I don't remember seeing the transcript of their interview in L'Equipe about their retrospective of 2014-2018 here. I have it in french if some people are interested, PM me. If not, here is my translation. I paid attention to respect the spirit of their talking, including the time concordance or the language used. If there are bad worlds, it's not from me
Season 2013-2014 : Not selected for the OG, 13th at Worlds
When Gabriella Papadakis says that the couple, who was then living its first season in seniors, had "
the ambition to qualifiy" for Sochi OG, Guillaume Cizeron asks : «
oh really ?». What's certain is that seeing it now the couple thinks that it would not have been useless. "
It would have give us an experience on which we could rest 4 years later. But the Federation couldn't know that we would have won as early as the next season."
They were 18 and 19 years old, then lived in Lyon and they watch part of the Olympic on TV, while preparing for their first world. «
I remember that Meryl and Charlie and Tessa and Scott weren't there, says Papadakis
. We didn't know who was going to be on the podium, it ended practically in a draw. We were happy about our places. First world, 13th, it was good.»
Season 2014-2015 : European champions, World champions
The couple followed their coach Romain Haguenauer to Montreal during summer. There, their ambition is quite modest : «
We thought a
top 10 would be good !», laughs Gabriella Papadakis. However in their first GP in China, they won, and beat the reigning world champions. «
The most surprising moment of our career. I was already dumbfounded by our 3rd place in the short. When we won the free, I couldn't believe it.»
They became the youngest european and world champion since 50 years.
«
Worlds championship in Shangai were really nuts, tells Guillaume Cizeron.
We knew it was maybe possible to win but we didn't really dare dreaming of it, and it happened in an almost easy way. We practiced, we went to competition and then we were winning! Whereas today we tell each other that on this particular competition we have to do that, have to be in front of them, beat this world record...»
Season 2015-2016 : European champions, World champions
Late August, she suffers a concussion : «
Right away, we didn't know what it was», reminds us Cizeron. «
Everytime I was thinking :"today I have a little headache, tomorrow will be better",
and then the day after was the same, describes Papadakis.
It was very constant : I wasn't sick enough to truly hurt, but not good enough to skate either. At time I was saying to myself :"well, am I going to stay like this all my life ?".»
They went back to competition in mid december, and weren't on their best condition at the European Championship in late january. «
We weren't serene at all, confirms Cizeron.
Winning was a bit of a miracle, we weren't in top shape, we didn't have time to compete before.» Even though, says Papadakis , «
it didn't restrained us too much eventually. But if it was the Olympic season, it would have penalised us a lot.»
They didn't skate their program much in competition, but their Build a Home will be presented as an exhibition in the French skating tour.
2016-2017 : European champions, silver at Worlds
Olympic 2010 Champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are back after a 2 years break, and begin to train with them. «
Before, there was stress, but it was the first time we had a clear, established rivalry». It was difficult to handle for the french couple, who lost 3 times to the Canadian that season.
«
This season wasn't really enjoyable, Cizeron agrees.
There were things that happened which never happend before, I cut my hand. We didn't realize the best program, even at the European. Maybe it was a stress that we didn't cope well with. We began working with a mental coach during the season, the setting wasn't as good as it is now. And both program were not what fitted us best. We took risk on the free, (an avant-garde program [L'Equipe says])
we had a hard time making the judge accept it. This wasn't really the good year to do it. Normally, when I look back on what we do, I usually tell myself that we did the right choice. Here, I'm not sure we did.»
The french, who had a meteoric rise at the top world level, felt this season what the lack of experience is. «
We were naive a little, it cost us many medals, shares Cizeron.
Before, we could tell each other "If we don't have +3 on all element, it's ok".
Here, we needed the +3 on everything and we weren't prepared to that kind of strategies.»
Seison 2017-2018 : European Champions, Olympic Silver medalist, world champions
The Olympic season actually starts in march 2017, when Papadakis-Cizeron, without winning the gold medal, won the free with a new world record. «
It proved us and everyone that when we skate really well, we can beat them», she says. In the olympic season, the couple work hard not to fail because of lack of experience. «
We came to the top with surprise, Papadakis notice,
we lacked tools and luggage.» Cizeron adds : «
When we compare ourselves with a couple with 2 Olympic medal and who had 2 years to plan their come back, we weren't as ready. They had a fifteen years career, and we had 4 years. When the games began, odds for a win were the same, we were late of 10 years and in 2 years we managed to close the gap! This makes us proud.»
And they're also proud of their Silver medal, despite that costume incident who took precious points from them. «
Pride can take over, but you can't think about it too much», she says. «
It's boring as hell, adds her partner.
But we tell each other that we saved a lot of points, it's life. It will always be a pain in the ass but you can't change things, there are people that are sick, who experiences accident, what we lived is nothing compared to that.»
When we ask them to pick a moment from this season, their favourite goes to Worlds, in Milan, and their third gold, their 3 world record without Virtue/Moir. «
It was very cool, everyone was relaxed, a lot of stress gone.»
The perfect endpoint of a memorable olympic season.