Cynthia Phaneuf

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.

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.

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 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.

Cynthia reclaimed the Canadian women’s figure skating title on January 29, 2011, which is her second national title since she won as a 15-year-old packed full of promise back in 2004.  Shortly after the 2011 Grand Prix Series, Cynthia moved to Toronto to be coached by two-time Olympic Silver Medalist and World Champion Brian Orser. 

After dazzling skating fans with her routines on the 2010 tour, Cynthia returned in 2012 as a full time cast member in the Investors Group Stars on Ice Tour presented by Lindt.

Cynthia Phaneuf - Competitive Results

Q & A with Cynthia Phaneuf

Q:  You’ve talked about wanting to go to University full time… do you know what do you want to study?
A:  I would like to go into Media, TV Hosting, so probably Communication.

Q:  If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A:  For now, it would be Jeremy Abbott’s show program – “I Won’t Give Up” by Jason Mraz.

Q:  What is the last book you read?
A:  La Valse lente des tortues by Katherine Pancol.

Q:  You took up the sport because you saw your cousin skating when you were little; do you ever find time to skate with her?
A:  No, she doesn’t skate any longer.

Q:  If you could pick any celebrity to be your skating partner, who would it be?
A:  Ashton Kutcher! :)

Q:  The Summer Olympics are coming up soon…which sports are you most excited to watch?
A:  I’ll be cheering very hard for gymnastics, for sure!