Patrick Chan Strikes Gold at Summer Competition, An Update on the Young Canadian Star Options

[IFS Photos]

Patrick Chan Kicks off the Season on a High Note
Claims Gold at First Competition of the Season

By Susan D. Russell

Canada's rising star Patrick Chan claimed gold at his first event of the season, the Liberty Summer Competition in Philadelphia, PA last week, a result he hopes has set the stage for a very successful 2007-08 season.

“I did not know who I was competing against until I got there so it was kind of a surprise,” Chan said. “The only skaters I knew at the competition were Brandon Mroz, Jeremy Abbott and Stephen Carriere. Competing against Jeremy was good because for sure I am going to see him again during the season.

“Winning that competition was definitely a good result for me. I landed the triple Axel in both the short and long. I made one little mistake on the triple loop in the long but I did not receive a deduction. But landing two triple Axels was big for me,” he said.

Though his governing body, Skate Canada, would have preferred him to compete at the federation’s Thornhill Summer Skate in August, Chan said it all came down to economics. “I had the choice of doing Thornhill or Liberty. Skate Canada wanted me to do Thornhill because I have to be monitored by a Canadian judge,” he said.

“But I am training in Florida this summer so it made sense for me to compete at Liberty. This was the best choice. I am stretching my family financially as it is, so to have to make two expensive trips was just not an option.”

The Toronto native said last season was one of major ups and downs. His beloved coach of eight years, Osborne Colson, passed away last July, which left Chan in coaching limbo for the first time in his young career.

He initially turned to Shin Amano, a coach at the Granite Club in Toronto. “I definitely achieved good results working with Shin. With him I won the silver medal at Junior Worlds,” Chan told IFS from his training base in Florida.

“I was the first top skater Shin had worked with and I think he began to realize how much talent he has as a coach after working with me,” Chan said.

But Chan felt something was missing and his parents decided to contact legendary U.S. coach Don Laws, who the family met at Colson’s funeral. During his competitive career Laws was also one of Colson’s students. “I just needed someone like Mr. Colson, it was what I was used to and really what I wanted,” the 16 year-old said.

“For me the deciding factor was that Mr. Laws produced Scott Hamilton and he had coached so many World and Olympic skaters over the decades,” Chan said. “It was really a coincidence that we found Mr. Laws. He has a lot of experience. For me nothing beats a 78 year-old coach. He is great. He has a great sense of humor and makes me enjoy skating much more and I think that is because of his age.

“Moving to Florida for the summer was the best choice we could have made,” Chan said. “I have a great trainer and at Liberty it was obvious how ready I was. I know I am doing the right thing and that I have the right training program.”

Chan’s short program this season is set to music from the movie soundtrack “Banquet.” He has kept his long program to Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” (Winter and Summer).

While training at the Granite Club in May Chan had the opportunity to get to know 2007 World Champion Brian Joubert who was in town working with Kurt Browning. “I was lucky because I speak French and we sort of became friends,” Chan said. “I think he is a really nice guy. I told him I wanted to compete in France again.”

Chan received the Grand Prix assignments he had hoped for, Skate America and Trophée Eric Bompard. “I am very excited to compete at Skate America because Evan [Lysacek] is going to be there and it is a good chance for me to compete against a World medalist. I am really looking forward to it,” Chan said. “My events are three weeks apart so I will have a good break in between.”

One of the greatest legacies Chan said he has inherited from working with Colson is the number of former skaters he meets who also trained under his legendary coach. “People are always telling me stories about Mr. Colson, about what sort of positive thing he gave to their lives,” Chan said. “People come up to me and suddenly we have a great connection because we had the same coach. It is so great to meet all these new people because of him.”

Chan is about to enter grade 12, normally the final year in Ontario schools prior to attending university. “I have decided to extend my 12th year into 2 parts and go to university after that. I want to do what Jeff Buttle did. Take a few classes at university so I can focus on skating but still continue my education,” he said.

With the Olympic Games looming on this young star’s horizon, skating is his first priority. “2010 is my goal – exactly as always,” he said.