Patrick Chan

[4everchan]

i am with you on being concerned and then just enjoying the skating...

i think he will change the layout if he feels like he wants to be competitive because only he only has 1 4t and 1 3a in the program... he is missing another 4t-+combo like he did at OG.... so yeah, BV is way low...

i am less concerned because he just did his new SP in quebec, then flew to japan, was probably jet lagged, and then had to skate his LP... i think that he just used last year's JO layout but will be working on it and improve it... but for a guy doing shows and ice win all year, it's already a great start... i was sad that judges didn't reward him that much in PCS compared to other skaters.. (the PCS score is fine but lower than some who don't deserve that high IMO and of course, not high enough compared to others) but that's me talking about points and I also said i was only happy that is returning with wonderful skates...

i think my banter will change as soon as we see the polished, mistake-free programs... lower BV or not, it won't matter when he is performing well.

Patrick's 2015 JO Program
(Save it right now if you'd like to because it might disappear from YouTube like last year's did).

Lovely program. I can't see much difference from last year to this year, even though he said they were changing some things. Does anyone else see the changes? There was that tiny stumble at the very beginning and the jumps were off today. It seemed like he was rushing everything instead of taking his time. This costume seems like the "official" one, just going by what he's worn in past seasons. I like the costume, but I think it's too similar to Elegie. The step sequences are almost enough to make me forget about the jumping issues -- they are MASTERFUL!!!!! Patrick had no falls, but I'm afraid his TES is going to be super low if he doesn't rotate the jumps. The judges punish doubles more than falls, so I'm slightly concerned, especially with Patrick's lower starting BV. Then again, I decided after Sochi not to care much about Patrick's future results and simply enjoy his skating. Easier said than done, of course.

 

[Sam L]

Patrick is like my male figure skating idol. Hope he has a great comeback.

 

[spikydurian]

Thank you skatingfan. Love his speed. I agree with 4everchan that the BV needs to be up for the competition. Anyway, just enjoying his comeback for this year is good enough for me.

 

[Violet Bliss]

What a beautiful skate by Patrick though he was lowballed on the PCS. He will need some time to get back to competitive form but I think it was also an off day for him, clued by the stumble. He did his 4T at SGE and at JO warm up so it's not like he can't do it any more.

Ironic that it didn't work out for him to downgrade his jumps for a clean program as many fans preferred.

 

[Meoima]

Patrick's ex at JO: http://dai.ly/x38k1iy

 

[skatingfan4ever]

Patrick's ex at JO: http://dai.ly/x38k1iy

I didn't even know JO had an Ex! What happened to Esqualo? I thought Patrick was going to use Esqualo as his Ex this season. Of course, he also has Dear Prudence/Blackbird and Mess is Mine, so he has plenty of options to use for an Ex now. I love each program! Which do you think he will use?

Who choreographed Esqualo? I just checked Wikipedia and it doesn't say. According to Wikipedia, Dear Prudence/Blackbird was choreographed by Pasquale Camerlengo (how fitting that he and Patrick got to work together!) and Mess is Mine was choreographed by David Wilson.

 

[OS]

Patrick's ex at JO: http://dai.ly/x38k1iy

I got a HOUSTON, WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM... notice

I didn't know there's an Gala for JO too.. curious to see everyones now!
'judges' score reflect Patrick is skating in Japan (home of Hanyu/Shoma/Daisuke), think about it... I hope he get paid lots of $$$$ though. Got to pay for those training expenses some how!!

 

[Violet Bliss]

Carnival On Ice always follows Japan Open. Besides the JO participants, some other top skaters are invited to perform so it's always high calibre and not limited to the competition medalists like the usual Gala.

 

[Meoima]

I got a HOUSTON, WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM... notice

I didn't know there's an Gala for JO too.. curious to see everyones now!
'judges' score reflect Patrick is skating in Japan (home of Hanyu/Shoma/Daisuke), think about it... I hope he get paid lots of $$$$ though. Got to pay for those training expenses some how!!

I am sure they pay him very well. The arena is that huge you know.

 

[vivley]

Hi all, I'm new here. I was trying to post this video link last night but got auto-banned, and then unbanned...

Interview with Patrick after the JO at 2:41 of this video:
Go to YouTube and search for "Interview - JO 2015 [BS]". Sorry, I can't post links in my first post.

It was a tough day for him. I thought he had been trying too hard not to fall, and he admits it here. But he's happy to be alive and skating.

 

[Violet Bliss]

Hi all, I'm new here. I was trying to post this video link last night but got auto-banned, and then unbanned...

