Nikolaj Sørensen

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Nikolaj Sørensen
Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Sørensen at the 2019 Skate America - Awarding ceremony.jpg
Fournier Beaudry and Sørensen at the 2019 Skate America
Personal information
Full nameNikolaj Sørensen[1]
Country represented Canada
Former country(ies) represented Denmark
Born (1989-02-18) February 18, 1989 (age 32)
Copenhagen, Denmark
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
PartnerLaurence Fournier Beaudry
Former partnerKatelyn Good
Lili Lamar
Barbora Heroldová
Anna Thomsen
CoachMarie-France Dubreuil
Patrice Lauzon
Romain Haguenauer
Former coachPascal Denis
David Blazek
Mathew Gates
ChoreographerMarie-France Dubreuil
Patrice Lauzon
Former choreographerGinette Cournoyer
Skating clubTown of Mount Royal FSC
Former skating clubRødovre Skating and Ice Hockey Club
Training locationsMontreal
Former training locationsOberstdorf
Copenhagen
Began skating1996
ISU personal best scores
Combined total201.00
2019 CS Nebelhorn Trophy
Short dance81.16
2019 CS Nebelhorn Trophy
Free dance119.84
2019 CS Nebelhorn Trophy

Nikolaj Sørensen (born February 18, 1989) is a Danish-Canadian ice dancer. Competing for Canada with his skating partner, Laurence Fournier Beaudry, he is a four-time Grand Prix bronze medalist and a four-time Challenger medalist, including gold at the 2019 CS Nebelhorn Trophy. Domestically they are the 2019 Canadian national bronze medalists.

Fournier Beaudry and Sørensen previously competed for Denmark, winning six ISU Challenger Series medals and representing Denmark at the World and European championships.[2] In March 2018, Denmark released them to compete for Canada after she was unable to obtain Danish citizenship to compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics.[3]

Early career[]

Sørensen began learning to skate in 1996, at his father's instigation.[4] He competed internationally with Anne Thomsen beginning in 2003. They placed twenty-fourth at the 2006 World Junior Championships.

In 2007, Sørensen teamed up with Czech skater Barbora Heroldová to compete for Denmark. They competed one season together, placing twenty-first at the 2008 World Junior Championships.

In 2009, Sørensen began competing with Canadian skater Katelyn Good for Denmark. In their first season together, they won the Danish senior national title, placed seventeenth at 2010 World Junior Championships, twenty-first at the 2010 European Championships, and twenty-fourth at the 2010 World Championships. The following season, they decided to move from training in the United States under Mathew Gates to Montreal in order to be near Good's mother. On Gates' recommendation they began training under Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon, whose just-opened ice dance academy had only four teams at the time. Shortly after the move, Good's mother died. Sørensen and Good placed twenty-ninth at the 2011 World Championships, in what was their final performance together, as Good chose to retire due to injury.[4]

In 2012, Sørensen began skating with Canadian skater Vanessa Crone, but she decided not to compete with him.[5]

Partnership with Fournier Beaudry[]

Sørensen had a tryout with another Canadian, Laurence Fournier Beaudry of Quebec, in February 2012.[5] He decided to team up with Crone, but called Fournier Beaudry five months later, shortly after Crone's decision not to compete with him.[5] Fournier Beaudry and Sørensen decided to represent Denmark while continuing to train in Canada under Dubreuil and Lauzon.

2013–2014 season[]

Making their international competition debut in the fall of 2013, they won gold at the 2013 Pavel Roman Memorial, silver at the 2013 Ice Challenge, and bronze at the Toruń Cup. At the 2014 Danish Championships, they were the only competitors in ice dance.[6]

In their ISU Championship debut, they placed thirteenth at the 2014 European Championships, and concluded the season placing twenty-ninth at the 2014 World Championships in Saitama.

2014–2015 season[]

The duo competed in three ISU Challenger Series events at the beginning of the season, placing fourth at the Volvo Open Cup, repeating as silver medalists at the Ice Challenge, and earning a bronze medal at the 2014 Autumn Classic. They were again the only competitors at the Danish Championships' ice dance event.[7]

At their second European Championships, they placed ninth. At the 2015 World Championships in Shanghai, they placed eleventh.

2015–2016 season[]

Beginning the season again on the Challenger Series, Fournier Beaudry and Sørensen won the silver medal at the 2015 U.S. International Classic and the bronze medal at the Finlandia Trophy. Making their Grand Prix debut, they placed seventh at the 2015 Skate Canada International.

Fournier Beaudry and Sørensen placed ninth at Europeans for the second consecutive year, and finished with a thirteenth-place finish at the 2016 World Championships in Boston.

