Skaters We'll Miss, Part 1: Brian Joubert
After each Olympic season, there is a handful of skaters who decide to withdraw from competitive life. As natural as the process is, for most athletes' careers in sport are limited, retirements always bring nostalgia and even tears with them. And yet, they are also a chance to look back on the amazing journeys some of our favourite skaters have had.
BRIAN JOUBERT
Budapest Sports Arena, February 2004: A 19 year-old boy wearing a black latex costume is waiting for his music to start. You don't need to hear it to know what his programme is going to be about - the green numbers dripping down from his left shoulder give it away. This is the story of The Matrix, a remarkable piece of cinema, whose last chapter was released less than four months ago. What most people, including the skater himself, don't know is that in just five minutes, he'll make history and become a superstar.
That night in Budapest, Brian Joubert won his first European gold medal, taking the title back to France after 40 years of absence, and defeating Evgeni Plushenko, the man who would become his greatest rival. These were the times of the old judging system and the highest mark was 6.0 - Brian got an array of 5.8s and 5.9s, only one step away from perfection.
The Matrix is a routine that he constantly went back to throughout his career, not only because he enjoyed skating it, but also because it did well with the judges. He skated it again in 2006, 2009 and all throughout the 2011/2012 season. Although by the end of 2012, we were all starting to get a bit tired of seeing it, there is no doubt that he was brilliant in the role of Neo.
After a tremendous 2003/2004 season, which ended with a silver World medal, his first of the sort, came a disappointing 2004/2005.
His short programme music was a selection by the Blue Man Group. It was proof that his loyalties lay with experimental music and big routines. But whether the music was loud and alert or slow and epic, Brian has always been first of all, a showman. He came close to defeating Plushenko at the Europeans with Vangelis' Conquest of Paradise, wearing a glitzy map of America on his back. Unfortunately, he finished the Worlds in 6th place.
The following season saw him back on the World podium and got him a Bronze in the Europeans, but despite all the media praising his chances for an Olympic medal, he finished sixth in Torino. This was the season of James Bond and Lord of the Dance, a theme he upgraded from exhibition status. While the short was amazingly put together, showcasing both the violent side of the job (the choreography included punches and gun fights) and the champagne lifestyle that came with it, the free failed to resonate with Brian. After the Olympics, he went back to The Matrix.
So good was his Die Another Day routine that he kept it in 2006/2007, the season that would end up being his best. He won every single competition he took part in, finally taking home the World title, despite skating with a barely-healed leg injury. The genius behind this astonishing season was his decision to keep competing after Torino 2006, when most of his rivals withdrew from the ice. He recognized his chance of reaching the very top and went for it without a drop of hesitation. And this, his drive to become the very best no matter the obstacle, is what defined his approach to every skating event.
The long programme of the season, a medley of Metallica songs paired with the soundtrack of Romeo and Juliet, stayed with him through 2007/2008. His short music was All for You by Sebastien Damiani, a modern song with a classical touch that made it almost angelic. It was the type of music he thrived in. And yet, he dropped to the third and second positions in the Europeans and Worlds.
With 2008/2009 came another short programme that sticked with us for a long time because it exuded confidence and sex appeal, winning over both the judges and the audience (the ladies, in particular). It was Safri Duo's Rise, an electronic piece emanating energy. He had a bit of a struggle with the long routine, initially skating on The Last of the Mohicans, but changing it to a mash-up between The Matrix Reloaded and Requiem for a Dream in the middle of the season. It was a good call, as the doom-infused feel of the new music got him a second European title and a bronze medal in the Worlds.
2009/2010 had no change in theme for the short, but took us on a trip back to the past in the free skate, with Ronan Hardiman's Ancient Lands. This was the beginning of Brian's collaboration with World champions Albena Denkova and Maxim Stavinski, who choreographed it. Ancient Lands is probably the most epic theme he's ever skated on, bringing about an almost overwhelming atmosphere of grandeur. But it is also a theme which inspires you to triumph and in his quest to always be number one, it fitted him like a glove.
