Patinoire Richard-Bozon
Former namesPatinoire olympique de Chamonix
Location165 Route de la Patinoire
Chamonix
Coordinates45°55′39″N 6°52′20″E / 45.92750°N 6.87222°E / 45.92750; 6.87222
OwnerCity of Chamonix
Capacity2063[1]
Field size60 × 30 metre (indoor)[1]
56 × 26 metre (outdoor)[2]
Construction
OpenedFebruary 1962[3]
ArchitectBouvier et Chevallier Architectes[4]
Tenants
Chamonix Mont-Blanc Pionniers
(1962–present)
Chamonix Rebelles (2012–present)

Richard Bozon Ice Rink (French: Patinoire Richard-Bozon) is an ice rink located in Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France. It is part of Centre sportif Richard-Bozon, a multisports ensemble, and the broader Pôle sportif et culturel Chamonix Nord (which includes several educational facilities), in the northern part of the city.[5]
It is best known as the longtime home of Chamonix's men's professional ice hockey team, which currently goes by the name Pionniers de Chamonix Mont-Blanc.[6] It is also home to the Rebelles de Chamonix senior women's team.[7]

History

The building was inaugurated in 1962, at the same time as the 17th Alpine World Ski Championships, which also took place in Chamonix.[3] It is the oldest venue in the Ligue Magnus.[1]

It was originally known as Patinoire olympique de Chamonix (English: Chamonix Olympic Ice Rink), a reference to its Olympic-size ice track rather than to the Olympic Stadium it replaced.[8] The rink, along with the rest of northern Chamonix's public sports installations, was renamed in memory of mountain guide Richard Bozon, who lost his life to an avalanche in 1995—the third member of the Bozon family to so die after his grand father and his uncle, World Champion skier Charles Bozon.[9]

In the summer of 1996, the rink was severely damaged by an overflow of the river Arve, which caused the men's hockey team (at the time called the Huskies) to suspend its operations for the entire 1996–97 season.[10]

Design

The building's design is sometimes attributed to internationally recognized architect Roger Taillibert, who drew the swimming pool and gymnasium that were later built on the adjoining land. However, the ice rink itself was the work of local architects Henri Chevallier and René Bouvier,[4] who regularly consulted for the city and designed a number of buildings in the Chamonix Valley, including the nearby Alpina Hotel and Shopping Center.[11]

A second, natural outdoor hockey rink was originally set up on the south side of the building, then scrapped in the early 1970s to make room for a high school.[12] It was rebuilt a few years later, this time on the north side where more land was available.[13]

Replacement

For a time, the construction of a replacement rink was tied to Annecy's bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics, which would have seen Chamonix host some or all of the hockey tournament,[14] but the bid proved unpopular and was not renewed for subsequent games. In 2021, Chamonix mayor Eric Fournier announced on the occasion of a visit by French Ice Hockey Federation president and former Chamonix player Luc Tardif that a new building had been approved.[15] Under consideration is a dual ice hockey and competitive climbing venue, replacing both Patinoire Richard-Bozon and the neighbouring ENSA Gymnasium.[16]

Notable events

References

  1. 1 2 3 Annuaire des patinoires françaises (Report). Syndicat National des Patinoires. 2020. p. 12.
  2. ↑ "Tout savoir sur la patinoire de Chamonix". aiglons.com. Refuge des Aiglons. 17 May 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  3. 1 2 Veyret-Verner, Germaine; Petit, Elizabeth. "De la grande station à la petite ville : l'exemple de Chamonix - Mont Blanc". Revue de géographie alpine. Vol. 60, no. 2. Grenoble. pp. 285–305.
  4. 1 2 Chamonix-Mont-Blanc : la patinoire (postcard), Paris: Compagnie des arts photomécaniques, 1964, 1678 bis, Bouvier et Chevallier, architectes
  5. ↑ "Nos conseils des meilleurs activités par mauvais temps à Chamonix". chamonixallyear.com. 11 April 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  6. ↑ "Les Pionniers de Chamonix". besport.com. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  7. ↑ "Championnat de France de hockey sur glace: Féminin Elite Saison 2021–2022". ostadium.com. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  8. 1 2 "Championnat du monde 1986 de patinage de vitesse indoor short track" (PDF) (Press release). Paris; Chamonix: Fédération française des sports de glace; Club des sports de Chamonix. 6 April 1986. p. 1. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  9. ↑ "La mort d'un guide de montagne". ina.fr. France Télévisions. 2 January 1995. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  10. ↑ Picot, Stéphane (February 2011). "Richard Aimonetto : le lion rugit encore" (PDF). Pulsations. No. 4. Chamonix: Sport Optimum. p. 16.
  11. ↑ "Alpina Hôtel". pss-archi.eu. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  12. ↑ written at Chamonix, [untitled] (photography), Paris: Institut géographique national, 15 September 1970, C4256-0011_1970_F3630_0006
  13. ↑ "Patinoire Exterieure D'Hiver". sportenfrance.fr. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  14. ↑ Bernardi, Kevin (31 January 2011). "JO 2018 : Présentation et analyse de la candidature d'Annecy (France)". sportetsociete.org. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  15. ↑ Magnien, Bruno (27 July 2021). "Une nouvelle patinoire pour Chamonix". ledauphine.com. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  16. ↑ Savignac, Baptiste (27 July 2021). "Chamonix : une nouvelle patinoire et une salle d'escalade en projet". ledauphine.com. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  17. ↑ Billouin, Alain (1999). Le livre d'or du patinage. Paris: Solar. ISBN 9780097822617.
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