Jade Hovine, the vice-champion of Belgium, made her debut at the European Championships. She trains in Nice, France, under the guidance of coaches Cédric Tour and Rodolphe Maréchal.
Solène: How did your short program go?
Jade: I had a pretty good time on the ice, but I'm somewhat disappointed with my Axel. It's the most challenging jump for me, even though others find it easy. My step sequence started shaky, and I had hoped for a level 4. I ended up with level 3. I was ill for a week before coming here, so I couldn't skate. I spent four days in bed with a fever and stomach issues. There were moments I was crying, wondering how I'd manage at the European Championships. I was sleeping for about 16 hours a day. When I wasn't sleeping, I kept running through my program in my head. When I got to Kaunas, it had been a week since I had last trained. I doubted myself, but each training session felt better and better. I was super excited to be at the European Championships - it's something I dreamt about last year, and now I'm just happy to be here.
Solène: Could you share a bit about your short program and the music choice?
Jade: I worked on my short program with Romain Gazave. My mom found the music, and I instantly loved it. I chose to skate to it because I've noticed most skaters opt for classic pieces, and I'm all for classic pieces - I absolutely enjoy ballet classes. But then you see skaters like Loena, who bring something unique to the ice, and I'm inspired to be that kind of skater, too. The second part of the music has this driving force that I adore, and it lets me express my character in a way I like.
Solène: How did the free program go?
Jade: The jumps I landed felt good, but the popped flip, in the beginning, threw me off, especially since I had been nailing it 100% in practice. I wanted to nail the Axel as a redemption for the short program and execute it perfectly in the free skate. I can't figure out why it happened – I was super focused, aiming to deliver the best performance of my life. However, I believe there's always something to learn from experiences like this. I wish I could have skated my program better and shown all the emotions I had inside. It felt like I was skating like a warrior one moment, and the next, I was completely thrown off. Perhaps it was because I hadn't done enough run-throughs since I was sick. I went into the program thinking I'd make no mistakes. But that's life, that's skating, and that's sports. I'm still happy. Overall, it was a beautiful competition, and I achieved my goal of qualifying for the free skate. I wish I'd performed better in the free skate, but I did land a fully rotated triple Salchow for the first time this season.
Solène: Can you tell us about the song of your free program?
Jade: I first heard it through Eva Lotta Kiibus and instantly loved it. Whenever my mom and I listen to this song, we get completely lost and absorbed. It's so disappointing, though, that I couldn't express how much this song means to me on the ice in Kaunas.
Solène: Can you tell us about your costumes?
Jade: My mom finds the designs on Pinterest. She's incredibly helpful, not just with my costumes but also with selecting my music.
Solène: You had a coaching change after Worlds 2023.
Jade: I needed to change pretty much everything in my life. I chatted with my physical trainer, Diego Diabakhate, who works out of Nice, and he suggested I should consider moving to Nice to train with Cédric Tour. I thought, 'Yeah, I really like Cédric, so why not?'. Once there, I also started training with Rodolphe Maréchal and really enjoyed it. It's a different vibe now, training only with male French skaters. It's a big change. I'm also attending university there, which is a huge shift. I hadn’t been to school for five years because of skating - I was studying at home. But now, being around other people and experiencing university life, I’ve got to say I love my new life.
Solène : Did you know Cédric before?
Jade: Yes, I've known Cédric for about two years. We first met when I was going to Peak Ice camps with my former coach. Cedric was there, and we ended up at some competitions together. Whenever my coach couldn't make it, I would be with Cedric. Interestingly, every time we did a competition together, I hit a personal best.
Solène: How do you like living in Nice?
Jade: Nice is fantastic, honestly. It's perfect. The only downside is that we don't get much ice time, so we must focus on off-ice training. But other than that, it's wonderful. I live just 15 minutes by bus from the rink. And while everyone thinks it's always sunny in Nice, that's not exactly true, but it is warmer than in Belgium. And the sea! It's just fantastic. At university, I can see the sea right from the window in my classroom. It feels like I'm living a dream.
Solène: How is it training with Adam Siao Him Fa?
Jade: It's pretty cool. Adam is one of those skaters who always trains hard and never stops. And he loves to play loud music on the ice!
Solène MATHIEU - Skate Info Glace
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