Morgan Ciprès

Morgan Ciprès (born 24 April 1991) is a French pair skater. With partner Vanessa James, he is the 2019 European Champion, the 2018 World bronze medalist, the 2017 European bronze medalist, the 2018 Grand Prix Final champion and a six-time French national champion. They have also won medals in Grand Prix and Challenger Series competitions. James and Ciprès represented France at the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics.

Morgan Ciprès
James and Ciprès at the 2016 Trophée de France
Personal information
Country representedFrance
Born (1991-04-24) 24 April 1991
Melun, France
ResidenceTampa, Florida
Height1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
PartnerVanessa James
CoachJohn Zimmerman, Jeremy Barrett
Former coachClaude Thévenard, Jean-Roland Racle, Sergei Zaitsev, Vivien Rolland, Karl Kurtz, Priscilla Hill
ChoreographerGuillaume Cizeron, Charlie White, Silvia Fontana
Former choreographerJohn Kerr, Line Haddad, Dominique Molina, Sergei Zaitsev, Olivia Candeloro, Alexei Pelexei
Skating clubCSG Dammarie-lès-Lys
Training locationsTampa, Florida
Former training locationsParis-Bercy
Dammarie-lès-Lys
Coral Springs, Florida
Began skating1995
World standingPairs with James
6 (2017–18)
6 (2016–17)
9 (2015–16)
11 (2014–15)
11 (2013–14)
11 (2012–13)
30 (2011–12)
- (2010–11)
Men's singles
143 (2011–12)
106 (2010–11)
97 (2009–10)
160 (2008–09)
ISU personal best scores
Combined total225.66
2019 Europeans
Short program76.55
2019 Europeans
Free skate149.11
2019 Europeans
Medal record
Representing  France
Figure skating: Pairs
World Championships
2018 MilanPairs
European Championships
2019 MinskPairs
2017 OstravaPairs
Grand Prix Final
2018–2019 VancouverPairs
Winter Universiade
2015 GranadaPairs

Early career

Ciprès began learning to skate in 1995.[1] He initially competed in single skating, debuting on the ISU Junior Grand Prix in 2004. An adductor muscle injury caused him to miss the 2007–08 season.[2] He placed 13th at the 2010 World Junior Championships.

Pair skating career

In September 2010, Ciprès teamed up with Vanessa James to compete in pair skating.[3][4] They made no competitive appearances in their first season as Ciprès learned pairs elements.[5] Eight years later, James recalled the beginning of her partnership: "I remember our 3-day-trial and it was so fun. He was so funny, because he had never done pairs before, so he was really nervous and saying ‘oh my gosh, oh my gosh’ every time he threw me. I knew that we were going to be good friends."[6]

2011–2012 season

James/Ciprès made their competitive debut in late September 2011, finishing fifth at the 2011 Ondrej Nepela Memorial. After placing fifth at the 2011 Coupe de Nice, the pair finished eighth at their first Grand Prix together, the 2011 Trophee Eric Bompard. At the 2012 French Championships, they ranked first in the short program and second in the free skate. With a total score 8.92 points lower than Daria Popova / Bruno Massot, James/Ciprès received the silver medal.

Finishing sixth overall, James/Ciprès were the best French pair (outscoring Popova/Massot by almost 12 points) at the 2012 European Championships in Sheffield, England. They were granted France's lone spot in pairs at the 2012 World Championships in Nice, France. In Nice, the two qualified to the final segment and finished sixteenth overall.

2012–2013 season

James/Ciprès won the bronze medal at the 2012 Nebelhorn Trophy — it was their first international medal as a pair.[7] Their 2012 Grand Prix assignments were Skate America, where they placed fourth, and the Trophee Eric Bompard, where they came in sixth. James/Ciprès won another international medal at the 2012 NRW Trophy and followed that with their first national title, in December.

