- Category : Senior Ladies
- Date of Birth : January 13, 1986
- City : Montréal, QC
- Hometown : Île Dupas, QC
- Height : 5′2″ (157 cm)
- Club : CPA Berthierville
- Training : St-Léonard (QC)
- Coach : Manon Perron
- Choreographers : Shae-Lynn Bourne & Lori Nichol
- Starting Skating : 6 years old
Music
2009-2010
- Short Program : La Cumparsita
- Long Program : Samson & Delilah
2008-2009
- Short Program : Summertime
- Long Program : Adagio du Concierto de Aranjuez (Rodrigo)
- Exhibition : Die Another Day par Madonna
2007-2008
- Short Program : Piano Concerto no 1 de Tchaikovsky
- Long Program : Partie 1: N’as-Tu Pas Honte? (Felix Gray), Partie 2: Un Grand Homme est Mort (Felix Gray), Partie 3: Aimer (Felix Gray), Partie 4: Un Grand Homme est Mort (Felix Gray)
- Exhibition : Summertime by Renee Olstead
2006-2007
- Short Program : Little Wing de Jimi Hendrix
- Long Program : Part 1: N’as-Tu Pas Honte? (Felix Gray), Part 2: Un Grand Homme est Mort (Felix Gray), Part 3: Aimer (Felix Gray), Part 4: Un Grand Homme est Mort (Felix Gray)
- Exhibition : Vole by Céline Dion
2005-2006
- Short Program : Like a Prayer de Madonna & P. Leonard
- Long Program : Les Feuilles Mortes, Hymne a l’amour
2004-2005
- Short Program : Dumky Piano Trio de Dvorak
- Long Program : Firebird by Stavinski
- Exhibition : Labour of Love by Frente
2003-2004
- Short Program : Metamorphoses
- Long Program : Il Était Une Fois Le Diable
- Exhibition : Paint It Black by Vanessa Carlton
About Joannie
Powerful, dynamic and musical are words that describe six-time Canadian Champion and World Silver Medalist Joannie Rochette. Her astounding presence on the ice immediately captures your attention. Skating since she was 22 months old, she made her first mark on Canadian skating in 2000 and 2001 where she won the Novice and Junior titales back to back. The following year, she claimed the bronze medal in her Senior debut, and in 2005 finally realized the dream of becoming Canadian Champion.
A second-place finish at the 2003 Canadian Championships earned her a trip to the World Championships, to which she has returned every year since, placing in the top 10 five times, culminating with her Silver Medal at the 2009 Worlds. She has won several medals on the ISU Grand Prix Circuit, and has qualified for the Grand Prix Final three times.
Joannie carried out a long time dream which she believed was out of her reach, by taking part in the Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, in 2006. For her first Olympic experience, she aimed at a place among the top 10, and objective which she exceeded with a 5th place finish. She said returning to the Olympics, which in 2010 will be in her home country of Canada, makes hard training much easier. “Everyday you go to training and you feel it’s so close,” Rochette says. “Honestly, it’s easy to feel motivated.”
Since Joannie began skating at the National level, one constant has been there. Her coach, Manon Perron. Although they split due to differences in the 2004-2005 skating season, where Joannie was training with Josee Normand and Sebastien Britten, in the summer of 2005, after a meeting which discussed new rules, attitudes, and respect, Joannie and Manon began to train together again and continue to do so today. They more then likely will continue to do so until the end of Joannie’s amateur career.
In terms of choreography, the famous Toronto-native choreographer David Wilson was closely assoiated with the development of Joannie. Their collaboration began when Joannie was only a teenager, who was just starting to make her mark on the Canadian scene. For the season 2008-2009 & 2009-2010, wishing to diversify the influences to her artistry, Joannie begane to work with 2003 World Ice Dance Champion Shae-Lynn Bourne to choreograph her Short Programs, as well as a choreographer recognized throughout the world, Lori Nichol, to choreograph her Long Programs. Joannie has great pride in these programs since they are so different from what she had done in the past, and has improved her artistry.
Joannie has been part of the Canadian Stars On Ice tour since 2006. “It’s nice to be outside of a competitive environment,” she says. “You just get on the ice and the fans are there to watch you skate. Everyone is happy to be there. It’s good to be skating without pressure and be able to perform more freely. It’s helps me for competition.” She describes it as a reward, for all the hard work put into a season, yet the travel is hectic and not so much a vacation. The other skaters who are on tour are National, World and Olympic Champions, and they are like a large family, they give support and advice to those still competing, and Joannie respects that, and appreciates it. Performing on Stars On Ice after an Olympic year will be amazing within Canada, something she can’t wait to experience.
