Patrick Chan Announces Retirement

yude said:

Patrick's retirement was reported in Japanese TV news, too!

Thank you Patrick for keep competing till this year, I wish him good luck in the future

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https://twitter.com/ym_3A_E/status/986012062571622400 Here's the clip from the Morning News. Title "Hanyu's Rival, Patrick Chan" And includes his quotes on his retirement, and his accomplishments.

Patrick Chan, thank you for sharing your incredible, powerful skating for so many years. --And looking forward to seeing them unleashed again in shows soon.

This is expected but it still kinda broke my heart when they announced his retirement. Patrick is this skater who you never intended to like but would sneak into the back door and then that's it, you are forever hooked. He was never my most favorite but he's the one who gave me the heart attack most because of reasons you guys should know (This sounds like a backhanded compliment LOL). Anyways, looking forward to what he will do next!

Patrick delivered a speech as he announced his retirement today：

https://www.pscp.tv/w/1YqKDddWBeDKV

Baron Vladimir said:

What im interested in(instead of that Patrick Chan drama you're bringing ) is-can you become a devoted fan of someone else in the near future?
About Patrick... i really dont think that skaters achievements are measured in first place by the colour of the medal he/she won, especially not for us, FS fans. So, i would say - thank you Patrick for just being there, communicating your love for figure skating with us

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lol

i have always said i was a fan of skating first and foremost.

actually, i didn't like patrick at first for beating jeff at nationals lol but then jeff won worlds right after and i thought patrick may have fired him up...and then, i opened my mind and heart and added patrick to my group of beloved skaters

since you are asking, starting with browning, yagudin, lambiel, buttle, daisuke, kozuka,abbott, patrick and denis and my beloved hanee, from those years.

i already have new faves; shoma, nathan and aliev + keegan, joseph, nicolas and conrad on the canadian side

so don't worry about me...i m not a circumstantial fan

ps i already thanked patrick in my previous post... i was responding to someone else here

4everchan said:

For those wondering about ending on a positive note : I believe P/C is that for him... the gold in the team event for which he skated to 1st place in the LP probably brings a better closure than the couple pops that caused him to lose the gold in Sochi.

Patrick had a very traumatic experience with Sochi, as after landing both his quads he lost his focus and the pressure got to him.... instead of spending a life regretting this moment, he came back, proved himself he could upgrade his level and skate to an ISU championship (4CC 2016) and even added a 4s to his arsenal... sure... the last year was rock n roll but I wasn't surprised with this as soon as it was announced that he would skip Nebelhorn... Something was up... I believe Patrick felt the pressure of the Olympics again and wasn't happy with his preparation.... with his environment.... with his life.... He considered retiring before the games.

It took a lot of courage for him to overcome this and take part to the rest of the season where he achieved all he wanted to achieve (his own words): his 10th National title and Olympic Gold.

So, to me, he ended positively and with a peace that wasn't there in Sochi. This will allow him to have a life without bitterness and resentment. Bravo Patrick for your perseverance and your courage !

**Those naysayers who are going to say that team event doesn't count, you may abstain right away because it does for the ones for which it matters, the athletes themselves.

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me while reading this post

A legend in the sport whose skating talent will be unmatched and missed for years to come. Congrats to him on an incredible career as Canada's best men's skater (IMO) and one of the best skaters of all time!

NanaPat said:

Three.

Otherwise, good post!

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Fixed Thanks buddy

Someone at Skate Canada made a retirement tribute music video.

Freshly crying now. :sad4:

likevelvet said:

Someone at Skate Canada made a retirement tribute music video.

Freshly crying now. :sad4:

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I just love him....Not just his skating, I love his personality, his big smile, and his passion for the sport. I think he'll be a brilliant coach, I really do.

likevelvet said:

me while reading this post

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We all knew it was coming but he’ll be missed. His skating skills and mastery of the blade was second to none. If anyone ever asks me who inspires me to skate like them, it’ll always be Patrick. Best of luck to whatever he does in the future.

I chose to see the positive in this and look forward to seeing him in shows and sharing his talent with younger skaters. While I'm disappointed I won't be seeing him in competition, it was expected.

I like the fact that the day he was going to make his announcement there was a huge ice/snow storm so he had to wait until the weather cleared to make his official announcement on the news. Even Patrick saw the irony in being preempted by mother nature

Ladskater said:

I like the fact that the day he was going to make his announcement there was a huge ice/snow storm so he had to wait until the weather cleared to make his official announcement on the news. Even Patrick saw the irony in being preempted by mother nature

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hehe .. well he joked about it and said... "maybe one more year, Mike?" - to Skate Canada's HP Director Mike Slipchuk

I think that everything was probably said there already, but at the same time I personally feel that Patrick and his skating, brand he developed for himself is an endless source of inspirations and finding novelty, a nuance inside of obvious qualities. For me, with all these years in competition he became more 'sound' and profound in an 'artistic' craft (hate that notion of 'art' b/c of subjectivity tbh) of his skating, not limiting himself only to the skills' display. He also matured a lot in expression, in interpretation, accommodating more and more freedom, feel of abandon in his performances in my opinion; also, for me he was one of 2, maybe 3 skaters who made classical music effortlessly sensual and embracing you with force, but touching deeply - he made this genre of music both physical and spiritual experience watching him performing to Rachmaninoff or Chopin. This kind of complexity in giving out the feel of music through individual sensibility in movement/expression in body represented by Patrick will be special and unmatched for me.

