Who Could Be Patrick Chan's Challenger In the Next Couple of Years? | Golden Skate

Who Could Be Patrick Chan's Challenger In the Next Couple of Years?

Bluebonnet

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 18, 2010
I still couldn't get over with the excitement of Patrick's skating. Thought I could start this thread, so we could talk about him more.:biggrin:

If Patrick skates like how he skated at Canadian Nationals this time, no contest, he'll definitely win the world championship no matter how any other skaters skate.

I'm thinking there got to be someone who would rise up and challenge him in this Olympic cycle. Who will be? Will that be Oda? Kozuka? Brezina? Or somebody else? Your thoughts?
 

aftertherain

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 15, 2010
Well, in my opinion, it's a little too early to be calling him the "Yuna Kim" of men's figure skating so to speak... but definitely the three you mentioned. I mean, though he hasn't done it (much?) in competition, Oda's 4/3/3 is definitely enough to rival Patrick's 4/3.
 

Nadine

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 3, 2003
I honestly don't consider Patrick the best out of all the men skating nowadays, though I do recognize his skill, it's just he's never moved me nor made me feel excitement, et al. Therefore, I definitely see him as beatable on the PCS score, but if he keeps skating consistently with quads and a triple axel, then I acknowledge he will be hard to beat. But then again anybody that has that type of arsenal on a consistent basis will be hard to beat, not just him, and there are a number of guys that have the goods but just need to lay it down when it counts, including Patrick, as I don't consider Patrick consistent either.

The field is wide open. Each man has a chance to grab the brass ring every competition out, it just depends on if he skates clean that day with the requisite full arsenal of quads, triples, triple-triple combinations, and skating with conviction. It's any man's game! :cool:
 

ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
I dunno, Nadine. The judges are giving him PCS numbers that are telling the world that when he's on, he isn't beatable. Those numbers he posted at the GPF were high 80's. Even when he bombs he was scoring in the 80's, PCS wise.
 

Nadine

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 3, 2003
I gotta get going, but I just wanted to say "nah, numbers are just numbers", it's any man's game and I honest to God believe that 210%!!!! :cool:
 

Poodlepal

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Nobody will beat Patrick Chan in the next few years. I mean, if he skates clean he is excellent and deserves it, and if he falls several times, he still wins or comes very close. Was he clean at Canadian Nationals? I didn't see it, but if so, good for him. He needs to skate well to stop people from making fun of him as "judges pet."

Perhaps years from now, after he marries his debutante partner Rachael and little Patrick Jr. keeps him up all night, maybe he'll be really tired and skate with shallow edges or something. But until then? I don't think anyone will beat him. :)
 

seniorita

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
Who Could Be Patrick Chan's Challenger In Next A Couple Years?

If he skates like Nationals, NONE.
He has 2 quads in Lp, the axel maybe is secure and pcs to give to the neighbors also. His skate could be more personal and warm, but anyway maybe he will find his way once he feels more secure.
Chan ´s team did something really clever, I mean it in a god way, the opposite of lets say Kozuka, they invested in his pcs the first years of his seniors competitions, the part that is more subjective, by enhancing transitions and choreo, the rest of pcs went up also. Kozuka took him 3 seasons to start getting recognized in pcs, whatever he did.
Now Chan has established the pcs part, usually there are not big variations from competition to competition, the norm is that he wont get any 7s even if he skates his worst ever. So now they built his TES which is rather more objective and if they keep adding his TES I see him breaking Dai´s and Evgeni´s world records!
 

ivy

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 6, 2005
Chan has certainly notified the rest of the field he means business, but we do need to see him solidify this result with clean programs, with quads, in the future.

In my mind Kozuka is his biggest challenger, with both good tech content and artistry. I also wouldn't rule out Abbott - if he can find some consistency.
 

blue_idealist

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 25, 2006
Well, Takahashi, if he doesn't retire.

I'm hard pressed to think of anyone else. Maybe Rippon, if he gets a consistent quad. Maybe Abbott, if he becomes more consistent, since his programs are so refined.
 

seniorita

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
Kozu and Dai are much better preference of mine but i was trying to think realistically with numbers.
But Rippon? Rippon is slow and has to improve in many things except for adding the quad.
 

FlattFan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 4, 2010
Rippon has a long way to go to touch even Japan #3.
I think only the current Japanese boys can match Patrick's best is Oda. Oda can out TES Patrick, he needs to be confident with his quad. If he works on PCS and with Japan blessing, I think he can legitimately gives Patrick a good run every time they match up. Dai is getting old. The days he regularly attempted 2 quads and 2 triple axels in his LP are over. Koz is good, but don't think he could out TES Patrick.

If Oda does this program
4T-3T-3R
4T
3A
3Z
----
3A
3F
3S
2A-2R

He has 1 triple axel advantage over Patrick + better GOE on jumps. If his PCS are within 5 points, he can win.
 

silverlake22

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2009
Kozuka

Rippon needs more tech and Brezina more artistry to be competitive with Chan, IMO.

Maybe Gatchinski if he leaves Mishin. Amodio has shown a lot of improvement, too.
 

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
Oda did beat a clean Chan in a SP. It could be Oda. At the GPF he fell on his quad attempt but he did a 4/3 in the SP so that says he can do it.

Euro Men SP is like tomorrow so some of the potential for Chan challengers could be measured right then. You will see AModio and Brezina and Gachinski. How long are Verner and Joubert going to skate after this season? Maybe they will continue I don't know.

What would be interesting would be if Plushenko did get his eligibility back and really did compete and Chan got Cup of Russia like he always does and they faced off in 2011 Cup of Russia or 2012 or whatever. So many ifs there.
 