After only two bronze medals in the previous season, Brian decided to experiment and broaden his style in 2010/2011. Thus he gave us Malaguena in the short and music by Ludwig van Beethoven in the long. His rendition of Once Upon a Time in Mexico was persuasive enough artistically, but lacked technical conviction all throughout the season. Symphony no. 9 on the other hand, was great technically, but Brian looked rather uncomfortable skating it. He did however manage to win his last major medal that season, a silver in the Europeans.
Despite several health issues and barely coming close to the podium in the 2011/2012 season, Brian's drop in the European and World standings did not mean he had fallen from grace. As loved as ever by audience and journalists, he kept entertaining us with amazing programmes. We got to see him perform on Genesis by Justice and Aerodynamic by Daft Punk, two ultra-modern pieces of music that he kept in the following season. In the free, he gave The Matrix one last try, ensuring that no skater will ever again use this music without being compared to Brian Joubert. If there's one routine he truly made his own, it is this one.
2012/2013 proved out to be another challenge. Brian's first long programme featured the soundtrack of Inception, but was quickly changed to The Gladiator. He had skated on Hans Zimmer's glorious music before in shows and it had been so popular with the audience, it was the only natural choice after giving up on Inception. This was his last participation to the World Championships and although the judges let him down, shocking everyone with how poorly they marked him, he always had the audience in his back pocket. And at the end of the day, that meant he did his job well.
His last competitive season would have seemed uncharacteristic if he hadn't fiddled with at least one of his routines. This time it was the short - originally set to music by Astor Piazzolla, he changed it to Amaluna by Cirque du Soleil. It was another smart move, as it brought him very close to the podium. He went with the softer, more romantic Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquin Rodrigo in the long programme. It might not have been good enough to earn him a medal, but it allowed him to say his goodbyes in great form.
Ten years after that fated night in Budapest, Brian Joubert's legacy is stronger than ever. He might not have defeated Evgeni Plushenko directly again after 2004, but he has had a longer competitive life than the Russian, and that too is a form of victory. He put his mark on figure skating and it might not be long before we see another skater doing his step-sequence Joubert style. He might not have won an Olympic medal, but he never ceased to reach his ultimate goal, that of entertaining the audience. His name will forever have weight in French sport and be applauded all around the world. At the age of 29, he has enjoyed a long beautiful career and is now heading towards another branch of the sport he loves so much: coaching. He's sure to make a lasting impression there as well, because he's proven countless times that he has what it takes to inspire greatness.
Next in Skaters We'll Miss: AKIKO SUZUKI
If you'd like to discuss more about this topic, head to http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/ and share your opinions with their great community.
BRIAN JOUBERT
Budapest Sports Arena, February 2004: A 19 year-old boy wearing a black latex costume is waiting for his music to start. You don't need to hear it to know what his programme is going to be about - the green numbers dripping down from his left shoulder give it away. This is the story of The Matrix, a remarkable piece of cinema, whose last chapter was released less than four months ago. What most people, including the skater himself, don't know is that in just five minutes, he'll make history and become a superstar.
 |
| Skating in Budapest, 2004. Photograph: Getty Images |
The Matrix is a routine that he constantly went back to throughout his career, not only because he enjoyed skating it, but also because it did well with the judges. He skated it again in 2006, 2009 and all throughout the 2011/2012 season. Although by the end of 2012, we were all starting to get a bit tired of seeing it, there is no doubt that he was brilliant in the role of Neo.
After a tremendous 2003/2004 season, which ended with a silver World medal, his first of the sort, came a disappointing 2004/2005.
His short programme music was a selection by the Blue Man Group. It was proof that his loyalties lay with experimental music and big routines. But whether the music was loud and alert or slow and epic, Brian has always been first of all, a showman. He came close to defeating Plushenko at the Europeans with Vangelis' Conquest of Paradise, wearing a glitzy map of America on his back. Unfortunately, he finished the Worlds in 6th place.
