Patrick Chan
Well it has been a busy time for four time and defending Canadian champion and 2011 World champion Patrick Chan. There has ben the creation of a new free program and the birth of his newest Quad – the Salchow – here in his own words:
He says with confidence that he will start the season with a quad in the short and at least 2 in the free and by the end of the season is looking to have maybe 3 or 4 depending on how things go. He confirmed that he is keeping the fabulous SP from last season which will undergo some minor tweaking.
The real news is the free program whose music is still under wraps but is everything that a skater could hope for.
“Lori and I were at (music editor) Lenore (Kay’s) and had pretty much decided on some music and were just about to leave when Lenore said wait a minute, there’s just one more piece I want to play for you and that was it.”
(Patrick)
He says he feels a huge connection emotionally to the music and cannot wait to get it out there. He even said that after a run-through he is often left with goose bumps. He explains: “It’s all three things: it’s the music, it’s a composed piece not from a movie. The reason why the composer wrote it is amazing and of course the beautiful choreography from Lori Nichol.” For Patrick, this program delivers the ‘whole package.” “I feel good about it. The program is ‘seamless’ and what I mean by seamless is that there is no distinction in the music. It flows from one section to the next. Do you remember the middle section of my Phantom program where the music changed and I rested? Well this program is nothing like that” He continues by explaining that it is even more demanding than anything else he has done.(That’s hard to imagine).
Although he knew that with a record setting score and large margin after the SP at Worlds in Moscow that he was in striking distance of his first world title, he left the competition a little less than satisfied with his equally brilliant free program. “I didn’t feel as emotionally connected or as attached to the Phantom program as I do to the program I will be doing this year. It was almost as if I went and did my job and left although I am thrilled to be World Champion.”
His biggest goal for the season is to win Worlds again. Patrick is honest enough to say that winning the title once isn’t the problem – it’s defending although he feels up to the challenge:
“I am excited to almost be starting from scratch this year – it feels almost as if I haven’t ever won Worlds. I have had a good feeling ever since working on this free program. It feels good.”
(Patrick)
What else feels good is the support Patrick receives from not only family but ordinary Canadians. It is just such a group who are busy working on a fundraiser to take place at the Premiere Ballroom and Convention Centre in Richmond Hill on September 9th, 2011. If you want more information email fundraiser@patrickchan.ca. In the meantime, I secretly hope that this will inspire more people in more communities to help Canadian amateur athletes. Big or small, financial or moral – it all counts. Patrick talks about the fundraiser and the support of the community here:
On the calendar are trips for Patrick to perform and/or train in China, South Korea, the USA, Canada and Japan; all before the regular season starts and one that promises to be outstanding.