The story of Axel Club began on 23 September 1983, when a private ice rink opened in Tournai on the initiative of Éric Leman. That same year, a group of enthusiastic parents founded Axel Club Tournai. For five years, this informal association grew around a shared ambition: to bring people together through the joy of figure skating.
In 1988, the committee applied to join the French-speaking federation, which officially recognised the club on 4 October 1989. The following year, Axel became a non-profit association, with founding president Christian Dupriez and coach Nathalie Duquesne. A branch also opened in Jambes, led by Belgian champion Alexandre Geers with the support of his mother Michèle Lenoir and his brother Roland. In 1990, the club held its first federation skating tests in Tournai.
The coaching team welcomed Nathalie Tissaen and Sophie Jouini in 1992, followed by Maya Malak in 1995. In 1996, the club organised its first competition for beginners in Tournai, the ‘Mouse Cup’. Axel skaters represented the club at competitions and championships, while some took their passion abroad: Daniel Henry appeared in the film ‘Le Feu sur la glace’, and Sébastien Geerens joined a Holiday on Ice troupe in the United States. From 2000, the club took part in ‘Mouscron On Ice’ for ten years and also introduced children to skating at ‘Dour On Ice’.
The club’s story is also the story of the people who kept it going. Following Christian Dupriez’s death in 2001, Pierre Vancoppernolle took over as president. After two years of training during public sessions, dedicated Saturday lunchtime sessions resumed in 2003, when Marie-Hélène Roty, the founding president’s widow, became president. In 2007, the club adopted the name ‘Axel Club Tournai Fédéré ASBL’. Elisabeth Piers’s arrival in 2009 opened a new chapter, with federation competitions and annual end-of-season galas. In 2011, Belgian champion Isabelle Pieman became the club’s patron during its skating tests.
Many sporting achievements have marked this journey. Geoffrey Vancoppernolle became French-speaking champion in 1998. Former Axel skaters Anne-Sophie Verhaeghe and Savannah Blaton also won Belgian championship titles. Christopher Lafontaine earned his first French-speaking title in 2002 and remained a champion across different categories for eight years; he also became Belgian champion in 2006 and 2008. Anthony Béranger was the French-speaking runner-up in the Minimes category in 2006. Jade Hovine returned to the club in 2015 and became Belgian junior champion in 2019, then Belgian senior runner-up in 2020, alongside strong performances in international competitions.
In the 2018–2019 season, a popular new section opened for teenagers and adults. At the heart of this story is the pleasure of progressing together. The end-of-season tests, once called ‘Petites Souris’ and ‘Étoiles’, became ‘Lames’ following Elisabeth Piers’s arrival, with a booklet helping each member follow their progress. The gala brings together skaters from the age of three, celebrating everyone’s achievements and the shared passion of a whole skating family.
To promote the practice of figure skating in a healthy, safe and caring environment.
Our experienced coach Elisabeth Piers supports every skater at their own pace and adapts to their goals.