Is Patrick Chan the best pure skater ever

[Mathman]

^Agreed. Seeing him live made my opinion of him do a 180. You really cannot appreciate Chan until you see him live. It didn't even bother me that he missed a bunch of his jumps.

Figure skating is so complicated. I think that Chan was the "greatest pure skater ever" when he first burst on the scene. When he started doing quads, this somewhat took away from the impact of his edging, gliding and blade work, IMHO. Then when he decided to add "artistry," that gave him yet another ball that he had to juggle in the air.

 

[zanadude]

Ever? No. Recently, yes.

This. People are products of their environment. The only reason we don't see better "pure skaters" is because the value of being a pure skater has become greatly diminished.

 

[leoncorazon]

I went back to watch some John Curry for a comparison and boy it is close but for pure bladework I prefer Patrick. Curry had better upper body posture and choreography but maybe I’m a sucker for Patrick’s speed. I wish we saw more of Curry’s unique style influencing today’s generation though.

 

[Skater Boy]

Patrick may not have the best jumps or rather most difficult but he is the best pure skater ever. His blade work and skating skills and well spin is and jumps when on are just amazing. Look at that quad toe triple toe when on - what beauty. he may not be as fiery as some or outwardly passionate but his pure skating - priceless.

Hanyu is great jumps and reminds me of Boitano - excellent over all but not pure skating. Ditto for Plushy, yagudun, Javier Boitano, Orser, Browning, Stojko, Urmanov, kulilk, Evan especially who was one of the weakest OGM ever imho. Not so much in th eclean program but he didn't do anything very special. he was a so so personality, not huge jumps, not super difficult jumps, not overly beautiful footwork or spins or skating skills. Just very good and everything but not special. Not even Vera Wang could save that.

 

[charlotte14]

I went back to watch some John Curry for a comparison and boy it is close but for pure bladework I prefer Patrick. Curry had better upper body posture and choreography but maybe I’m a sucker for Patrick’s speed. I wish we saw more of Curry’s unique style influencing today’s generation though.

John Curry was born in the days boot technology was not as good as today. I would give Curry the edge if he were born today.

 

[charlotte14]

Prefer to call it as very good SS but not great - not yet. I guess I have a higher expectation where SS is concerned as that is my favourite aspect of the sport. Hanyu's mastery of the glide and the edge is not yet at the PChan level. I will say that Hanyu is somewhat like a Kim Yuna at her prime, a great competitor, technically brilliant, overall good in all components, no real discernable weaknesses but the basic SS is just good (Kim) to very good (Hanyu) but not great (PChan, Yuka Sato and very distantly, Mao Asada and CaroK)

Interesting note that I saw Hanyu + Carolina Kostner back to back at Cup of Russia gala. They did same kind of serena exhibition programs. And Hanyu was smoother, faster and skated quiter + more effortless, more 1 foot skating than Carolina Koster.

 

[noskates]

This. People are products of their environment. The only reason we don't see better "pure skaters" is because the value of being a pure skater has become greatly diminished.

Totally agree with this statement. But to answer the question that started this thread? YES for the current generation of skaters. If you try to compare him to John Curry or any of the previous "pure" skaters it really isn't fair because the technical content of those programs was not the same. To be able to skate the way Patrick did while executing triples and difficult combinations was superb. When men's skating became all about quads, the game changed.

 

[renla]

You know, Patrick Chan has never been on my radar. I've only been watching figure skating for a couple of months now so I've basically been drawn to the performances of the skaters that are talked about a lot and that have an appearance/look that resonated with me (Hanyu, Plushenko, Lambiel, Yuna, etc). I knew who Chan was but I wasn't drawn to his skating on the clips I saw of him.

But this thread has changed my mind! And now that I skate myself, I would like to watch him since I have a better of understanding of the technical elements I didn't understand at first. Anyone have any recommendations for which program of his to start with?

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

You know, Patrick Chan has never been on my radar. I've only been watching figure skating for a couple of months now so I've basically been drawn to the performances of the skaters that are talked about a lot and that have an appearance/look that resonated with me (Hanyu, Plushenko, Lambiel, Yuna, etc). I knew who Chan was but I wasn't drawn to his skating on the clips I saw of him.

But this thread has changed my mind! And now that I skate myself, I would like to watch him since I have a better of understanding of the technical elements I didn't understand at first. Anyone have any recommendations for which program of his to start with?

Any and all of them.

But here's some to start you out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eothD18Ybw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25C0bpdkOho

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHOMvzABdO8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjDVFPXM3_Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXCji-u6oCE

 

[renla]

Thanks! And great timing too, I just made a bowl of popcorn!

 

[perspicuosity]

You know, Patrick Chan has never been on my radar. I've only been watching figure skating for a couple of months now so I've basically been drawn to the performances of the skaters that are talked about a lot and that have an appearance/look that resonated with me (Hanyu, Plushenko, Lambiel, Yuna, etc). I knew who Chan was but I wasn't drawn to his skating on the clips I saw of him.

But this thread has changed my mind! And now that I skate myself, I would like to watch him since I have a better of understanding of the technical elements I didn't understand at first. Anyone have any recommendations for which program of his to start with?

This is the one that got me hooked (2013 Worlds SP): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPeEtovjSXI

 

[m0001]

This is the one that got me hooked (2013 Worlds SP): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPeEtovjSXI

You may like this version even better:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCkICx4L-yI

 

[perspicuosity]

TSL (The Skating Lesson) has a useful set of videos on the IJS from about four years ago, with examples. it's very well done, and once you go through that, you see Patrick in a whole new way. Also you understand what transitions are (or at least I did).

 

[perspicuosity]

You may like this version even better:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCkICx4L-yI

No words from Johnny and Tara. Historic!

 

[ancientpeas]

You may like this version even better:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCkICx4L-yI