder Return to France". Golden Skate. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  3. [3]
    Kempf, Susanne (2005). "Russian Olympic Ice Dance Champions played matchmaker for Delobel&Schoenfelder". Absolute Skating.
  4. [4]
    Mittan, J. Barry (1999). "Delobel and Schoenfelder". Archived from the original on 22 April 2003.
  5. [5]
    Kempf, Susanne (January 2006). "Catching up with Olivier & Isabelle". Absolute Skating. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  6. [6]
    Defosseux, Paul (22 March 2008). "French veterans finally dance to world gold". Agence France-Presse. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  7. [7]
    "XX Olympic Winter Games – Torino 2006 – Ice Dance – Result". International Skating Union.
  8. [8]
    "Delobel and Schoenfelder win ice dance title as Americans miss podium". ESPN. Associated Press. 21 March 2008. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
  9. [9]
    Berlot, Jean-Christophe (19 May 2008). "Delobel, Schoenfelder aim for 2010 Olympics". IceNetwork. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  10. [10]
    Berlot, Jean-Christophe (3 March 2009). "Delobel continues rehab of her injured shoulder". IceNetwork. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  11. [11]
    Clarey, Christopher (20 February 2010). "From Pregnancy to the Olympic Ice in Under a Year". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  12. [12]
    Peret, Paul (17 July 2009). "Delobel and Schoenfelder Prepare For Final Season". IFS Magazine. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2011.
  13. [13]
    Armour, Nancy (18 February 2010). "Skating pair Delobel-Schoenfelder back after pregnancy, injury". Cleveland.com. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 6 May 2010.
  14. [14]
    "Virtue and Moir capture historic Olympic gold". GoldenSkate. 23 February 2010. Archived from the original on 3 May 2010. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  15. [15]
    Golinsky, Reut (2010). "A new quest for Olivier Schoenfelder". AbsoluteSkating. Retrieved 22 December 2010.
  16. [16]
    "Delobel and Schoenfelder". Icenetwork. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2008.
  17. [17]
    "Isabelle Delobel is a New Mom". IFS Magazine. 2 October 2009. Archived from the original on 3 March 2012.
  18. [18]
    "Isabelle DELOBEL / Olivier SCHOENFELDER: 2008/2009". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 6 June 2009.
  19. [19]
    "Programs". Official website of Isabelle Delobel & Olivier Schoenfelder. Absolute Skating. Archived from the original on 11 June 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
  20. [20]
    "Isabelle DELOBEL / Olivier SCHOENFELDER: 2007/2008". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008.
  21. [21]
    "Isabelle DELOBEL / Olivier SCHOENFELDER: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 18 June 2007.
  22. [22]
    "Isabelle DELOBEL / Olivier SCHOENFELDER: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 25 April 2006.
  23. [23]
    "Isabelle DELOBEL / Olivier SCHOENFELDER: 2004/2005". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 5 April 2005.
  24. [24]
    "Isabelle DELOBEL / Olivier SCHOENFELDER: 2003/2004". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 June 2004.
  25. [25]
    "Isabelle DELOBEL / Olivier SCHOENFELDER: 2002/2003". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 8 December 2003.
  26. [26]
    "Isabelle DELOBEL / Olivier SCHOENFELDER: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2 June 2002.
  27. [27]
    "Isabelle DELOBEL / Olivier SCHOENFELDER: 2001/2002". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 18 December 2001.
  28. [28]
    "Isabelle DELOBEL / Olivier SCHOENFELDER: 2000/2001". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 9 June 2001.
  29. [29]
    "Competition Results: Isabelle DELOBEL / Olivier SCHOENFELDER". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 12 October 2012.

Media related to Isabelle Delobel at Wikimedia Commons
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