2016–2017 season[]

On the Challenger Series, Fournier Beaudry and Sørensen won their second bronze medal at the Autumn Classic International, and placed fourth at the Finlandia Trophy. Given two Grand Prix assignments, they placed seventh at both Skate Canada International and the Rostelecom Cup.

The duo placed seventh at Europeans. They went on to place thirteenth at the 2017 World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. Due to their result, Denmark qualified a spot in the ice dancing event at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

2017–2018 season[]

They took part in three Challenger Series events, placing fourth at the 2015 U.S. International Classic, seventh at the Autumn Classic International, and winning a second bronze medal at the Finlandia Trophy. At their sole Grand Prix event for the season, the 2017 NHK Trophy, Fournier Beaudry and Sørensen placed fifth. Appearing at their third and final Danish Championships, they were again the only competitors in senior ice dance.[8]

For much of the preceding years, Fournier Beaudry's citizenship status had dogged the team, as Danish law required seven years' residency for naturalization, and ultimately no allowance could be made. As a result, they were unable to take part in the Olympics despite having qualified a spot there.[9] Following the 2018 European Championships, where they placed ninth, the two reassessed their options, and decided to switch countries and compete for Canada. In March 2018, Denmark released them for that purpose.[3] Speaking of the challenges later, Sørensen remarked that they had been welcomed by the Canadian federation, and that the Danish federation had always been supportive his years of training in Canada had already made him as much Canadian as Danish, and stated that he hoped to acquire Canadian citizenship by 2020.[9]

2018–2019 season[]

For the rhythm dance, Fournier Beaudry chose Adiós Nonino, creating a cut of different instrumental and lyrical versions. She and Sørensen opted to retain their free program from the previous season, revised for the ISU's new rules. Sørensen remarked that it "is a transitional year with a lot of new feelings and a lot of new challenges, so it was natural to keep something familiar around." ISU rules required that a team switching countries sit out international competition for a year from their last international appearance, meaning they were ineligible for the Challenger and Grand Prix series.[4]

In their first competition of the season, the 2019 Skate Canada Challenge, the duo placed first in both programs, qualifying for the 2019 Canadian Championships.[10] At the Canadian Championships, they placed third and were named to the team for the 2019 Four Continents Championships and 2019 World Championships.[11] They placed sixth at Four Continents, and tenth at the World Championships.

2019–2020 season[]

For their first event of the season, Fournier Beaudry/Sørensen won the silver medal at the Lombardia Trophy. They followed this with a gold medal at the Nebelhorn Trophy, their first Challenger title, increasing their personal best score by over ten points.[12] Returning to the Grand Prix after a season away, the placed third in the rhythm dance at the 2019 Skate America, becoming one of the first teams to earn a perfect Level 4 on the Finnstep pattern dance.[13] They placed third in the free dance as well, winning the bronze medal. Sørensen called their first Grand Prix medal "something that we've dreamed about since we started skating together."[14] At their second event, the 2019 Cup of China, they were again third in the rhythm dance, and the only team at the event to earn a Level 4 on the Finnstep.[15] Third as well in the free dance, despite some minor issues resulting in a lower score than at previous events, they won their second Grand Prix bronze. Sørensen explained afterward that a knee injury had caused him to miss a week of training in between events.[16]

Fournier Beaudry/Sørensen did not compete at the 2020 Canadian Championships, due to the latter undergoing a cartilage graft and a meniscotomy to repair his knee.[17] On February 13, 2020, Skate Canada announced that they had been assigned to compete at the 2020 World Championships.[18] On March 6, 2020, they withdrew from the World Championships due to Sørensen's incomplete recovery; the championships themselves were cancelled five days later.[19][20]

2020–2021 season[]

Fournier Beaudry/Sørensen were assigned to the 2020 Skate Canada International, but the event was cancelled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.[21]

With the pandemic continuing to make in-person competitions difficult, Fournier Beaudry/Sørensen competed at virtual domestic competitions, winning the Quebec Sectionals and then taking the silver medal at the 2021 Skate Canada Challenge. The 2021 Canadian Championships were subsequently cancelled.[22][23]

On February 25th, Fournier Beaudry and Sørenson were announced as part of the Canadian team to the 2021 World Championships in Stockholm.[24] They placed seventh in the rhythm dance despite getting only one of the four keypoints on the Finnstep pattern.[25] In the free dance they dropped to eighth place behind the British team Fear/Gibson by 0.04 points. Sørenson acknowledged afterward having "left a couple of points on the table."[26] Their placement combined with Gilles/Poirier's bronze medal win qualified three berths for Canadian dance teams at the 2022 Winter Olympics.[27]