The following season saw him back on the World podium and got him a Bronze in the Europeans, but despite all the media praising his chances for an Olympic medal, he finished sixth in Torino. This was the season of James Bond and Lord of the Dance, a theme he upgraded from exhibition status. While the short was amazingly put together, showcasing both the violent side of the job (the choreography included punches and gun fights) and the champagne lifestyle that came with it, the free failed to resonate with Brian. After the Olympics, he went back to The Matrix.
 |
| Winning his first World title, next to Daisuke Takahashi and Stephane Lambiel. Photograph: Koici Kamoshida/Getty Images Sport |
So good was his Die Another Day routine that he kept it in 2006/2007, the season that would end up being his best. He won every single competition he took part in, finally taking home the World title, despite skating with a barely-healed leg injury. The genius behind this astonishing season was his decision to keep competing after Torino 2006, when most of his rivals withdrew from the ice. He recognized his chance of reaching the very top and went for it without a drop of hesitation. And this, his drive to become the very best no matter the obstacle, is what defined his approach to every skating event.
The long programme of the season, a medley of Metallica songs paired with the soundtrack of Romeo and Juliet, stayed with him through 2007/2008. His short music was All for You by Sebastien Damiani, a modern song with a classical touch that made it almost angelic. It was the type of music he thrived in. And yet, he dropped to the third and second positions in the Europeans and Worlds.
With 2008/2009 came another short programme that sticked with us for a long time because it exuded confidence and sex appeal, winning over both the judges and the audience (the ladies, in particular). It was Safri Duo's Rise, an electronic piece emanating energy. He had a bit of a struggle with the long routine, initially skating on The Last of the Mohicans, but changing it to a mash-up between The Matrix Reloaded and Requiem for a Dream in the middle of the season. It was a good call, as the doom-infused feel of the new music got him a second European title and a bronze medal in the Worlds.
 |
| 2010 World podium. Photograph: Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images Europe |
After only two bronze medals in the previous season, Brian decided to experiment and broaden his style in 2010/2011. Thus he gave us Malaguena in the short and music by Ludwig van Beethoven in the long. His rendition of Once Upon a Time in Mexico was persuasive enough artistically, but lacked technical conviction all throughout the season. Symphony no. 9 on the other hand, was great technically, but Brian looked rather uncomfortable skating it. He did however manage to win his last major medal that season, a silver in the Europeans.
 |
| World Championships 2012. Photograph: Scott Heavey/Getty Images Europe |
2012/2013 proved out to be another challenge. Brian's first long programme featured the soundtrack of Inception, but was quickly changed to The Gladiator. He had skated on Hans Zimmer's glorious music before in shows and it had been so popular with the audience, it was the only natural choice after giving up on Inception. This was his last participation to the World Championships and although the judges let him down, shocking everyone with how poorly they marked him, he always had the audience in his back pocket. And at the end of the day, that meant he did his job well.
 |
| Sochi 2014. Photograph: Pascal le Segretain /Getty Images Europe |
Ten years after that fated night in Budapest, Brian Joubert's legacy is stronger than ever. He might not have defeated Evgeni Plushenko directly again after 2004, but he has had a longer competitive life than the Russian, and that too is a form of victory. He put his mark on figure skating and it might not be long before we see another skater doing his step-sequence Joubert style. He might not have won an Olympic medal, but he never ceased to reach his ultimate goal, that of entertaining the audience. His name will forever have weight in French sport and be applauded all around the world. At the age of 29, he has enjoyed a long beautiful career and is now heading towards another branch of the sport he loves so much: coaching. He's sure to make a lasting impression there as well, because he's proven countless times that he has what it takes to inspire greatness.
Next in Skaters We'll Miss: AKIKO SUZUKI
If you'd like to discuss more about this topic, head to http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/ and share your opinions with their great community.
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