Eric Gillies and Josée Picard: Skate Canada Hall of Fame Inductees
Legendary coaches Eric Gillies and Josée Picard entered the Skate Canada Hall of Fame in the professional category.
Gilles, from Moncton, N.B., and Picard, from Hull, Que., have coached countless skaters to national and international medals in singles, pairs and ice dance, including World Pair Champions and Olympic medallists Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler, and World Ice Dance Champions Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz.
Picard and Gillies were also instrumental in the development and operation of a centre combining education and sports – the first of its kind in Quebec.
Gillies was a noted Canadian ice dancer, and with partner Susan Carscallen, represented Canada at the 1976 Olympic Winter Games and captured gold at the 1977 Canadian Figure Skating Championships. Picard was also a national level skater and was one of the first coaches of 2018 World Champion Kaetlyn Osmond.
Eric Gillies and Josée Picard: Entered the Skate Canada Hall of Fame (Professional Category), January 2019
Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon: Skate Canada Hall of Fame Inductees
Two-time world ice dance silver medallists Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon take their rightful place in the Skate Canada Hall of Fame in the Athlete Category.
Dubreuil and Lauzon, who both hail from Montreal, were one of the world’s premier ice dance teams for nearly a decade. They teamed up in 1995 and would go on to win gold at the Canadian Championships five times (2000, 2004-2007).
The duo represented Canada at the Olympic Winter Games in 2002 and 2006 and captured back-to-back silver medals at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in 2006 and 2007. They also won Skate Canada International gold in 2006 and 2007.
After announcing their retirement in 2008, Dubreuil and Lauzon embarked on a successful coaching career in Montreal.
Among their protégés are 2018 Olympic gold medallists Tessa Virtue / Scott Moir of Canada, three-time world champions Gabriella Papadakis / Guillaume Cizeron of France, 2019 world bronze medallists Madison Hubbell / Zachary Donohue of the United States and Canadian national team members Laurence Fournier Beaudry / Nikolaj Sorensen and Carolane Soucisse / Shane Firus.
Dubreuil and Lauzon were married in 2008 and currently reside in Montreal.
Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon: Entered the Skate Canada Hall of Fame (Athlete Category), May 2019
