Cynthia Phaneuf

Cynthia Phaneuf 2004 Canadian Women's Champion

 

Cynthia Phaneuf shocked the skating world at the 2004 Canadian Championships when she won the title less than a week before her sixteenth birthday.  Not only did she become the youngest ladies champion since Tracy Wainman in 1981, but she upset six-time champion Jennifer Robinson and favorite Joannie Rochette in the process, making her an instant star.

Surprisingly, Skate Canada decided not to send Phaneuf to the 2004 World Championships, but allowed her to compete for Team Canada at the Four Continents Championship where she placed second.

Unfortunately, ankle and knee injuries forced Phaneuf to miss the entire 2005-2006 season. "This was a hard time for me. I didn't know what I was going to do. It was the first time that I considered that my life might not be in skating and as a skater," she said in an interview with CBC.

Returning to skating after a year-long break proved to be a struggle for Phaneuf.  Forced to start with double axels and slowly work her way back up to the jumps she used to land, Cynthia struggled to be patient during her recovery.   Nevertheless, she persevered and accomplished her goal of making the national team with a fourth place finish at the 2007 National Championships.

Cynthia's comeback continued in the following seasons as her results continued to improve. "I am a lot stronger than I was before. I gained muscle from working out at the gym. Being stronger is maybe why my jumps have more height now. I jumped high before, but not that high and not with that much speed."

Although she has faced many challenges since her big win at the Canadian Championships in 2004, Cynthia has battled back to the top.  At the 2010 BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships, Phaneuf delivered a clean short program to make her the overnight leader.  She held on to second place after a solid free skate, earning her a trip to Vancouver to compete in the 2010 Olympic Games.

 

She held on to second place after a solid free skate, earning her a trip to Vancouver to compete in the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, where she earned a gratifying 12th-place finish.

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10 Mar 2010
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10 Mar 2010
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