Like many people said/expressed - some got into Patrick's skating quite late, a lot after 2014 and after his break from skating; myself, I started to understand Patrick, his skating sensibility, skating persona after seeing Rachmaninoff Elegy SP - still, after 5 years this program just tears my insides with quiet emotion, something mystery and unspoken, with delicacy and powerfulness at the same time. I think that it was partly due to Jeff's brilliant choreography which embraced quietness and tension of Elegy piece, those silent moments that were actually a highlight, not an afterthought, but it was Patrick - his movement, presence, being in such command over all design - who gave the program this depth and perspective that drawn me inside. Every performance of that program created a moment to remember for me, some intimate exchange of impressions about music expressed through movement in such sublime manner that was both elegant and raw. I think that the most 'simple-looking', minimalistic pieces Patrick has done in competition have the greatest impact and influence over me - Rachmaninoff SP, Chopin FS, Journey FS or Blackbird SP were all not about being flashy, striking, about constant exposure of all skills, abilities; they were for me about balance and harmony of music and how it was understood by Patrick, his body and mind, how he transferred notes into steps, making a wholesome instead singling things out. I think that these programs ( and probably all of his programs overall) put his way of movement, the stunning quality of it in the first place; my impression was that it always set the tone for performances, led the attention and sculpted final impression over the program.

Then, I kind of 're-discovered' and grew more as a viewer after Patrick's return - Blackbird SP and Journey FS were gifts taken from Patrick's maturity, experience, perspective and will. Wonderfully in musical/interpretational sense, but having that consciousness and confidence about what he wanted to tell, to give out, not making a particular show-off, but something more lasting.

There were highs, there were also lows, but I think that especially this past/last season, with all its struggles, made me appreciate - and miss - his presence and skating more and more. It is always depending on the particular view and things valued, but for me Olympics were a great effort and experience given by Patrick. Of course, for those who crossed him completely long time ago, or after SC 2017, or for those who expected a miracle it was not enough, but I believe it was meaningful part from competition by Patrick, highlighted by his craft put on the pedestal it deserves. It was not perfect in execution, but it will last a test of times I think, the quality of skating, the impact of performances, not the sole force of skill or amount of quads. Last night, I re-watched some of Patrick's performances after tearing up on this farewell montage - the competitiveness was there or was not, but for me, the craft and signature he had in competition were absolutely iconic, one of a kind.

Well said NoNameFace! For me Patrick is a link to what figure skating was about in the Golden years of skating - thanks to the training Patrick got at an early age from his first coach Osborne Colson - quality edges, flow, ice coverage and connection to each move as well as musicality. I think Patrick was always true to himself and will always leave us wanting more.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osborne_Colson

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhspfXxARWz/?hl=en&taken-by=cbcolympics

CBC gunning for a Patrick Chan/Scott Moir roadtrip reality show. I would hella watch it.

For me, this is it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPeEtovjSXI

CBC did not comment during Patrick's step sequence. So that we have a precious and rare chance to appreciate that piece of art.

you could actually just listen to this program without watching it, and appreciate how Patrick's blade sound became an instrument and a part of the music.

jillredhand said:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhspfXxARWz/?hl=en&taken-by=cbcolympics

CBC gunning for a Patrick Chan/Scott Moir roadtrip reality show. I would hella watch it.

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I would add Eric in there too and of course Tessa and Meagan... i feel that Meagan would be the star of the show

I want to say to everyone for the heartfelt posts in this thread!!! I have given a thumbs up to 99% of them and reading them has made me so happy. There was a time when I was terrified to open any thread in The Edge with Patrick’s name in the title, so I usually didn't. I decided to do it this time and I'm glad I did. He is my favorite male skater in recent memory and I can talk about him all day (593 posts and counting in his Fan Fest ). I am feeling pride and gratitude and happiness, with a touch of sadness. Honestly, I am still processing my feelings and trying to put them into words. For now, I’ll leave a couple of gems here for you all.

Article on IFS summarizing and quoting from his retirement speech - here’s my favorite excerpt:

Chan had special words for the legendary coach, the late Osborne Colson, “who got me gliding on the right foot” toward future success. “His relentless push for success was sometimes overwhelming, but his imagination was infectious and his wisdom everlasting. He always seemed to know what the future held for me, but he never spoke of it.”

The deepest gratitude was saved for his parents, Lewis and Karen (she was in Vancouver and unable to attend the event). Chan’s voice cracked with emotion as he spoke of “only now realizing just how much you’ve had to sacrifice” for his skating dreams. Both were in PyeongChang, South Korea, in February to watch their son skate competitively for the last time.

“For an athlete’s competitive journey, Olympic gold seems to be the only ultimate prize in amateur sports. Some say it is the definition of success and a chance to be someone, like Willie Wonka’s golden ticket,” he said. “But at the end of the day, you make it what you want. Seeing my parents smiling in the stands and cheering loud at my last Olympic Games was my golden ticket. They were there before I dreamed of winning, and they’re still here at the end with the same smile that I recognized from Day 1.”

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His newest Ex, which left me speechless with awe for a few minutes, and then I wanted to go to his Fan Fest immediately to gush about it. The smile when he finished and the joy in his whole being was so priceless. :yes: Nathan and Javi introduced him. Javi said he is “one of my favorite skaters from all times” and “a good, good friend” who “can still surprise me sometimes.” Just before Javi said his name, he said, “a friend, a legend” and I find it significant that Javi said friend before legend.

I am a big fan of figure skating itself, but still, Patrick is irreplaceable to me. Happy trails, Chiddy!