Patrick Chan, of Toronto, Ont., skates during a Skate Canada training camp in Vancouver, B.C., on Friday, September 11, 2009. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
VANCOUVER, B.C. - He was gliding smoothly across the ice, making the hard look easy, when Patrick Chan suddenly caught an edge and unceremoniously landed on his bottom.
The two-time Canadian figure skating champion couldn’t help but laugh as he climbed back on his feet. He skated the rest of his practice Friday with snow covering the back of his shirt and a large grin creasing his face.
There is a lot of pressure on Chan as he prepares for February’s Vancouver Olympics. He’s working on a new long program and contemplating adding a quad jump to his routine. The 18-year-old Toronto native will also be a medal favourite in a marquee sport during an Olympic Games on Canadian soil.
If he’s beginning to feel the strain, Chan isn’t showing it.
"I’m an average kid," he said with a smile during a break at a Skate Canada training camp being held at the Pacific Coliseum, the Olympic figure skating venue. "I’m not anything special.
"I’m not an A-list actor. I’m just riding the wave of the Olympics."
Coach Don Laws said Chan’s attitude shouldn’t be mistaken for indifference, or a misunderstanding of what’s waiting for him as the Olympics draw near.
Chan is "not relaxed, but completely committed, which looks like relaxed," said Laws. "He’s so much into it, it’s become a part of him.
"He imparts a type of confidence that is not forced. It’s a silent confidence."
Three years ago Chan was probably not on the radar of most people not in the figure skating community. Since then he’s won two Canadian championships and finished second at this year’s world championships.
His fresh looks, approachable nature and unbridled enthusiasm has made him one of the faces of the Canadian team leading up to the Games. He’s even featured in a McDonald’s commercial, which he swears he hasn’t seen yet.
"I think my whole past three years has been a surprise to me," said Chan. "I’ve been doing so well, I didn’t really expect it."
Chan even has his own fan club in Korea, called CHANtastic.
"They Twitter me back and forth from Korea," he said. "They always wish me the best. They pray for my health and success. They are really nice people."
Despite his calm demeanour Chan fully appreciates the challenges ahead. He’s dealing with a new long program, performed to the music Phantasia from Phantom of the Opera.
"There is more pressure in the Olympic year," he said. "I would be lying if I said there wasn’t.
"That’s why the Olympics are the Olympics. That’s why a gold medal at the Olympics is so great. It’s who can overcome those difficulties, the hardships prior to the Olympics, who can perform the hardest program and really perform the way they want. Everything is bigger and harder."
One area Chan wants to improve is his conditioning. It takes a lot of physical strength to look relaxed and rested at the end of a demanding program.
"You have to have difficulties throughout the whole program," he said. "You can’t get weaker and weaker as you go further into the program.
"It’s whoever can finish the program and not bend over and start sucking air. It’s the challenge we all have to go through."
A dilemma Chan faces is whether he needs to include a quad (a jump with four rotations in the air) in his routine. Most of the skaters that will challenge him for a medal at the Games have a quad in their arsenal.
Chan has landed quads in training, but never in competition.
"It’s always a gametime decision," said Chan. "For me, it’s getting more comfortable. I’m going into the quad thinking it’s just a quad, it’s not like it’s a bigger jump than it actually is."
Laws said a quad is part of the Olympic preparation.
"We are planning it," said Laws. "Where it rests really is on what the others do."
Chan said he isn’t afraid of the jump but isn’t sure if he needs it.
The question for him is, if he performs the rest of his routine to perfection, why risk a jump that could cost him a fall?
"Tiger Woods has a driver in his golf bag but he doesn’t always use it," Chan explained. "Some days if it doesn’t feel good, and he’s hitting bad with the driver, he will use his irons.
"That’s the same idea. Who cares if you can do a quad toe at the beginning of a program if you can’t do the rest of the program?"
While he talked, Chan ran his fingers over a necklace. He explained it contained negative ions, which helped combat the positive ions admitted by electronic equipment.
Does that mean Chan is getting a little superstitious?
"Weird things happen in Olympic years," he laughed. "I’m always knocking on wood so as not to jinx myself."