In January, James/Ciprès came in fourth at the 2013 European Championships in Zagreb, Croatia. After taking gold at the 2013 International Challenge Cup, they placed eighth at the 2013 World Championships in London, Ontario. Due to their result in Canada, they qualified a spot for France in the pairs' event at the Sochi Olympics.

2013–2014 season: Sochi Olympics

James/Ciprès were again assigned to Skate America and the Trophee Eric Bompard. Ciprès, however, underwent surgery after a wrist injury and had to avoid lifts for a period, causing the pair to withdraw from Skate America.[8][9] They were able to compete at the Trophee Eric Bompard and placed fifth. The pair then successfully defended their national title.

At the 2014 Europeans, James/Ciprès set personal best scores in both segments of the competition and came in fifth. They were named in the French team to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, where they placed tenth in the pairs event and sixth in the team event.

2014–2015 season

James/Ciprès finished fourth at the 2014 CS Nebelhorn Trophy and fifth at both of their Grand Prix assignments, the 2014 Skate Canada International and 2014 Trophée Éric Bompard. They then placed fifth at the 2015 European Championships in Stockholm and ninth at the 2015 World Championships in Shanghai.

2015–2016 season: First Grand Prix medal

James/Ciprès began their season with a bronze medal at the 2015 CS Nebelhorn Trophy. They placed second in the short program at the 2015 Trophée Éric Bompard before the event's cancellation due to the November 2015 Paris attacks. The ISU deemed those placements to be the final results, awarding James/Ciprès their first Grand Prix medal, silver. The pair finished fourth at the 2016 European Championships in Bratislava and tenth at the 2016 World Championships in Boston. At the end of the season, they concluded that they needed a major change if they were to continue competing.[10] James said "either we improve, or we stop. There was no point in anything else."[11]

2016–2017 season: European bronze medal

In June 2016, James/Ciprès relocated to Coral Springs, Florida, to be coached by John Zimmerman and Jeremy Barrett.[12][13][1] After taking silver at the 2016 CS Autumn Classic International, the pair competed at two Grand Prix events; they finished fourth at the 2016 Skate America and won the bronze medal at the 2016 Trophée de France.

In January 2017, James/Ciprès won the bronze medal at the European Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic,[14][15] becoming the first French pair in fourteen years to medal at the event[16] (since 2003, when Sarah Abitbol / Stéphane Bernadis took silver).

In March, James/Ciprès placed tenth in the short program, sixth in the free skate, and eighth overall at the 2017 World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. The following month, they competed as part of Team France at the 2017 World Team Trophy in Tokyo, Japan; although their team finished sixth overall, the pair scored personal bests and placed first in both segments of the pairs' event, ahead of Russia's Evgenia Tarasova / Vladimir Morozov.

Reflecting on their progress as a team, James said, "Our main problem [before] was that we were two different people on the ice. We needed to change that and to increase the connection between the two of us."[17]

2017–2018 season: PyeongChang Olympics and World bronze medal

James/Ciprès began their season with gold at the 2017 CS Autumn Classic International. They then won medals at both of their Grand Prix assignments, taking bronze at the 2017 Skate Canada International and silver at the 2017 Internationaux de France. They finished as the first alternates for the Grand Prix Final. At the 2018 European Championships in Moscow, the pair placed first in the short program, fourth in the free skate, and fourth overall — 0.01 shy of the podium. They received a small gold medal for their short program.

James/Ciprès were named to France's delegation to the 2018 Winter Olympics, which took place in February in Pyeongchang, South Korea.[18] During the team event, they placed sixth in their segment and Team France finished tenth. In the regular pairs event, they placed sixth in the short, fifth in the free, and fifth overall. In March, they became the first French pair since 2000 to stand on the World podium, winning the bronze medal at the 2018 World Championships in Milan, Italy. James, reflecting on the start of her partnership, remarked "I’m so glad I made that choice because we’re a really good team today. It’s been bumpy, but amazing with Morgan."[6]