2021–2022 season[]

The team began the season at the 2021 CS Lombardia Trophy, winning the silver medal for the second time.[28] Sørenson commented afterward that it was "not the best free dance today" following twizzle errors from both, but that "we are just going to build from here."[29] Going onto their first Grand Prix assignment of the year, 2021 Skate America, they placed third in the rhythm dance. Fourth in the free dance, dropping behind Spaniards Smart/Díaz in that segment, they remained in the bronze medal position overall by 0.44 points.[30] Reflecting on "our third grand prix for Canada with a bronze medal", Fournier Beaudry called it "so nice to be back after two years of struggle and feeling like the machine is rolling and the bodies are rolling again."[31] After winning another Challenger silver at the 2021 CS Cup of Austria, the following week they won another bronze medal at their second Grand Prix assignment, the 2021 Rostelecom Cup.[32]

Programs[]

With Fournier Beaudry[]

Season Short dance Free dance Exhibition
2021–2022
[33]
2020–2021
[34]
2019–2020
[35]
2018–2019
[36]
  • Spanish Caravan
    by The Doors
  • Hush
    performed by Marcin Patrzalek
  • Asturias
    performed by Marcin Patrzalek
2017–2018
[37]
  • Spanish Caravan
    by The Doors
  • Hush
    performed by Marcin Patrzalek
  • Asturias
    performed by Marcin Patrzalek
2016–2017
[38]
2015–2016
[39][40]
2014–2015
[41]
  • Flamenco: Malagueña
    performed by Montana Skies
  • Paso doble: Malagueña
    performed by Klaus Hallen Dance Orchestra
2013–2014
[42]
  • Foxtrot: All Of Me
    by Frank Sinatra
  • Quickstep: I Never Knew
    by Frank Sinatra
  • Foxtrot: All Of Me
    by Frank Sinatra

With Good[]

Season Short dance Free dance
2010–2011
[43]
  • La Del Ruso
    by Gotan Project
  • Amor Perteno
    by Gotan Project
  • Peligro
    by Gotan Project
  • Differente
    by Gotan Project
Original dance
2009–2010
[44] 		Danish folk dance
  • Waltz
  • Polka

With Heroldová[]

Season Original dance Free dance
2007–2008
[45] 		Danish folk dance
  • Mikalas Vals
    (from Lige for Tiden 2)
    by Janet Vahl
  • Dug-Kalo
    (from Lige for Tiden)
    by H. Haugaard, J. V. Petersen
  • St. Patrick (Angelus)
    by Ronan Hardiman
  • The Vikings
    by Ronan Hardiman
  • Celtic Kittens
    by Ronan Hardiman

With Thomsen[]

Season Original dance Free dance
2006–2007
[46]
2005–2006
[47][48]
  • Harem
    by Frederico de Brito
2004–2005
[49]
  • Slow foxtrot: Do Nothin' Till you Hear from Me
    by Duke Ellington, Bob Russel
  • Charleston: The Muppet Show Theme

Competitive highlights[]

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

With Fournier Beaudry[]

For Canada[]

International[2]
Event 18–19 19–20 20–21 21–22
Worlds 10th WD 8th
Four Continents 6th
GP Cup of China 3rd
GP Rostelecom Cup 3rd
GP Skate America 3rd 3rd
GP Skate Canada C
CS Cup of Austria 2nd
CS Lombardia Trophy 2nd 2nd
CS Nebelhorn Trophy 1st
National[2]
Canadian Champ. 3rd WD C
SC Challenge 1st 2nd
TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew; C = Event cancelled

For Denmark[]

International[2]
Event 13–14 14–15 15–16 16–17 17–18
Worlds 29th 11th 13th 13th
Europeans 18th 9th 9th 7th 9th
GP NHK Trophy 5th
GP Rostelecom Cup 7th
GP Skate Canada 7th 7th
CS Autumn Classic 3rd 3rd 7th
CS Finlandia Trophy 3rd 4th 3rd
CS Ice Challenge 2nd
CS U.S. Classic 2nd 4th
CS Volvo Open Cup 4th
Ice Challenge 2nd
Pavel Roman 1st
Toruń Cup 3rd
National[2]
Danish Champ. 1st 1st 1st


With Good[]

Good/Sørensen at the 2011 World Championships
International[50]
Event 09–10 10–11
World Champ. 24th 29th
European Champ. 21st
Finlandia Trophy 9th
Nebelhorn Trophy 14th
International: Junior[50]
Junior Worlds 17th
JGP Turkey 12th
JGP United States 9th
National[50]
Danish Champ. 1st

