When France sends ice skating pair Yannick Bonheur and Vanessa James to compete, it will be the first time in history that a black pair has graced the ice.
Vanessa James, who was born in Canada and raised in England, began skating with Yannick Bonheur in December 2007 after answering an ad he posted looking for a partner. The pair moved to Indianapolis in the United States in August 2009 to train with Russian coach Sergei Zaitsev and last December they paved their way to Vancouver by winning the French nationals. That win also helped James receive French citizenship.
Bonheur and James finished 7th at Europeans. James previously competed for Britain as a single’s skater. She was the 2006 British national champion and 2007 silver medallist.
