Patrick Chan | Page 598 | Golden Skate

Patrick Chan

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Number bunshun published a very nice article/interview with Patrick.

Part 1: https://number.bunshun.jp/articles/-/857494

Machine translation:

Real estate and a dual career... "Daisuke Takahashi's rival" Patrick Chan has decided to return to shows after a four-year absence because "my musical expression is better than before".

posted 2023/05/12 17:03
text by Akiko Tamura


Figure skater Patrick Chan sadly retired from competition in 2018. He has many fans in Japan and spoke about his current life balancing his real estate business and ice show appearances, as well as his thoughts on Daisuke Takahashi, who recently announced his retirement.

On 5 May, Stars on Ice Canada was held at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. The men's line-up included four-time world champion Kurt Browning, former world champion, Elvis Stojko, Olympic silver medallist in 1994 and 1998, and Patrick Chan, Olympic silver medallist in Sochi 2014, all from different generations. The cast also included other Canadians such as Keegan Messing and Gilles & Poirier, as well as Satoko Miyahara from Japan, Jason Brown from the USA and Loena Hendrickx from Belgium. Patrick Chan, who took part in the show for the first time in four years, gave an exclusive interview.



Corona was an opportunity to qualify as a real estate agent

Patrick retired from competition after winning Canada's team gold medal at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. He has performed in ice shows and hosted seminars in Vancouver, where he is based.

'The last time I performed in a show was on the Stars on Ice tour in 2019. Then in March 2020, I was scheduled to perform in an ice show in Japan, and the day after I got my visa at the consulate, everything shut down (due to the pandemic)."

After the pandemic took away his skating activities, Patrick qualified as a real estate agent through an online course. He continues to do real estate work, mainly on commercial properties. In his personal life, he married former pair skater Elizabeth Putnam in the summer of 2020 and their first son, Olivier, was born in the autumn of 2021. The show also showed a smiling Patrick as a good father walking on the beach with his son's hand before his performance.


◆◆


For a time, he rarely went on the ice anymore.

The pandemic has meant that Patrick has rarely been on the ice anymore.

"For a while I thought maybe I could forget my skating past and start a whole new life."

But he still wanted to get back into skating, so he decided to return to Stars on Ice. At one point, he said, he weighed about 25 pounds more than he did when he was still active. But Patrick, who is right in front of me, doesn't look that much different in shape than he did four years ago. "Since I started training again in January, (my wife) Liz has put me on a strict diet. I think I've lost at least 10-15 pounds."


Returning after a four-year absence... 'I'm still nervous'
　
He resumed training in January and said he felt his skating immediately again. But he had a fear of jumping and started with one or two rotations. "It took me two or three weeks before I felt very natural again." At the show he performed a 3S, 3T and more. "But I still get a bit scared before I jump a 3S. When I was active, I could do it even when I was half asleep," he laughs.


What was the most difficult thing?

"I think it was the mental part. Just like in a competition, the ice show is completely different from practice. I haven't felt the pressure of skating in front of an audience for a long time, and I still get extremely nervous in the first half of the show."

The tour, which opened in Halifax at the end of April, is on its fourth stop in Toronto.

"On the technical side, I need to get my timing back. It's difficult to relax the unnecessary tension in my upper body. When I realise it, I tend to put a lot of strain on my shoulders. But skating and expressing the music has gotten better with age."


◆◆


'I used to refer to Daisuke's jumps.'

Although there was a gap of nearly four years, he was not completely away from the sport. Sometimes he would help his wife, Elizabeth, who is a coach and choreographer.

"When Liz choreographed a programme for the Korean men, she asked me to skate and show them a sample, and I videotaped it. But without all the jumps."

After his retirement, he injured his left knee skiing, which is still taped.

"The knee affected me a lot when I came back. If I swing it around too much, I damage the cartilage, so I try to keep it under control."

One of Patrick's strengths is his beautiful posture when landing jumps, with his free leg extended straight back from the base of the leg, but he says the centrifugal force sometimes pulls on his knee, causing it to hurt.

Patrick's long-time rival Daisuke Takahashi also announced his retirement from ice dance competitions after three years with Kana Muramoto, also due to a knee injury. What did Patrick feel about Takahashi's decision?

Continued in Part 2.
Click to expand...



Part 2: https://number.bunshun.jp/articles/-/857495

Machine translation:

"Daisuke was my favourite rival." Patrick Chan now reveals his thoughts on retired Daisuke Takahashi: "He was always warm and kind".

Figure skater Patrick Chan regrettably retired from competition in 2018. He has many fans in Japan, and revealed his thoughts on Daisuke Takahashi, who recently announced his retirement, as well as his thoughts on ice shows and the current skating world.


Patrick Chan thought about his former rival Daisuke Takahashi: "He had a serious knee injury once, so I think it must have been tough for him."