2018–2019 season

The duo's programs were both choreographed by ice dancers, with retired Olympic gold medalist Charlie White working on the free skate and fellow French Olympian Guillaume Cizeron developing the short programme.[11]

James/Ciprès won gold at their first event of the season, the 2018 CS Autumn Classic International and obtained their first victory at a Grand Prix event, at 2018 Skate Canada International, setting a new world record in the free skate. James said that they "gave so much emotion, and at the end, it was just magic for us."[19] In mid-November they competed at the 2018 Internationaux de France where they won their second Grand Prix gold medal of the season, albeit with a somewhat rockier performance in the short program that left them in third before winning the free skate. These results qualified them for the 2018–19 Grand Prix Final, their first. Ciprès said "it's the first time for us to win two Grand Prix in the season and to go to the Grand Prix Final. We have a lot of work to do for these next two weeks."[20] In fourth after the short program in the Final, they again set a world record to win the free skate and the gold medal. James expressed the hope that "having this long program so solid and strong will just help when we have a good short program. I know we have to fight every time after our short program to make up the points, but feeling more free and not having to try and try to make a comeback, I think will just liberate us a little bit more, I am hoping."[21]

After winning another national title, their sixth, James/Ciprès at the 2019 European Championships in Minsk. After a first place finish in the short program, ahead of Tarasova/Morozov.[22] They won the free skate as well, taking the European pairs title, only the second French team to do so, and the first since Andrée Joly and Pierre Brunet in 1932. James called the result "a dream come true", while he called it "a dream when we were children to be here one day."[23] In March at the 2019 World Championships in Saitama, during the short program warm-up, James had a collision with Italy's Matteo Guarise, in which both skaters fell onto the ice.[24] James/Ciprès placed a very unexpected seventh in the short program after unusual mishaps, James had an uncharacteristic fall on her throw triple flip, while Ciprès doubled his planned triple toeloop. In the free program they placed third, and fifth overall. They finished off the top of podium for the first time of the season, but took a small bronze medal for the free program. At the end of their free program, James/Ciprès announced that they will continue to keep skating until they get the World title.[25] To finish off the season, they competed at the 2019 World Team Trophy in Fukuoka, Japan, where they earned a new personal best in the free skate to earn first in the pairs event and fourth overall as a team.[26]

Sexual abuse allegations

In December 2019, Ciprès was revealed to be under investigation by the United States Center for SafeSport for alleged sexual abuse of an underage American female rink mate. His coaches, John Zimmerman, Silvia Fontana, and Vinny Dispenza, were named and accused of covering up the alleged abuse via intimidation tactics.[27]

Programs

With James
James and Ciprès at the 2016 European Championships
James and Ciprès compete in 2012
Season Short program Free skating Exhibition
2018–2019
2017–2018
[28]
2016–2017
[1][13]
2015–2016
[30]
2014–2015
[31]
  • Scared of Lonely
    by Beyoncé
2013–2014
[32]
2012–2013
[33]
  • Rhumba d'Amour
  • Safri Duo
2011–2012
[3]

Singles career
Season Short program Free skating
2009–2010
[2]
2005–2006
[34]

Competitive highlights

GP: Grand Prix; CS: Challenger Series; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

Pairs with Vanessa James
James and Ciprès at the 2016 European Championships
James and Ciprès compete in 2012
International[35]
Event 11–12 12–13 13–14 14–15 15–16 16–17 17–18 18–19 19–20
Olympics10th5th
Worlds16th8th10th9th10th8th3rd5th
Europeans6th4th5th5th4th3rd4th1st
GP Final1st
GP France8th6th5th5th2nd3rd2nd1stWD
GP NHK Trophy6thWD
GP Skate Canada5th3rd1st
GP Skate America4thWD4th
CS Autumn Classic2nd1st1st
CS Nebelhorn4th3rd
Challenge Cup1st
Cup of Nice5th
Cup of Tyrol2nd
Denkova-Staviski1st
Nebelhorn Trophy3rd
Nepela Memorial5th
NRW Trophy3rd
Universiade3rd
National[35]
French Champ.2nd1st1st1st1st1stWD1st
Masters1st1st1st
Team events
Olympics6th T
7th P		10th T
6th P
World Team
Trophy		6th T
4th P		6th T
5th P		6th T
1st P		4th T
1st P
TBD = Assigned, WD = Withdrew
T = Team result, P = Personal result. Medals awarded for team result only.

