French figure skater (born 2005)
François Pitot (born 4 January 2005) is a French figure skater. He is a two-time French national bronze medalist.
At the junior level, Pitot is the 2024 French junior national champion, 2023 JGP Japan champion, the 2023 JGP Thailand silver medalist, and the 2021 JGP France I bronze medalist.
Personal life
Pitot was born on 4 January 2005 in Orléans, France.[1]
His figure skating idol is Nathan Chen.[2]
Career
Early years
Pitot began learning how to skate in 2012 at age seven. He initially pursued football as a child, but decided to try skating as his brother and sister were already involved in the sport and quickly came to enjoy it.[2] Didier Lucine, Claudine Lucine, Katia Gentelet, and Cédric Tour were his first coaches.[3]
He won the 2019 French Novice Championships and finished twelfth at the Junior Championships that same year. He also won gold at the 2019 Triglav Trophy.[4]
2019–20 season
Coached by Brian Joubert and Cornelia Paquier in Poitiers, Pitot made his junior international debut at the 2019 JGP France, finishing twelfth. He went on to place fourth at the 2019 Master's de Patinage as well as win gold in the junior division of the 2019 Tallinn Trophy.[5]
Debuting on the senior level at the 2020 French Championships, Pitot finished eighth.[4]
Elected to represent France at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics in Lausanne, Switzerland, Pitot finished thirteenth.[5] Pitot would then end the season by competing at the 2020 French Novice Championships, winning gold for a second consecutive time.[4]
2020–21 season
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pitot only competed domestically during the 2020–21 season. He won gold on the junior level at the 2020 Master's de Patinage and competed on the senior level at the 2021 French Championships, finishing fifth.[4]
2021–22 season
Prior to the season, Pitot relocated to Vaujany to train under Florent Amodio and Sofia Amodio.[6] He began the season by competing on the 2021–22 ISU Junior Grand Prix, winning bronze at 2021 JGP France I and finishing sixth at 2021 JGP Slovenia.[5] He subsequently won gold on the junior level at the 2021 Master's de Patinage and the 2021 Cup of Nice.[4]
At the 2022 French Championships, Pitot would place sixth on the senior level and win silver on the junior level. Between the two national events, Pitot would also take bronze on the junior level at the 2022 Bavarian Open.[5][4]
Selected to compete at the 2022 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Vuokatti, Finland, Pitot would finish sixth at the event. He would then go on to compete at the 2022 World Junior Championships in Tallinn, Estonia where he placed thirtieth and fail to advance to the free skate segment of the competition.[5][4]
After the season ended, Pitot moved to Fribourg, where Romain Ponsart became his new coach.[7]
2022–23 season
Pitot began the season by competing on the 2022–23 ISU Junior Grand Prix, finishing sixth at 2021 JGP Poland I and fifth at 2021 JGP Poland II. He would go on to win gold on the junior level at the 2022 Master's de Patinage.[5][4]
Making his senior international debut at the 2022 CS Ice Challenge, Pitot placed fifteenth in the short program but won the free skate with a personal best by over twenty-five points. He would finish in fifth place overall.[4]
He would go on to win the bronze medal on the senior level at the 2023 French Championships. Pitot ultimately closed his season by finishing twelfth at the 2023 World Junior Championships in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.[5][4]
2023–24 season
Pitot started the season by competing on the 2023–24 ISU Junior Grand Prix, winning silver at 2023 JGP Thailand and gold at 2023 JGP Japan. With these results, Pitot qualified for the 2023–24 Junior Grand Prix Final. He subsequently competed on the senior level at the 2023 Master's de Patinage and the 2023 Cup of Nice, winning bronze and silver, respectively. Pitot would also compete at the 2023 CS Warsaw Cup, where he finished in fourth place.[5][4]
At the Junior Grand Prix Final in Beijing, China, Pitot finished fifth. Days following the event, Pitot competed at the 2024 French Championships, where he won bronze for a second consecutive time. He would then go on to win gold at the junior level championships.[5][4]
2024–25 season
Pitot began the season with an eleventh-place finish at the 2024 CS Lombardia Trophy. He then competed at the 2024 Master's de Patinage, where he won the gold medal.[4] Making his debut on the 2024–25 Grand Prix circuit, Pitot finished eleventh at the 2024 Skate America. During the 2024 Grand Prix de France, Pitot had a hard fall on an attempted quad salchow in the short program, landing on his left shoulder and dislocating it. Pitot would go to see the French team's physiotherapist following his performance. Although his shoulder was swollen and it hurt to extend his arm, Pitot was medically cleared to compete in the free skate segment. He would finish the event in twelfth-place overall.[5][8]
Programs
Competitive highlights
Detailed results
- Small medals for the short program and free skating are only awarded at ISU Championships.
Senior level
Junior level
References
External links