Interview with Patrick after the JO at 2:41 of this video:
Go to YouTube and search for "Interview - JO 2015 [BS]". Sorry, I can't post links in my first post.

It was a tough day for him. I thought he had been trying too hard not to fall, and he admits it here. But he's happy to be alive and skating.

Welcome! Welcome to the Fest!

And thank you for bearing gift:

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

 

[4everchan]

that explains Joubert's sub par performance.... I was wondering what had happened to him...

and of course, about Chan, yeah. it confirms what we felt watching him. I am confident that he will get better and better as the season goes... we can simply compare him to Joubert for instance.. Joubert, no longer training for it... no jumps left.... Patrick, training for it, pretty decent considering the minimal preparation time...

GO PATRICK

Thanks Vivley and SkateFiguring

Welcome! Welcome to the Fest!

And thank you for bearing gift:

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

 

[vivley]

Thanks for the welcome and for posting the link, SkateFiguring!

Thanks, 4everchan. I also think Patrick should watch videos of his fabulous past performances to build confidence. Yesterday someone wanting to comment on Phantom of the Opera skating music posted this video using Patrick's 2011 Phantom skate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onGyUfoZA7Y. What a sublime performance! I am confident Patrick can do that again!

 

[skatingfan4ever]

Carnival On Ice always follows Japan Open. Besides the JO participants, some other top skaters are invited to perform so it's always high calibre and not limited to the competition medalists like the usual Gala.

Oh, I see. I didn't realize that Carnival on Ice and the JO Gala were the same thing. I guess some galas have cool names and some don't. I like the name "Carnival on Ice" for a gala -- it fits!

Welcome! Welcome to the Fest!

And thank you for bearing gift:

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

As always, Patrick is very forthcoming about where he is right now. I wish him the very best for the season! And, welcome vivley!

 

[Violet Bliss]

Patrick's part in this article of interviews with the four World Champions in JO2015:

Chan also feels the time off helped him clear his head as well as add maturity to his skating.

"I am a different athlete now," Chan said. "I was pretty upset after the Olympics about the result (he finished second to Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu), but I had a year to enjoy my life and to enjoy the result I had."

He is keeping the Chopin medley free skate he used at last year's Japan Open but has overhauled the choreography, with the help of David Wilson. The result is a program with more emotional depth.

"Having the experience performing in front of an audience and improving my interpretation of music, listening to different types of music and performing to that -- those are the things you can only learn from performing," Chan said. "Maturity, I think, is the biggest difference this year."

In less than a month, Chan will have a showdown with Hanyu at Skate Canada.

"It will be a great competition for the audience. I am so glad that it's going to be myself and him, a rematch after the Olympics," Chan said. "I probably won't be 100 percent in shape, as I am still learning and getting comfortable competing again this year, so it's not going to be the easiest for me. But I will give it my best."

Mao offers the secret formula of her successful come-back:

"During the break, I seldom thought about skating," Asada said. "Gradually, in my head, only the good memories about competitions remained, and therefore I could come back and skate with joy. I really think I am in a very good mental condition today."

This the same mind trick Greg Louganis used in 1988 Olympics. He was expected to win the GM but flopped his last dive in the first day so badly that his medal hope was called into doubt. An interviewer assumed he was going to watch and study the video of that failed dive repeatedly that night and Louganis said, I paraphrase, "Are you kidding?! I'm going to be watching my best ever dives over and over tonight to be ready for tomorrow." He proceeded to do a near perfect performance of that last dive and win the OGM.

So, Patrick, keep your mind on your best experiences and successes. Watch your best skates on Youtube like we do! (From your perspective, experiences and feelings of course.)

 

[skatingfan4ever]

Patrick's part in this article of interviews with the four World Champions in JO2015:



Mao offers the secret formula of her successful come-back:



This the same mind trick Greg Louganis used in 1988 Olympics. He was expected to win the GM but flopped his last dive in the first day so badly that his medal hope was called into doubt. An interviewer assumed he was going to watch and study the video of that failed dive repeatedly that night and Louganis said, I paraphrase, "Are you kidding?! I'm going to be watching my best ever dives over and over tonight to be ready for tomorrow." He proceeded to do a near perfect performance of that last dive and win the OGM.

So, Patrick, keep your mind on your best experiences and successes. Watch your best skates on Youtube like we do! (From your perspective, experiences and feelings of course.)

Thank you so much for this post, SF! I love what Patrick said about learning to enjoy the result he had at the Olympics. And I love how he said that the SC showdown with Yuzuru won't be easy. I feel like before if asked about the prospect of facing Yuzuru again, he would have said something about wanting to win/skate well, but now he says simply, "I will give it my best." He seems more willing to manage his own expectations this time around and more relaxed about skating in general.