Men's singles
International[36]
Event 04–05 05–06 06–07 07–08 08–09 09–10
Junior Worlds13th
JGP Czech Republic17th11th
JGP Estonia13th
JGP Germany11th
JGP Hungary9th
JGP Netherlands18th
JGP Ukraine20th
JGP U.K.9th
National[36]
French Champ.11th7th4th

Detailed results

Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships. At team events, medals awarded for team results only.

With James
2018–19 season
Date Event SP FS Total
11–14 April 2019 2019 World Team Trophy 2
73.48		 1
152.52		 4T/1P
226.00
18–24 March 2019 2019 World Championships 7
68.67		 3
146.52		 5
215.19
21–27 January 2019 2019 European Championships 1
76.55		 1
149.11		 1
225.66
13–15 December 2018 2018 French Championships 1
82.70		 1
158.27		 1
240.97
7–9 December 2018 2018 Grand Prix Final 4
71.51		 1
148.37		 1
219.88
23–25 November 2018 2018 Internationaux de France 3
65.24		 1
140.53		 1
205.77
26–28 October 2018 2018 Skate Canada International 1
74.51		 1
147.30		 1
221.81
20–22 September 2018 2018 CS Autumn Classic International 1
73.81		 1
136.40		 1
210.21
2017–18 season
Date Event SP FS Total
21–24 March 2018 2018 World Championships 3
75.32		 3
143.04		 3
218.36
14–25 February 2018 2018 Winter Olympics 6
75.34		 5
143.19		 5
218.53
9–12 February 2018 2018 Winter Olympics (team event) 6
68.49		 — 10
17-20 January 2018 2018 European Championships 1
75.52		 4
134.65		 4
210.17
17-19 November 2017 2017 Internationaux de France 2
73.18		 1
141.14		 2
214.32
27–29 October 2017 2017 Skate Canada International 3
73.04		 2
141.33		 3
214.37
20-23 September 2017 2017 CS Autumn Classic International 2
73.48		 1
137.00		 1
210.48
2016–17 season
Date Event SP FS Total
20-23 April 2017 2017 World Team Trophy 1
75.72		 1
146.87		 1P/6T
222.59
29 March – 2 April 2017 2017 World Championships 10
70.10		 6
134.58		 8
204.68
25–29 January 2017 2017 European Championships 2
74.18		 3
145.84		 3
220.02
15–17 December 2016 2016 French Championships 1
68.17		 1
130.26		 1
198.43
11-13 November 2016 2016 Trophée de France 4
66.05		 2
132.53		 3
198.58
21-23 October 2016 2016 Skate America 4
65.78		 7
108.87		 4
174.65
29 September - 1 October 2016 2016 CS Autumn Classic International 3
65.58		 2
133.32		 2
198.90
2015–16 season
Date Event SP FS Total
26 March - 3 April 2016 2016 World Championships 9
66.69		 10
119.14		 10
185.83
9-13 March 2016 2016 Cup of Tyrol 2
60.14		 2
113.14		 2
173.28
25-31 January 2016 2016 European Championships 5
62.10		 5
123.45		 4
185.55
17–19 December 2015 2015 French Championships 1
68.13		 1
130.63		 1
198.76
27-29 November 2015 2016 NHK Trophy 6