BlackAxel

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 31, 2009
The skaters that come to mind are: Kozuka, Abbott, Oda, and Takahashi and MAYBE Rippon

Kozuka has the skating skills and is starting to get more leverage on his PCS. Once Kozuka gains the confidence and skate like he did in TEB, there is no saying how much the gap between him and Chan will lessen. Also, most importantly he needs the right programs that will be the right fit for him in showing off his talent and skills. Last season's programs had to have been my favorite. This season is mmmm bleh and in the middle. In the beginning of this season, I hated his SP but I am starting to like it more and more since Kozuka keeps getting better. And we are starting to see another side to Kozuka as well as some personality.

Abbott can definitely play a factor in my opinion. While there has been much praise over Chan's program at Nationals, honestly Abbott's LP performance last year blew me away on all notes. I would choose Abbott's 2010 Nationals program over Chan's program any day. Like another poster said, Abbott is "refined" and has a nice polish to his skating. When his jumps are on, Abbott has a high chance of making the podium.

Takahashi, I think just his name itself is enough. Right now he has lost his mojo and hasn't been doing so hot this season. But he has the ammunition to overtake Chan, with his high PCS. There have been mixed reviews on his SP, which I absolutely love! If he can add in a quad All that is left are his jumps......

Rippon has the looks and has shown considerable improvement this season. And apparently it also doesnt hurt when you have Brian Orser as your coach and David Wilson as your choreographer. Rippon needs to improve his basics and get rid of the pump like motion in his cross-overs. The Rippon lutz is golden, his spins are great and his 3-axel is getting more consistent. I will just give Rippon another season or two until we really see the skater in him.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Patrick just got a 10 in Interpretation. I don't think any other skater will be able to match that.
 

seniorita

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
Why? Because nobody interpreters better? :)
Well maybe they can match it but no skater can top that, for sure.:laugh:;)
 

BlackAxel

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 31, 2009
Chan was given a 10 for interpretation at a National competition. For now, I am ignoring the 10 since there is an obvious inflation. I will consider the 10, once Chan receives one at an international competition. And as for no other skater that can match the 10...probably yes. But again I wont rule out Takahashi. With a clean performance from him, I can see PCS ranging in the 9's.
 

prettykeys

Medalist
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
Well, in my opinion, it's a little too early to be calling him the "Yuna Kim" of men's figure skating so to speak... but definitely the three you mentioned.
I know you are referring to Patrick's competitive clout, and I agree, it's a bit premature for anyone to declare him the hands-down favourite, but to be honest, I do note some similarities between the two. Over at the YuNa forum, opinions of him are all over the place. He is well-liked by some and not-so-liked by others (usually because of the exchange in words he had with other male skaters the others are fans of.) Anyway, since there isn't a dedicated Patrick fan thread here yet, I thought this would be a nice place to share why I do like and support him :biggrin: and relate it to my fav lady :biggrin:

1) YuNa's Tango de Roxanne was my first exposure to her and I loved her since that SP. Now, I heard Patrick's name before around Canadian skating circles, but it was only upon seeing his 4CC Tango de los Exilados performance which I really liked that I actively wanted to watch how he would develop and how his other programs would turn out. YuNa's Roxanne remains my fav program by hers, just as Patrick's TdlE is still my fav by him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZcrGmAkqEI

The commentary is in Korean (and not the best), but that's not the reason why I like this particular performance and clip the most. First, I really like the music and choreography. Second, the triple Axel at 1:05 is beaaaaaaautiful. A clean, flying and technically pristine 3Axel is my favourite figure skating jump, and that angle just showcases Patrick's perfectly. I do hope he improves/maintains his consistency on it. I'm sure he can do it. Lastly, his reaction at the end of his performance is endearing to me.

2) They are in the same generation of skaters and he's always had kind words for YuNa. I figure he is peaking a little later than YuNa did because that's just how it is for male skaters; male skating technical potential requires a longer time to reach.

3) They are both sometimes called "overscored" and criticized for not being the most expressive or emotional. I don't want to go into the scoring (and anyway I'm not a rules expert anyhow so I'll just read what others have to say), but I have some ideas about the latter. I think YuNa right now has developed a more expressive style, and has more experience in acting or being in-character for a program...but I think both are a little reserved when it comes to all-out emoting either due to personality and/or perfectionism (i.e. concentrating on the intricacies of their respective choreographies.) Also, it may be related to 2) where I mentioned that it takes longer for guys to reach their technical peak, so Patrick has probably been focusing on technical aspects mostly so far and may develop his artistry deeper sometime later.

4) They speak their minds which sometimes gets them into "trouble" but my instinct tells me they are genuinely nice and honest people.

5) Watching Patrick's POTO last week was a little like watching YuNa's Gershwin in Vancouver. Completely different context, but both were the skates of their careers, and the performances were both easy, clean, and brilliant like clockwork. No emotional letting go, until afterwards. I didn't have the nerves for Canadian Nationals like I did for the Olympics (almost afraid to watch in case of disaster, feeling intense joy and relief for YuNa for attaining her grandest goal), but yeah...I was strangely reminded of the similarities.

Yup, so that's why I kinda like him. :) I'm not a Chanbot (yet) but I feel generally supportive of him.

Takahashi, Kozuka, or Abbott have the potential to challenge Chan yet (even Plushenko if he is serious about trying for Sochi) but I think Chan is in a very good position right now.
 
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Blades of Passion

Skating is Art, if you let it be
Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Country
France
Delivering that kind of performance at Worlds/Olympics is going to be way harder for Chan. He has little pressure at his National Championships, it's always a forgone conclusion that he will win.

I think he is pretty much guaranteed 2 World Titles up through 2014, though, and the most likely to win the next Olympics.
 
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