Vanessa James facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vanessa James |
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James and Ciprès at the 2016 Trophée de France
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| Personal information | |
| Country represented |  Canada (2021–22) France (2008–19) Great Britain (2005–08) United States (2002–05) |
| Born | 27 September 1987 Scarborough, Ontario, Canada |
| Home town | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Height | 1.61 m (5 ft 3+1⁄2 in) |
| Partner | Eric Radford (2021–22) Morgan Ciprès (2011–19) Yannick Bonheur (2008–10) |
| Began skating | 1998 |
Vanessa James (born 27 September 1987) is a retired pair skater from Canada. She is famous for her amazing career in figure skating.
Vanessa represented France with her skating partner, Morgan Ciprès. Together, they won many big titles. They were the 2019 European Champions. They also earned a bronze medal at the 2018 World Championships. In 2017, they won another bronze at the European Championships. They were also champions of the 2018 Grand Prix Final. Plus, they won the French national title six times! Vanessa and Morgan competed in the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics.
Before teaming up with Morgan, Vanessa skated with Yannick Bonheur. They represented France at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Vanessa also competed as a singles skater for the United States and Great Britain. She was the British national champion in ladies' singles in 2006.
In 2021, Vanessa started a new partnership with Eric Radford. They represented Canada and won a bronze medal at the 2022 World Championships. They also competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics. After that, they both retired from competitive skating.
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About Vanessa James
Vanessa James was born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. She lived in Bermuda until she was 10 years old. Then, her family moved to Virginia in the United States. She lived in the U.S. until 2007. After that, she moved to Paris, France.
Vanessa's father is from Bermuda, which meant she also had British citizenship. In December 2009, she became a French citizen. Vanessa has a twin sister named Melyssa James, who also competed in figure skating. When she's not skating, Vanessa enjoys playing tennis, dancing, and reading. In 2024, she married French judo champion, Jordan Amoros.
Vanessa's Skating Journey
Starting Out in Skating
Vanessa James started skating with her sister in 1998. They were inspired after watching the 1998 Winter Olympics. At first, Vanessa competed in the United States.
In 2005, Vanessa began representing Great Britain in international competitions. She won the gold medal at the 2006 British Championships. She also won a silver medal in 2007. This made her Britain's first black figure skating champion. She competed for Britain in the 2006 ISU Junior Grand Prix and the 2007 World Junior Championships. Her last competition as a singles skater was the 2007 International Cup of Nice, where she won bronze.
In late 2007, Vanessa decided to switch to pair skating. She briefly partnered with British skater Hamish Gaman. In December 2007, she teamed up with French skater Yannick Bonheur. They had a three-day tryout in Paris.
Skating with Yannick Bonheur
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Vanessa and Yannick made their international debut in November 2008. They placed seventh at the 2008 Trophée Eric Bompard. In January 2009, they finished tenth at the European Championships in Helsinki, Finland.
In March, they placed twelfth at the 2009 World Championships in Los Angeles. This result helped France get a spot in the pairs' event for the next Olympics. In April, they competed at the 2009 World Team Trophy in Tokyo, Japan.
For the 2009–2010 season, James and Bonheur started at the 2009 Nebelhorn Trophy, finishing sixth. They competed in two Grand Prix events, placing eighth at both the 2009 Cup of China and 2009 Trophée Eric Bompard. They won their first French national title in 2010.
In January, they placed seventh at the 2010 European Championships. In February, they represented France at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. They finished fourteenth overall. Vanessa and Yannick were the first black pair to compete at the Olympics. Their last competition together was the 2010 World Championships in Turin, Italy, where they finished twelfth. They ended their partnership in spring 2010. Vanessa later said they "weren't progressing."
Teaming Up with Morgan Ciprès
In September 2010, Vanessa started a new partnership with Morgan Ciprès. Morgan had been a singles skater before this. They didn't compete in their first season together as Morgan learned the new pair skating moves. Vanessa remembered their tryout: "It was so fun. He was so funny because he had never done pairs before, so he was really nervous."
First Competitions with Morgan
James and Ciprès made their debut in September 2011. They finished fifth at the 2011 Ondrej Nepela Memorial. After placing fifth at the 2011 Coupe de Nice, they finished eighth at their first Grand Prix, the 2011 Trophee Eric Bompard. At the 2012 French Championships, they won the silver medal.
They finished sixth at the 2012 European Championships. They were the best French pair there. They then competed at the 2012 World Championships in Nice, France, finishing sixteenth.
Winning Medals and Going to the Olympics
In 2012, James and Ciprès won their first international medal, a bronze, at the 2012 Nebelhorn Trophy. They also won another bronze at the 2012 NRW Trophy. In December, they won their first national title.
In January 2013, they placed fourth at the 2013 European Championships. After winning gold at the 2013 International Challenge Cup, they finished eighth at the 2013 World Championships. This result helped France get a spot for the Sochi Olympics.