61.91		 4
118.29		 6
180.20
13-15 November 2015 2015 Trophée Éric BompardC 2
65.75		 — 2
65.75
23-26 September 2015 2015 Nebelhorn Trophy 3
58.34		 3
113.84		 3
172.18
2014–15 season
Date Event SP FS FS
16-19 April 2015 2015 World Team Trophy 5
58.66		 5
109.31		 5P/6T
167.97
23-29 March 2015 2015 World Championships 12
58.28		 8
119.06		 9
177.34
4-14 February 2015 2015 Winter Universiade 4
57.28		 3
110.91		 3
168.19
26 January - 1 February 2015 2015 European Championships 3
60.13		 6
107.16		 5
167.29
18–21 December 2014 2014 French Championships 1
59.40		 1
112.12		 1
171.52
21-23 November 2014 2014 Trophée Éric Bompard 5
54.20		 5
113.68		 5
167.88
31 October - 2 November 2014 2014 Skate Canada International 5
56.47		 5
105.32		 5
161.79
24-27 September 2014 2014 Nebelhorn Trophy 4
55.18		 4
108.97		 4
164.15
2013–14 season
Date Event SP FS Total
24-30 March 2014 2014 World Championships 9
64.01		 8
119.89		 10
183.90
6-22 February 2014 2014 Winter Olympics 10
65.36		 11
114.07		 10
179.43
11-12 February 2014 2014 Winter Olympics (Team Event) 7
57.45		 — 6
13-19 January 2013 2014 European Championships 6
63.23		 5
122.25		 5
185.48
12–15 December 2013 2013 French Championships 1
62.14		 1
115.04		 1
177.18
28 November - 1 December 2013 2013 Denkova-Staviski Cup 1
56.66		 1
109.99		 1
166.65
15-17 November 2013 2013 Trophée Éric Bompard 5
56.78		 4
115.49		 5
172.27
2012–13 season
Date Event SP FS Total
11-14 April 2013 2013 World Team Trophy 3
58.73		 4
115.58		 4P/6T
174.31
10-17 March 2013 2013 World Championships 8
60.98		 8
119.19		 8
180.17
21-24 February 2013 2013 Challenge Cup 1
65.41		 1
124.41		 1
189.82
23-27 February 2013 2013 European Championships 4
59.27		 4
119.54		 4
178.81
13–16 December 2012 2012 French Championships 1
58.21		 1
103.80		 1
162.01
4-9 December 2012 2012 NRW Trophy 2
60.49		 3
110.54		 3
171.03
16-18 November 2012 2012 Trophée Éric Bompard 7
51.44		 4
112.21		 6
163.65
19-21 October 2012 2012 Skate America 4
55.76		 4
111.90		 4
167.66
27-29 September 2012 2012 Nebelhorn Trophy 3
55.00		 4
96.52		 3
151.52
2011–12 season
Date Event SP FS Total
26 March - 1 April 2012 2012 World Championships 13
50.51		 16
80.19		 16
130.70
23-29 January 2012 2012 European Championships 8
51.81		 6
100.12		 6
151.93
16–18 December 2011 2011 French Championships 1
53.84		 2
74.99		 2
128.83
18-20 November 2011 2011 Trophée Éric Bompard 8
44.86		 7
88.45		 8
133.31
26-30 October 2011 2011 Cup of Nice 5
51.12		 5
92.75		 5
143.87
29 September - 2 October 2011 2011 Ondrej Nepela 5
35.00		 5
90.93		 5
125.93