Mao's comment is very insightful too. Interestingly enough, Patrick got some hate elsewhere on GS for his comment that he didn't watch 2015 Worlds but only glanced at the scores. But, this is the same mindset that Mao said has worked for her. (Embedded in those controversial comments were what some people took as criticisms of his fellow competitors, but all Patrick was saying is that he has unique things to offer the skating world, which is true, and I don't think any disrespect was intended. Often, people read what they expect to read, so if they were looking for more arrogant remarks from Patrick, that is what they found).

Yes, Patrick, ENJOY your past accomplishments, and even if you never win another international medal (although I think you will), please know that you are still irreplaceable in the skating world and always will be!

 

[4everchan]

I am actually baffled by all the hate Patrick gets for just being honest and available in his interviews. Haters just transform everything he says into ways to give him a hard time... Honestly, when I joined the forum, I had no idea about how harsh people can be. For instance, just my username makes people cringe... I even get comments ... as if being a fan of Patrick is a wrong thing...

I have been watching his recent interviews and I agree with both of you that what transpires here is maturity and humility. And that is the sign of a great artist...Artists humbly strive for excellence through hard work and dedication. I think that's what Patrick has in mind for the future... focusing on the process rather than the results will be a huge asset. I hope for him that he can come back to a level that is satisfactory for him. I don't doubt it actually.

Finally, this is a silly question.... but I am wondering... in the past, or even recently, has Patrick ever trained other quads? Everyone is talking about so and so trying this and that.... so I am just curious.... If we were to speculate, which new jump would be the most accessible to him? For instance, I don't know if 4S is his best bet.... if there's a jump that sometimes isn't perfect for him, it's often the 3S (perhaps because it comes in those half loop combo deals).... I like his lutz and his flip seems quite easy for him... maybe one of those two? HAHA... I know this is very much a useless question but I feel curious about what you guys think or know in that regard... and please do not answer with a "he doesn't even have a steady 3A" that's not where I am heading with this

Thank you so much for this post, SF! I love what Patrick said about learning to enjoy the result he had at the Olympics. And I love how he said that the SC showdown with Yuzuru won't be easy. I feel like before if asked about the prospect of facing Yuzuru again, he would have said something about wanting to win/skate well, but now he says simply, "I will give it my best." He seems more willing to manage his own expectations this time around and more relaxed about skating in general.

Mao's comment is very insightful too. Interestingly enough, Patrick got some hate elsewhere on GS for his comment that he didn't watch 2015 Worlds but only glanced at the scores. But, this is the same mindset that Mao said has worked for her. (Embedded in those controversial comments were what some people took as criticisms of his fellow competitors, but all Patrick was saying is that he has unique things to offer the skating world, which is true, and I don't think any disrespect was intended. Often, people read what they expect to read, so if they were looking for more arrogant remarks from Patrick, that is what they found).

Yes, Patrick, ENJOY your past accomplishments, and even if you never win another international medal (although I think you will), please know that you are still irreplaceable in the skating world and always will be!

 

[vivley]

Thanks for the welcome, Skatingfan4ever!

SkateFiguring, I totally agree that Patrick needs to do what Gerg Louganis and Mao did - replay his successes and have those stick in his mind whenever he skates in competition. I don't know which were his most enjoyable skating memories, but he (and his body) need to remember those instead of the mistakes and falls.

While watching his recent skate in Japan I kept thinking, "joy, Patrick, joy!" I was worried when he didn't smile until he heard the crowd's applause. I really want to see him skate joyfully, just for the sheer love of it like he said before.

Wow, 4everchan, I didn't realize that being a Patrick fan could be so problematic! Well, I guess we are sharing in his sufferings, then. ;-) I have no idea what quad he should train for next. I'm currently writing a story featuring figure skating, and when I read what Patrick said about having to train to get back his triple and quadruple jumps after being away for a year, I thought there wasn't much hope for my character, who hadn't been skating competitively much longer than that!

Anyway, I've been reading some great articles from a sports psychologist that encouraged me (even though I'm not an athlete), and I think these would be great for Patrick, too:
What It Takes to Perform Your Best When It Counts the Most
Got Pre-Game Runaway Nerves? Then Lose the "What-Ifs"
What's Really Important in Sports

And for those who were raised by Asian parents (like me): The Importance of Forgiveness in Athletes, Parents, and Coaches

 

[Sam L]

Why is Patrick so unpopular?

 

[Rissa]

Why is Patrick so unpopular?

He seems quite popular to me....:scratch: There are so many people looking forward to his return.