Christopher Boyadji

Christopher Boyadji
Jones/Boyadji in 2020
Born	(1990-07-15) 15 July 1990 (age 34) Paris, France
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)
Figure skating career
Country	Great Britain
Partner	Zoe Jones (GBR)
Coach	Mark Naylor
Skating club	Swindon Ice Figure Club
Began skating	1998
Retired	March 18, 2022

Christopher Boyadji (born 15 July 1990) is a retired French pair skater who represents Great Britain. With former partner Zoe Jones, he is a four-time British national champion (2017-2020). With former partner Amani Fancy, he is a two-time national champion (2014, 2016).

Personal life

After becoming a pairs team, Jones and Boyadji began a relationship and welcomed their daughter, Arya, in April 2023. ^[1]

Career

For France

Boyadji began skating at the age of 7½ after watching Philippe Candeloro on television. ^[2] As a competitor in men's singles, he was coached by Diana Skotnická in Courbevoie and by Sylvain Privé. ^{[3] [4]} He represented France at five ISU Junior Grand Prix events and the 2009 Winter Universiade.

Boyadji competed with Camille Mendoza for France in the 2011–12 season. They finished 16th at the 2012 World Junior Championships in Minsk, Belarus. The pair trained in Paris and Montreal under Vivien Rolland and Diana Skotnická. ^[5]

Partnership with Fancy

Boyadji teamed up with British skater Amani Fancy in spring 2013. ^{[6] [7]} After winning the 2014 British national title, they were sent to the 2014 European Championships in Budapest, where they placed 15th. The pair finished 18th at the 2014 World Championships in Saitama, Japan.

Following an elbow surgery in November 2014, the pair was unable to compete at the 2015 British Championships. They were sent to the 2015 European Championships in Stockholm, where they placed 12th. The pair finished 16th at the 2015 World Championships in Shanghai.

Fancy/Boyadji won the bronze medal at the 2015 CS Tallinn Trophy and placed 8th at a Grand Prix event, the 2015 NHK Trophy, as well as winning their second national title. In January 2016, they announced the end of their partnership, ^[8] withdrawing from both the 2016 European and 2016 World Championships.

Partnership with Jones

Boyadji and Zoe Jones agreed to form a pair skating partnership following a tryout in April 2016. ^{[8] [9]} They trained at the Better Link Centre in Swindon. ^[10] Their first competition was the 2016 CS Ondrej Nepela Memorial, where they finished 6th.

The pair retired after the 2021–22 figure skating season after having a career-best 10th-place finish at the 2022 World Figure Skating Championships.

Coaching career

Following their retirement, Jones and Boyadji began coaching together at the Better Link Centre in Swindon, where they had previously trained.

Boyadji's students have included:

• Lydia Smart / Harry Mattick ^[11]
• Julia Sauter ^[12]
• Kristen Spours ^[13]
• Zarah Wood / Alex Lapsky ^[14]
• Edward Appleby ^[15]

Programs

With Jones

Season	Short program	Free skating
2021–2022 [16]	Rise Up by Andra Day	Fix You performed by Cinematic Pop
2020–2021 [17]	Somewhere Over the Rainbow performed by J2	To Build a Home by The Cinematic Orchestra
2019–2020 [18]	The Storm by Havasi	To Build a Home by The Cinematic Orchestra
2018–2019 [19]	Somewhere Over the Rainbow by J2	To Build a Home by The Cinematic Orchestra
2017–2018 [20]	It's a Man's Man's Man's World performed by Seal	Who Wants to Live Forever by Queen performed by The Tenors & Lindsey Stirling
2016–17 [21] [22]	Malagueña by Ernesto Lecuona	Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns

With Fancy

Season	Short program	Free skating
2015–16 [23]	La Vie en rose by Louis Armstrong	Ghost The Musical by Dave A. Stewart
2014–15 [24]	La Vie en rose by Louis Armstrong	Harry Potter by John Williams
2013–14 [6]	Concierto de Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo performed by André Rieu Red Violin (based on Aranjuez) by Ikuko Kawai	Adiós Nonino by Astor Piazzolla Esperanza by Maxime Rodriguez El Conquistador by Maxime Rodriguez

With Mendoza

Season	Short program	Free skating
2011–12 [5]	Mr. & Mrs. Smith by John Powell	Pearl Harbor by Hans Zimmer

Single skating

Season	Short program	Free skating
2008–09 [4]	Mr. & Mrs. Smith by John Powell	Gladiator by Hans Zimmer
2006–07 [3]	The Man in the Iron Mask by Nick Glennie-Smith	Japanese soundtrack

Competitive highlights

• GP – Event of the ISU Grand Prix Series
• JGP – Event of the ISU Junior Grand Prix Series
• CS – Event of the ISU Challenger Series
• WD – Withdrew from competition
• Medals at team events are awarded for the team results only. Individual placements at team events are listed in parentheses.