With Heroldová[]

International[51]
Event 07–08
Junior Worlds 21st
JGP Austria 14th
JGP United Kingdom 17th
Pavel Roman Memorial 11th J
National[51]
Danish Champ. 1st J
J = Junior level

With Thomsen[]

International[52]
Event 03–04 04–05 05–06 06–07
Junior Worlds 24th
JGP Bulgaria 14th
JGP Czech Republic 13th
JGP Germany 15th
JGP Poland 15th
Nordics 1st J
Pavel Roman 2nd N 8th J 9th J
Levels: N = Novice; J = Junior

Detailed results[]

With Fournier Beaudry for Canada[]

Small medals for short and free programs awarded only at ISU Championships. At team events, medals awarded for team results only. Current ISU personal bests highlighted in bold.

2021–22 season
Date Event RD FD Total
November 26–28, 2021 2021 Rostelecom Cup 3
76.39 		3
115.01 		3
191.40
November 11–14, 2021 2021 CS Cup of Austria 3
77.38 		2
117.29 		2
194.67
October 22–24, 2021 2021 Skate America 3
75.33 		4
114.80 		3
190.13
September 10–12, 2021 2021 CS Lombardia Trophy 2
76.64 		2
108.62 		2
185.26
2020–21 season
Date Event RD FD Total
March 22–28, 2021 2021 World Championships 7
77.87 		8
119.01 		8
196.88
January 8–17, 2021 2021 Skate Canada Challenge 2
86.55 		2
120.36 		2
206.91
2019–20 season
Date Event RD FD Total
November 8–10, 2019 2019 Cup of China 3
78.41 		3
112.33 		3
190.74
October 18–20, 2019 2019 Skate America 3
79.17 		3
118.36 		3
197.53
September 25–28, 2019 2019 CS Nebelhorn Trophy 1
81.16 		1
119.84 		1
201.00
September 13–15, 2019 2019 CS Lombardia Trophy 2
79.11 		2
110.25 		2
189.36
2018–19 season
Date Event RD FD Total
March 18–24, 2019 2019 World Championships 10
74.76 		9
113.34 		10
188.10
February 7–10, 2019 2019 Four Continents Championships 6
73.70 		6
113.61 		6
186.91
January 13–20, 2019 2019 Canadian Championships 3
79.41 		3
119.00 		3
198.41

References[]

  1. ^ "Danmarksmesterskaber og Ungdomskonkurrence 2014: Senior Isdans" [2014 Danish Championships: Senior ice dancing] (in Danish). Danish Skating Union. December 8, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Competition Results: Laurence FOURNIER BEAUDRY / Nikolaj SORENSEN". International Skating Union.
  3. ^ a b "Press Release". Dansk Skøjte Union (DSU). March 1, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c Russell, Susan (November 26, 2018). "Fournier-Beaudry-Sørensen dance under the Maple Leaf". International Figure Skating.
  5. ^ a b c Tone, Florentina (March 28, 2017). "Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Sørensen: "We're in it for the long haul"". insideskating.net.
  6. ^ "2013–14 Danish Championships". Danish Skating Union. December 2, 2013.
  7. ^ "2014–15 Danish Championships". Danish Skating Union. December 6, 2014.
  8. ^ "2017–18 Danish Championships". Danish Skating Union. December 3, 2017.
  9. ^ a b Bergeron, Alain (November 17, 2018). "De Copenhague à Longueuil". Le Journal de Quebec.
  10. ^ Skate Canada (December 2, 2018). "Senior ice dance, senior women and junior men winners" (Instagram). Archived from the original on December 24, 2021.
  11. ^ Curley, Sean (January 20, 2019). "Weaver and Poje win third national ice dance title". Golden Skate.
  12. ^ "Canada's Fournier-Beaudry, Sorensen take ice dance title at Nebelhorn Trophy". CBC Sports. September 28, 2019.
  13. ^ Slater, Paula (October 19, 2019). "Hubbell and Donohue: 'We have so much progress to make'". Golden Skate.
  14. ^ Slater, Paula (October 20, 2019). "Hubbell and Donohue win second consecutive Skate America gold". Golden Skate.
  15. ^ Slater, Paula (November 8, 2019). "Sinitsina and Katsalapov lead after Rhythm Dance at Cup of China". Golden Skate.
  16. ^ Slater, Paula (November 9, 2019). "Sinitsina and Katsalapov take first Grand Prix gold at Cup of China". Golden Skate.
  17. ^ Sørensen, Nikolaj (January 8, 2020). "Nationals is already next week!