For the 2013–2014 season, Morgan had wrist surgery, so they had to withdraw from one competition. They still competed at the 2013 Trophee Eric Bompard and placed fifth. They also successfully defended their national title.
At the 2014 Europeans, they set personal best scores and finished fifth. They were chosen for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. They placed tenth in the pairs event and sixth in the team event. They had similar results at the 2014 World Championships.
Grand Prix Medals and European Bronze
In the 2014–2015 season, James and Ciprès finished fourth at the 2014 CS Nebelhorn Trophy. They placed fifth at their two Grand Prix events. They won their first small medal (for the short program) at the 2015 European Championships, finishing fifth overall. They placed ninth at the 2015 World Championships.
They started the 2015–2016 season with a bronze medal at the 2015 CS Nebelhorn Trophy. They earned their first Grand Prix medal, a silver, at the 2015 Trophée Éric Bompard. The event was cancelled due to the Paris attacks, but their short program placement counted. They finished fourth at the 2016 European Championships and tenth at the 2016 World Championships. They decided they needed a big change to keep improving.
In June 2016, they moved to Florida to train with new coaches. They won silver at the 2016 CS Autumn Classic International. They then won a bronze medal at the 2016 Trophée de France. In January 2017, they won the bronze medal at the European Championships. This was the first time a French pair medaled at this event in 14 years!
At the 2017 World Championships, they finished eighth. The next month, at the 2017 World Team Trophy, they scored personal bests. They placed first in both parts of the pairs' event, even ahead of the strong Russian team. Vanessa said, "Our main problem [before] was that we were two different people on the ice. We needed to change that."
Olympic and World Medals
James and Ciprès started the 2017–2018 season with a gold medal at the 2017 CS Autumn Classic International. They won medals at both their Grand Prix events. At the 2018 European Championships, they placed first in the short program but finished fourth overall, just missing a medal.
They were part of France's team for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. In the team event, they placed sixth. In the main pairs event, they finished fifth overall. In March, they made history by winning the bronze medal at the 2018 World Championships in Milan, Italy. This was the first World medal for a French pair in 18 years! Vanessa said, "I'm so glad I made that choice because we're a really good team today."
Becoming European and Grand Prix Final Champions
For the 2018–2019 season, their programs were choreographed by famous ice dancers. They won gold at their first event, the 2018 CS Autumn Classic International. They then won their first Grand Prix event at 2018 Skate Canada International, setting a new world record in the free skate. Vanessa said it was "just magic for us." They won another Grand Prix gold at the 2018 Internationaux de France. These wins qualified them for the 2018–19 Grand Prix Final. They won the gold medal there, setting another world record in the free skate.
After winning their sixth national title, James and Ciprès went to the 2019 European Championships in Minsk. They won both the short program and the free skate, becoming European pairs champions! They were only the second French team ever to do this, and the first since 1932. Vanessa called it "a dream come true."
At the 2019 World Championships in Saitama, they had some unexpected mistakes in the short program. They finished seventh. In the free program, they placed third, ending up fifth overall. They said they would keep skating until they won the World title. They finished the season at the 2019 World Team Trophy, where they earned a new personal best in the free skate.
Skating with Eric Radford
In April 2021, Vanessa announced a new partnership with Canadian pairs skater Eric Radford. They would represent Canada. Vanessa said she "still felt I had something to give to skating, like unfinished business."
James and Radford made their debut at the 2021 CS Autumn Classic International, winning silver. They placed fifth at the 2021 CS Finlandia Trophy. Eric called it "a disappointment because we’ve been skating better than that in practice."
They competed at the 2021 Skate Canada International, placing fourth. Vanessa said, "we are definitely getting stronger each time we go out there." At the 2021 Internationaux de France, they skated a clean short program. In the free skate, they landed most of their difficult moves. Vanessa said it was "the most confident we have felt since we started skating together."
Beijing Olympics and World Bronze
Before the 2022 Canadian Championships, Vanessa and Eric both got COVID-19. They started the competition but then withdrew to focus on training for the Olympics. Despite withdrawing, they were chosen for the Canadian Olympic team.
At the 2022 Winter Olympics, they competed in the team event, placing fourth. In the main pairs event, they finished twelfth overall. Vanessa said, "To go out there and skate our hearts out is a huge accomplishment."
After the Olympics, many top skaters from Russia and Belarus were banned from the 2022 World Championships. This changed the competition a lot. James and Radford placed fifth in the short program. In the free skate, they delivered a strong performance and won the bronze medal! This was Canada's first World medal in pairs in six years. Eric called the season "one of the best years of my life."
On July 11, 2022, Vanessa and Eric announced their retirement from competitive skating. Vanessa shared her gratitude, saying she was "blessed with many people who have believed in me, encouraged me, and provided me with the skillset both on and off the ice, to make my dreams come true."
Images for kids
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James and Bonheur at the 2010 Europeans
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James as a single skater in 2006
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Free skate from the 2018 European Figure Skating Championships
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See also
In Spanish: Vanessa James para niños
