MILAN, ITALY – Less than two months after their stunning gold medal performance at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, French ice dance duo Guillaume Cizeron and Laurence Fournier Beaudry return to competition, seeking to solidify their position as the world’s top team at the 2026 World Championships. The championships began Friday, with the rhythm dance portion of the competition underway. This event takes on added significance with the absence of American rivals Madison Chock and Evan Bates, who are not competing.
The pair, the only Olympic champions participating in the event, confirmed their commitment to the full season, including the World Championships, earlier this week. “Since the beginning of the season, our goal was to complete the full season up to the World Championships,” Fournier Beaudry explained, according to reports. “We knew we were committed, and this will be our first World Championships together. So it’s something particularly special for us.” Also competing for France are Evgeniia Lopareva and Geoffrey Brissaud.
World Championships Rhythm Dance: How to Watch Cizeron and Fournier Beaudry
The rhythm dance portion of the World Championships commenced at 11:30 AM local time on Friday. For fans eager to follow the action, Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron are scheduled to perform at 1:58 PM local time (11:58 AM UTC). The performance will be broadcast live on Eurosport 1. French viewers can tune into France 3 beginning at 3:25 PM local time (1:25 PM UTC) for coverage.
Cizeron and Fournier Beaudry’s quick ascent to the top of the ice dance world has been remarkable. They only began competing as a partnership in November, but instantly demonstrated a strong connection and synergy on the ice. Their success at the Olympics, where they secured the gold medal, underscored their potential and established them as a force to be reckoned with. The BBC noted their technically flawless performances and high scores in both the rhythm and free dance segments of the Olympic competition.
This World Championships represents a new chapter for the duo, marking their first appearance together on this stage. The absence of Chock and Bates, the reigning world champions and Olympic silver medalists, opens the door for Cizeron and Fournier Beaudry to further cement their status as the leading ice dance team globally. However, they will face stiff competition from other top teams, including Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Canada, who took bronze at the Milan-Cortina Olympics.
The ice dance competition at the World Championships is structured in two segments: the rhythm dance and the free dance. The rhythm dance requires couples to perform specific elements, allowing for direct comparison by the judges. The free dance provides greater creative freedom, allowing teams to showcase their artistry, and interpretation. The combined scores from both segments determine the final standings.
Cizeron, previously an Olympic champion at the 2022 Beijing Games with a different partner, has seamlessly transitioned to this new partnership with Fournier Beaudry. Their ability to quickly establish a strong rapport and consistently deliver high-quality performances has been key to their success. They have already secured five major competition victories since joining forces, including the 2026 European Championship in Sheffield, demonstrating their dominance in the sport.
The duo attributes their success to a shared approach to training and a playful, enjoyable dynamic. “It was a lot of function, but from the beginning we had a lot of similarities in the way we trained and approached things,” Cizeron said. “It was also a chance to evolve, it was playful, we had a lot of fun from the beginning.”
Following the rhythm dance on Friday, the free dance is scheduled for Saturday, where Cizeron and Fournier Beaudry will have the opportunity to further showcase their skills and artistry. Fans can expect a captivating performance as they aim to add the World Championship title to their growing list of accomplishments. The outcome of the free dance will ultimately determine whether the French duo can maintain their momentum and claim the gold medal.
What’s Next: The free dance portion of the World Championships will grab place on Saturday, March 28th. Stay tuned to Archysport for updates and a full recap of the event.
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