On a personal note, Joannie is the only daughter of Therese and Normand Rochette. Her father trained young hockey players and was the one who introduced Joannie to skating. Normand worked many overtime hours at his jobs to finance Joannie’s skating dreams, where podium finishes at the World Championships and Olympic dreams were still far off. Therese is the most faithful and most committed supporter of the accomplishments Joannie has had and will continue to have. For Joannie, her mother remains her most critical source to date, pushing her to her full potential!
Joannie has always made a point of continuing her studies in spite of the hectic training schedule and traveling throughout the world during the competitive season. Registered at the College Andre-Grasset, she hopes to obtain her diploma in sciences. She says that she will evaluate after the 2010 season if she continues her career as an amateur athlete. She hopes to make an active return to school at a university where she could continue studies in a sector connected to health or biology.
Lastly, Joannie would not be able to continue to do what she loves without contributions from Sponsors, and the contributions of her community. At the age of 11, she qualified for her first competition outside of Quebec, a company in the area, EBI, had come to assist her parents finance this competition and the change of training facilities. Still today, EBI is a faithful supporter for Joannie. Since then, she has had the privilege to be selected for the program “Bell Champions 2010″, and to add important national partners such as JOICO, COLD-FX, Rona, Molson, General Mill, in addition to being a spokesperson for World Vision. Joannie appreciates all her Sponsors support in helping her achieve her dream of being at the 2010 Olympics.
Powerful, dynamic and musical are words that describe four-time Canadian Ladies Champion Joannie Rochette. Her astounding presence on the ice immediately captures your attention. Skating since the age of 22 months, she made her first big mark on Canadian skating in 2000 and 2001, when she won the Novice and Junior titles back to back. The following year, she claimed the bronze medal in her senior debut.
A second-place finish at the 2003 Canadian Championships earned her a trip to the World Championships, to which she has returned every year since, placing in the top 10 four times. She has won several medals on the International Skating Union Grand Prix circuit and has qualified for the Grand Prix Final twice, winning medals on both occasions. She has also twice placed on the podium at the Four Continents Championships.
In 2006, she achieved a lifelong goal of competing in the Winter Olympics. She says returning to the Olympics, which in 2010 will be held in her home country of Canada, makes hard training that much easier. “Every day you go to training and you can feel it’s so close,” Rochette says. “Honestly, it is easy to feel motivated.”
As Rochette has matured and grown so has her confidence and artistry. For the past five seasons she worked with renowned choreographer David Wilson, who she says had a profound impact on her skating. This year, she’s decided to try some new approaches and former Canadian and World Ice Dance Champion Shae-Lynn Bourne has choreographed her short program, set to a classical interpretation of Gershwin’s “Summertime.” Lori Nichol has choreographed the long program.
Last spring, Rochette toured with Smucker’s Stars on Ice Canada for the third time. “It’s nice to be outside of a competitive environment,” she says. “You just get on the ice and the fans are there to watch you skate. Everyone is happy to be there. It’s good to be skating without that pressure and be able to perform more freely. It helps me for competition.”
Rochette readily admits there is “no magic recipe” for success in skating. She aims to be consistent in every competition she enters. She’s been working on triple/triple combinations for the past two years, and plans to include them in her competitive routine for 2008-09.
“I like training every day and giving myself a goal to learn a certain jump,” she says. “Even though some days might be harder, you still go after it. There is nothing I dislike about my sport other than the cold.”
Winter sports and ice continue into her personal life, which Rochette shares with boyfriend Francois-Louis Tremblay, a Canadian short track speed skater. She says they’re mutually supportive and he’s a great cook, who gladly prepares her healthy foods.
She’s also inspired by the recent successes of fellow Canadian skaters Jeffrey Buttle, Jessica Dubé & Bryce Davison and Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir, all of whom won medals at the 2008 World Championships. Rochette is doing her utmost to join them in 2009.
In June 2006, Rochette was introduced as a member of the Bell Champions team, nine accomplished Olympic and Paralympic athletes from Ontario, Quebec, Alberta and British Colombia, who are national ambassadors for Bell Canada.
Away from skating, Rochette continues to pursue formal education at the College Andre-Grasset in Montreal, where she is studying natural and health sciences. “I’m very competitive at school as well,” she says. “Sometimes nights are shorter when you’re studying for an exam, but it’s good to keep my head busy. When I’m done with my skating career, there’s another life after it. When I’m ready for it, I want my studies to be there.” She may continue to study science or shift her focus to business.
Her present goal is to compete through the 2010 season. After that, she will decide her future plans. Although she doesn’t see herself becoming a coach, Rochette intends to stay connected to the skating.
Other off-ice interests include jumping trampoline, ballet, yoga, roller blading, reading, dancing and music.
For now, she wakes up each morning feeling the anticipation of the 2010 Winter Olympics. “Obviously, I would like to medal. That’s my goal for those Games,” Rochette says. “Having the opportunity to have the Olympic Games in your home country is awesome. It’s very rare and a great opportunity.”