With Jones for Great Britain

International [25]
Event	16–17	17–18	18–19	19–20	20–21	21–22
Worlds	26th	27th	17th	C	24th	10th
Europeans	14th		10th	12th		WD
GP France		8th
GP Skate America				8th
GP Skate Canada						8th
CS Nebelhorn		14th				15th
CS Ondrej Nepela	6th		WD
CS Warsaw Cup				12th
Bavarian Open			3rd	4th
Cup of Nice	5th	4th
Open Ice Mall			2nd
Volvo Open Cup		1st
National
British Champ.	1st	1st	1st	1st	C	2nd
TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew; C = Event cancelled

With Fancy for Great Britain

International [26]
Event	2013–14	2014–15	2015–16
Worlds	18th	16th
Europeans	15th	12th
GP NHK Trophy			8th
CS Nebelhorn		8th	WD
CS Tallinn Trophy			3rd
Bavarian Open	4th	1st
Lombardia Trophy	8th
Warsaw Cup	4th
National [26]
British Champ.	1st		1st

Pair skating with Camille Mendoza for France

Mendoza/Boyadji at the 2012 World Junior Championships

Competition placements at junior level  ^[27]

Season	2011–12
World Junior Championships	16th
JGP Estonia	10th
Bavarian Open	1st
Master's de Patinage	1st

Single skating for France

International [28]
Event	2006–07	2007–08	2008–09
Winter Universiade			27th
International: Junior [28]
JGP Croatia		5th
JGP Czech Republic			6th
JGP France	8th		7th
JGP Germany		9th
Cup of Nice	2nd
Triglav Trophy	1st
National [28]
French Champ.	14th	8th
Masters			3rd J

References

1. "Arya". Instagram. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
2. "Discover Elite Figure Skaters Christopher and Amani". National Ice Skating Association. 5 December 2015. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
3. "Christopher BOYADJI: 2006/2007". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 4 February 2007.
4. "Christopher BOYADJI: 2008/2009". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 2 June 2009.
5. "Camille MENDOZA / Christopher BOYADJI: 2011/2012". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 April 2012.
6. "Amani FANCY / Christopher BOYADJI: 2013/2014". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 21 June 2014.
7. "Interview Amani Fancy/Christopher Boyadj". Figureskating-Online. 8 June 2013. Archived from the original on 29 July 2013.
8. "Zoe Wilkinson and Christopher Boyadji confirmed as new skating partnership". National Ice Skating Association. 19 August 2016. Archived from the original on 23 October 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
9. "ICE SKATING: Wilkinson is excited by her new link-up with Boyadji". Swindon Advertiser. 24 August 2016.
10. Davies, Matthew (1 December 2016). "ICE SKATING: It all figures for Jones after link-up with new partner". Swindon Advertiser.
11. "Lydia SMART / Harry MATTICK: 2023/2024". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
12. "Julia SAUTER: 2024/2025 (2nd FP)". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 1 February 2025.
13. "Kristen SPOURS: 2022/2023". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
14. "Zarah WOOD / Alex LAPSKY: 2024/2025". International Skating Union. International Skating Union. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
16. "Zoe JONES / Christopher BOYADJI: 2021/2022". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 20 September 2021.
17. "Zoe JONES / Christopher BOYADJI: 2020/2021". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021.
18. "Zoe JONES / Christopher BOYADJI: 2019/2020". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019.
19. "Zoe JONES / Christopher BOYADJI: 2018/2019". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 14 February 2019.
20. "Zoe JONES / Christopher BOYADJI: 2016/2017". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 14 April 2018.
21. "Zoe JONES / Christopher BOYADJI: 2016/2017". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 11 June 2017.
22. Bőd, Titanilla (9 March 2017). "Zoe Jones and Christopher Boyadji: "We are here!"". Absolute Skating.
23. "Amani FANCY / Christopher BOYADJI: 2015/2016". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016.
24. "Amani FANCY / Christopher BOYADJI: 2014/2015". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 20 May 2015.
25. "Competition Results: Zoe JONES / Christopher BOYADJI". International Skating Union.
26. "Competition Results: Amani FANCY / Christopher BOYADJI". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 4 July 2016.
27. "FRA-Camille Kovalev / Christopher Boyadji". SkatingScores.com.
28. "Competition Results: Christopher BOYADJI". International Skating Union. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016.

External links

Media related to Christopher Boyadji at Wikimedia Commons

• Zoe Jones / Christopher Boyadji at the International Skating Union
• Amani Fancy / Christopher Boyadji at the International Skating Union
• Camille Kovalev & Christopher Boyadji at the International Skating Union
• Camille Kovalev & Christopher Boyadji at SkatingScores.com