"Daisuke was my favourite rival during my career. We competed with each other during the games, but once we got off the ice, he was always very nice to me, warm and kind. As a skater, he had a great influence on me. When I was training with coach Christy Krall, I used to watch his videos and use them as a reference for my jumps," he confessed.

"He was one of the most balanced athletes in terms of technique and art, and he skated amazing programmes like 'Swan Lake'. As a performer, I loved him."



"I wasn't surprised' when Takahashi switched to ice dance"

When Takahashi switched to ice dance, Patrick says he wasn't that surprised.

"Out of all of us among singles athletes, he was the most artistic and expressive, so I wasn't surprised that he was attracted to ice dance."



Marina Zueva, who coached Muramoto and Takahashi, also coached Patrick for a short time.

"Actually, I myself was surrounded by many ice dancers when I was at Marina's rink, and I thought I wanted to try it too. I think as you get older, you become even more interested in skating with a partner."

Patrick is only 32 years old. He is one year younger than Takahashi, when he switched to ice dance. When he said that it was not impossible for him to try again, Evan Bates, who was getting a massage in the corner of the lounge, gave him an encouraging "Yes, yes!" He shouted his agreement.

But Patrick chuckled: "I'd be the worst partner ever. I think Liz would say the same [laughs]. I'm stubborn and I grew up as an only child. ......" He dismissed the possibility of a switch to ice dancing.


◆◆


"Skating has given me back my confidence."

Having just returned to ice shows, does Patrick plan to increase his skating activities again in the future?

"Yes, I think so," he nodded emphatically.

"Being a new job, being a father for the first time, the last few years have been confusing, but once I got back into skating I regained my confidence that there is still more I can do. When I was competing, I didn't appreciate my talent and ability as much. But now I always skate in the morning, whether I'm feeling good or bad, before going to work. That way, I feel refreshed, I get my work done and I'm in good shape."



Why Patrick is keen to do shows

There are other reasons why he is keen to work on the show. This is also the last tour for Kurt Browning, who has led the show for 29 years: he was the first skater in the world to land a quadruple jump in 1988 and is considered one of the most artistic figure skaters of all time. Canada has produced many champions, but Kurt's popularity is unparalleled. Who will take over his position when he retires?

"To be honest, I didn't think Kurt's retirement would have such an impact on me mentally. He was always around and shared his experiences with us. There was a point where I had become a bit used to how special it was to have him on the same show. Replacing him is not an easy task. But Elvis and I are going to be discussing how we're going to take over this tour in the future."



"A lot has changed since the days when Daisuke and I were competing"

How does Patrick, a three-time Olympian, feel about competitive skating today?

"It has changed a lot since the days when Daisuke and I were competing. Nowadays you need five quadruple jumps. But something has to be sacrificed instead. I still remember the old programmes of Kurt and Elvis, like 'Dragon' and 'Casablanca', which I saw on TV as a child. But with the current scoring system, these stories can no longer be told on the ice."



◆◆



Sandra Bezic, who choreographed Casablanca, was also present at the event. She is a legend in the field of figure skating, having established the existence of choreographers in the sport.

He said: "There are fewer choreographers like Sandra and Lauri [Nichol] who take the time to create programmes with a lot of substance, and there are fewer athletes who demand that quality. But I am not criticising anyone. Skaters are just doing what they're asked to do to win, and I think it's a question of the direction the ISU is taking."



On the current state of the skating world: "I have respect for Russian athletes, but..."

Finally, we asked him about his opinion on the current situation of Russian skaters not participating in international competitions.

"We all grew up watching Russian skaters and having respect for their skating. The influence of Russia's best coaches and top-level athletes on the sport is immeasurable. But unfortunately, rules are rules. Sporting talent is a haze before the bigger issues of doping and war. Russia, as a nation, has yet to admit to systemic doping. And war affects the whole world. I have respect for Russia and the Russian style, but it is time for them to join the modern world and abide by international rules."

He continued his words by saying.

"It's a pity that the world has become divided. I grew up watching (Ilia) Kulik, (Alexander) Abt, (Alexei) Yagudin, (Evgeny) Plushenko and they had a big influence on my skating. It wouldn't be the same without them. But I think it's different to say that a champion in a competition without Russia is not the real thing. Because this sport is not a fight against others, it's a fight against yourself. I miss them. But I think it will be a long time before they come back."

