Patrick Chan | Page 22 | Golden Skate

Patrick Chan

spikydurian

Medalist
Joined
Jan 15, 2012
Lots of gems in this interview, as often the case with Patrick. But this, when asked what Boitano taught him,




Good for you Patrick, don't give it away. Then he followed up immediately with



LOL.
Hmmm... I think it's not that he didn't want to tell the interviewer. My interpretation is that it's too complicated to put into words. How do we sum up a few sessions of consultations? I THINK, based on this interview, the gist of it is all about attitude and the mind Anyway, he's moving forward and we Chiddy fans get to enjoy his talent. Hope he finds abundance of self-motivation towards Sochi.
 

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
Patrick has always been reticent about revealing what he learned from Boitano but nonetheless keeps leaking it anyways. LOL.

He consulted Boitano exactly for the mind stuff. After the first two GP events last season, in which he debuted his quads and "famously" fell 4 times at each, Patrick was frustrated at such results when his quads were pretty much a sure thing in practice. He asked to speak with Boitano because of his Olympic win under the tremendous pressure. (No insult to Browning and Orser, the Canadian greats he was familiar with, but they didn't bring it like Boitano at the Olympics.) Boitano instinctively knew that Patrick was too worried and nervous about disappointing his supporters, the kind of pressure few really understood. Patrick has mentioned learning about proper breathing before, I assume for going into his quads and 3A. Then came GPF in Beijing and the rest is history.

In figure skating competitions, the mind is as important, if not more, than the skills and techniques. You can't win if you can't bring it at the right time. Ask a bunch of so-called headcases, who I'm sure are more frustrated with themselves than the critical fans.
 
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Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
I just hope he doesn't peak too soon toward Sochi...I mean, it's still 2 years away...

Well, he's been quite relaxed this season. He cut himself some slack as the World Champion and the early season goal was just to make it to the GPF, no matter if it was pretty or not. As he focuses on the performance aspect this season, he is flexible about his progress of the new quad, not feeling pressured to put it in within a rigid time frame. I too think this season is a good one to take some breaths after the Olympic year and then establishing himself as the top dog the season after. He has taken on more show performances too. Might as well do it this season.

However, the expectation is there for him to bring the first Men's Olympic Gold to Canada, not the least by his supporters in the Chinese community who organize and raise funds for him. Patrick I think is trying to keep his focus on each season as it comes so as not to stress himself out over Sochi.

Also, he is just 21, far from the peak age for a male skater. I don't see him striving too hard this year. It's just that he's so ahead and so talented that he still makes great progress. I say let's take it one year at a time like he does. ;)
 

Boeing787

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 21, 2011
SF, I can't see anything? Only chinese characters and no picture? Any way you can direct me to somewhere where I can have peep? I want to look at his hands (and chest so as not to lose out to Boeing 798 :laugh:)!

Here are some tips: right click on the box, select properties, then copy and paste the URL to a new window. It worked for me! Good luck!:biggrin:
 

jettasian

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 21, 2009
Well, he's been quite relaxed this season. He cut himself some slack as the World Champion and the early season goal was just to make it to the GPF, no matter if it was pretty or not. As he focuses on the performance aspect this season, he is flexible about his progress of the new quad, not feeling pressured to put it in within a rigid time frame. I too think this season is a good one to take some breaths after the Olympic year and then establishing himself as the top dog the season after. He has taken on more show performances too. Might as well do it this season.

However, the expectation is there for him to bring the first Men's Olympic Gold to Canada, not the least by his supporters in the Chinese community who organize and raise funds for him. Patrick I think is trying to keep his focus on each season as it comes so as not to stress himself out over Sochi.

Also, he is just 21, far from the peak age for a male skater. I don't see him striving too hard this year. It's just that he's so ahead and so talented that he still makes great progress. I say let's take it one year at a time like he does. ;)

I know that he's doing it one year at a time approach, which is a good thing. The thing is, he has won so much (and to be more later on) that the expectation will be so much more, the world, Canadians, his friends/family and himself. The expectation will be so much higher than Vancouver. I just hope he will find whoever that can help him to relief the stress and control the nerves when the time come. We know how great Kwan was and she was unable to deliever when it counted. Too much to lose, and sometimes it could freeze your brain and feet on the ice...

Heck I'm already nervous to think of Sochi, lol.
 

Bluebonnet

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 18, 2010

Thanks, Boeing787!

The short “shows a bit of a lighter side of me,” he said. “Like more like who I am off the ice – very relaxed, very smiley all the time.” The free skate is “more mature, more serious,” he said. “It brings out a more emotional side.”

Yes, that's the impression I've gotten. Patrick has done a great job on his old, record-breaking SP from last year! He put more precise emotions into the program with his precise movement to enhance the IN, PE, and CH. The differences in his performances and interpretations between last year and this year were obvious to me. And he's maintained his technical difficulty. Simply amazing! If he could skate this SP like how he skated at 2012 Canadian Nationals, I'm sure he could break his own SP world record.:yes:

“if I put out what I put out every day in practice, if I put out the best program and if I stay on my feet, I’ll be hard to beat,” Chan added. “That’s all I have to concern myself with. I don’t have to concern myself with the other skaters. It’s all about me and focusing on what I need to do. … I have a lot of great momentum and motivation and confidence.”

:thumbsup::love:
 

jettasian

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 21, 2009
Yes, that's the impression I've gotten. Patrick has done a great job on his old, record-breaking SP from last year! He put more precise emotions into the program with his precise movement to enhance the IN, PE, and CH. The differences in his performances and interpretations between last year and this year were obvious to me. And he's maintained his technical difficulty. Simply amazing! If he could skate this SP like how he skated at 2012 Canadian Nationals, I'm sure he could break his own SP world record.:yes:

4CC scores count right? How about breaking it at 4CC and then again at World? ;)

World Guinness record keeper will simply have to leave the score blank with the note "will fill out the score after Chan retires, we don't have enough resource to keep updating it."
 

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
4CC scores count right? How about breaking it at 4CC and then again at World? ;)

World Guinness record keeper will simply have to leave the score blank with the note "will fill out the score after Chan retires, we don't have enough resource to keep updating it."

:laugh:

For someone worrying about his peaking too early, you surly have very ambitious hopes for Patrick!

Records are made to be broken and they are always broken incrementally. That's is fun and goals for the athletes and for Patrick too if he can keep breaking his own records.

What's better, an astonishing record that stays a long time, or breaking one's own record a centimeter/.01 second/1 COP point at a time?
 

jettasian

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 21, 2009
Well, either go big or go home right? LOL

I was looking at the Personal Bests, thanks to your "Hot Men" thread, the next highest was by Dai at 265 in 2008. If Chan can break another record (this year or in the future) at around 300, it may take awhile for another skater to break it.
 

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
Something different from Patrick:

Patrick Chan protects the Plains Bison - Wild Wire News Desk

Also, Shinan of National Post is appropriating parts of Macleans interview, with the headline "Tiger Beat-cute Patrick Chan Has Secret Sharpener". So, Patrick is really relating to the animals this week. :)

eta. Check out Patrick's progress of raising $500 for the Bisons. It stands at $0 right now. :disapp:
 
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