References
  1. "Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES: 2016/2017". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 23 January 2017.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  2. "Morgan CIPRES: 2009/2010". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011.
  3. "Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  4. "James et Ciprès promis à un bel avenir" [James and Ciprès have a bright future]. Le Parisien (in French). 18 November 2011.
  5. Berlot, Jean-Christophe (10 October 2011). "France's finest turn out for French Masters". Icenetwork. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
  6. Slater, Paula (23 March 2018). "Savchenko and Massot take first World title". Golden Skate.
  7. Flade, Tatjana (30 September 2012). "2012 Nebelhorn Trophy". Golden Skate.
  8. "James / Cipres absents au Skate America mais presents aux Master's de Orleans" [James/Cipres to miss Skate America but will compete at Master's de Orleans] (PDF) (in French). FFSG. 30 September 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 February 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  9. Berlot, Jean-Christophe (12 November 2013). "Paris welcomes fifth stage in Grand Prix Series". IceNetwork.com.
  10. Flade, Tatjana (26 May 2017). "Breakthrough motivates France's James and Ciprès". Golden Skate.
  11. Hersh, Philip (6 December 2018). "James and Cipres may be on the verge of a swan song, but first must conquer the Grand Prix Final". NBC Sports.
  12. Berlot, Jean-Christophe (25 January 2017). "Zimmerman's tutelage guiding James, Ciprès". IceNetwork.com.
  13. Smith, Beverley (27 January 2017). "James and Cipres turn a corner".
  14. "Vanessa James et Morgan Ciprès : "C'était vraiment magique"" [Vanessa James et Morgan Ciprès: "It was truly magical"]. L'Équipe (in French). 27 January 2017.
  15. Bőd, Titanilla (6 February 2017). "Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres: "Mental games at practice give us confidence"". Absolute Skating.
  16. Berlot, Jean-Christophe (26 January 2017). "Tarasova, Morozov earn coveted European title". IceNetwork.com.
  17. Berlot, Jean-Christophe (18 November 2017). "James, Ciprès pride themselves on taking risks". IceNetwork.com.
  18. "Athlete Profile - Vanessa JAMES". pyeongchang2018.com. Archived from the original on 20 April 2018.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  19. "France's James and Cipres pocket Skate Canada gold". Golden Skate. 27 October 2018.
  20. Slater, Paula (24 November 2018). "James and Cipres pocket another gold in Grenoble". Golden Skate.
  21. Flett, Ted (9 December 2018). "James and Cipres rebound to capture Grand Prix title in Pairs". Golden Skate.
  22. Slater, Paula (January 23, 2019). "James and Cipres: 'It's very promising going into Worlds'". Golden Skate.
  23. Slater, Paula (January 24, 2019). "French win first European Pairs' gold since 1932". Golden Skate.
  24. Eurosport.fr (2019-03-20). "Champions d'Europe en titre, Vanessa James et Morgan Ciprès étaient candidats à l'or mondial. Jusqu'à cet accident survenu... à l'échauffement https://www.eurosport.fr/patinage-artistique/championnats-du-monde/2018-2019/mondiaux-2019-de-saitama-une-collision-et-l-or-mondial-s-eloigne-pour-james-cipres_sto7194497/story.shtml". @Eurosport_FR (in French). Retrieved 2019-03-21. External link in |title= (help)
  25. Skating, ISU Figure (2019-03-20). "Vanessa James / Morgan Cipres "We won't give up until we get the World title. The Worlds hasn't been our best friend, but every time we come back stronger." #WorldFigure #FigureSkatingpic.twitter.com/M0tSCOMk4N". @ISU_Figure. Retrieved 2019-03-21.
  26. Flade, Tatjana (7 May 2019). "'Setbacks' not a problem for France's James and Cipres". Golden Skate.
  27. Brennan, Christine (December 10, 2019). "Olympic figure skater, coaches being investigated for sexual abuse allegations". USA Today.
  28. "Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES: 2017/2018". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 17 October 2017.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  29. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2017 Skate Canada International - Gala Exhibition (Television production). Eurosport. October 29, 2017.
  30. "Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES: 2015/2016". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  31. "Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  32. "Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 20 June 2014.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  33. "Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES: 2012/2013". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 20 June 2013.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  34. "Morgan CIPRES: 2005/2006". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 23 May 2006.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  35. "Competition Results: Vanessa JAMES / Morgan CIPRES". International Skating Union.
  36. "Competition Results: Morgan CIPRES". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013.
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