The former world champion, who has been through three Olympics - Vancouver, Sochi and Pyeongchang - concluded.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
4everchan

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yuumagical

yuumagical

"There is always something to love."
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4everchan said:
Patrick will be at the worlds gala !!!! so happy i got my tickets

skatecanada.ca

Figure Skating Stars Past & Present Headline Exhibition Gala at 2024 ISU World Figure Skating Championships

OTTAWA, ON (February 21, 2024) – Multi-generational figure skating talent is set to perform at the Exhibition Gala taking place on Sunday, March 24, 2024, at the Bell Centre in Montreal as the curtain closes on the 2024 ISU World Figure Skating Championships which run from March 18-24. A...
skatecanada.ca skatecanada.ca
Click to expand...
Yay, I can finally see him perform for a crowd (I saw him shooting T-shirts into the audience at GPF 2018, but that doesn't count, lol)!!!
 
yuumagical

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4everchan said:
He is no longer in his prime so I don't expect the jumps but I actually wish for a program without them LOL :) just amazing skating skills !!!!
Click to expand...
I'm down for seeing Patrick perform whether he has the jumps or not! It'll be fun either way! 😁

I suppose now that I'm here, I have a confession to make: Patrick was the first skater I ever got an autograph from, thanks to some kind Japanese fans sitting next to me who pointed out where he was at the 2018 GPF. He was hanging out among the other Canadian athlete ambassadors in the stands. I was disappointed that I could only find a pencil for him to sign with, but then he said something like, "Just don't erase it!" 😆 After I obtained the autograph and was returning to my seat, the Japanese fans asked me if I got a picture with him...so I went back there and politely asked for (and received) a selfie with Patrick! 😅 He was incredibly kind when interacting with me, and it started me on the path of collecting skaters' autographs (as well as the occasional selfie). That autograph and that selfie are framed together in my living room. Thanks Patrick, you helped me become a crazy skating fangirl! 😆
 
4everchan

4everchan

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yuumagical said:
I'm down for seeing Patrick perform whether he has the jumps or not! It'll be fun either way! 😁

I suppose now that I'm here, I have a confession to make: Patrick was the first skater I ever got an autograph from, thanks to some kind Japanese fans sitting next to me who pointed out where he was at the 2018 GPF. He was hanging out among the other Canadian athlete ambassadors in the stands. I was disappointed that I could only find a pencil for him to sign with, but then he said something like, "Just don't erase it!" 😆 After I obtained the autograph and was returning to my seat, the Japanese fans asked me if I got a picture with him...so I went back there and politely asked for (and received) a selfie with Patrick! 😅 He was incredibly kind when interacting with me, and it started me on the path of collecting skaters' autographs (as well as the occasional selfie). That autograph and that selfie are framed together in my living room. Thanks Patrick, you helped me become a crazy skating fangirl! 😆
Click to expand...
LOL @ Just don't erase it !

That sounds exactly like cheeky chiddy banter ;)
 
yuumagical

yuumagical

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4everchan said:
LOL @ Just don't erase it !

That sounds exactly like cheeky chiddy banter ;)
Click to expand...
I said something like "I won't!" right afterwards! 😆 It was certainly cheeky, yet it was meaningful at the same time. Patrick helped break the ice (pardon the pun) for me, a nervous fangirl who hadn't spoken to a well-known Olympian before. He probably wouldn't have minded if I had had a pen, a Sharpie, a colored pencil, a crayon, or any other writing implement! 😊
 
4everchan

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I was a bit sad he didn't skate to something better but now that I think of it, this was very nice. Simple, pure skating. Thank you dearest Patrick, my favourite skater ... Though of course these days I am 4everfrangi .. but that's for other reasons hahahaha
 
DizzyFrenchie

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4everchan said:
I was a bit sad he didn't skate to something better but now that I think of it, this was very nice. Simple, pure skating. Thank you dearest Patrick, my favourite skater ... Though of course these days I am 4everfrangi .. but that's for other reasons hahahaha
Click to expand...
I don't think that there was a storytelling, hence the absence of costume too. I rather think too, that it was a sort of ode to beautiful Figure Skating. I didn't think that he had recovered or kept that much, and I'm so happy about it! I even think that he had progressed.
 
skatingfan4ever

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Nice to see Patrick skate again. I personally think he did that program better in 2018, but his skating is still one-of-a-kind after all these years. As a fan, I wish he'd done something new, but I can understand why he didn't.

"An ode to beautiful Figure Skating." I can see that. I also see it being a reflection on Patrick's own love for figure skating. It's "dangerous" to love figure skating so much because there are many ups and downs and unknowns. You need to find your own motivation because the judges, the results, the external circumstances, may not be enough. In 2018, Patrick described it as a "number looking back on my own skating life and learning empathy." (No, I don't have a perfect memory, but I remembered reading it in this thread and did a search to find it). From this program, it seems like Patrick's overriding emotion, looking back, is joy. This program shows the maturity of an experienced, well-seasoned skater but also shows the pure excitement of a skater zooming around the rink. Skating looks fun, in this program. Another program of his where skating looks fun is Don't Worry, Be Happy, which he skated the year he won his first world title. Time flies.
 
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