At the end of October, Laurent-Eric Le Lay, sports director of France Télévisions, announced the end of a long era. It is no longer Nelson Monfort and Philippe Candeloro who will comment on the figure skating events on the public service group, after almost twenty years of good collaboration – but also sometimes of slip-ups live. Instead, we must now count on a 100% female trio composed of Marie-Christelle Maury, Annick Dumont and Nathalie Péchalat. Three experts of their kind since the first was until now a reporter on skating, the second is more focused on technique and finally, the mother of Jean Dujardin's daughters (Jeanne, 8 years old, and Alice, 3 years old) is a former champion of this discipline.
They started the year with the French Grand Prix on November 1 and 2 in Angers, where “young prodigies and recognized champions” were billowing on the ice as promised in an official press release. The three women first commented on the women's free program before continuing with the men's free program. “Hello everyone, hello everyone. All three of us are delighted to spend this afternoon with you at the French Grand Prix in Angers. At my side I have the immense privilege of being accompanied by Annick Dumont our super technician and by Nathalie Péchalat whom everyone knows who is our great ice dancing champion“, Marie-Christelle Maury enthusiastically launched on Saturday.
Tell them to talk less
Unfortunately, according to the first feedback on X (formerly Twitter), the trio was not unanimous among Internet users, some of whom already miss Nelson Monfort and Philippe Candeloro. The criticism that came up most often: too much speaking time on their part. “Please, it's fun between girls, we can't appreciate it anymore, too bad“, “What a shame that Philippe Candeloro is not one of the commentators. At least with him, we weren't bored. I skip“, “Tell them to talk less during programs please“, “The commentators horrify me. Turn the sound down“, “Is talking less during programs possible?? Real chatterboxes, it's annoying!!“, we regretted during the event.
Never mind, figure skating fans were there to follow the French Grand Prix. It was the Frenchman Adam Siao Him Fa who won, signing his third victory in a row. In ice dancing, the couple Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud also won.
