Chan knows all about pressures of skating in front of home crowd
Managing ups and downs of fans makes all the difference: former skating champ
Patrick Chan knows both extremes of competing on the biggest stage at home: winning a third consecutive world figure skating crown in London, Ont. in 2013, after finishing a disappointing fifth at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
“It can be an advantage, and it can also be a disadvantage, if you don’t have experience skating at home,” said Chan, who will be at the World Figure Skating Championships in Montreal next week as an ambassador for Skate Canada.
“Sometimes it can feel there is an expectation and you want to perform well for the audience. That’s the initial emotion. As you get more experience, you realize nothing should change. Nothing needs to change. The only thing that changes is you just have a little more energy, you have a little more adrenalin, a little more power, a little more hunger to compete.
“So if you can harness that positive energy in the right direction, it can make for a very memorable performance because there is nothing better than skating a great program in front of a home crowd, because you’re guaranteed a standing ovation.”
He admitted that he was much better prepared mentally for the 2013 worlds than he was the 2010 Olympics.
“I think that’s a great example of pressure almost overtaking control of your own abilities and your plan,” he said of the five-ring circus on home soil. “In 2010, you have so much going on around you and everybody just wants the best for you and you have hundreds of people coming up saying ‘best of luck, we’re going to be watching and crossing our fingers for you. Bring home the gold.’
“Sometimes when you hear that over and over again, it can spook you. And in 2010, not only was I hard on myself in terms of expectations, I also added the layer of being on home turf and wanting to bring home the gold for Canada.”
He was the reigning world silver medallist, so a fifth-place finish was neither the goal nor the dream. A year later, with a win in Moscow, he began his string of three straight world titles. By 2013, he was an experienced performer who wasn’t about to wilt under the pressure of a home worlds.
“It really stands out. When you can overcome the challenges and maybe even the intimidation of having that many Canadians in the audience, and lay it down, it’s most rewarding. I don’t even remember getting the medal, I just remember the performance.”
He also recalled having the necessary help to manage his time during the event, because the demands from family, friends and fans are so much more extensive than they are at an event in Europe, for instance.
“You have everyone texting you. You have mom and dad there and you feel you need to take care of them. And there’s just having to be on for your home crowd. You can’t really hide in a corner and do your own preparation because everybody is stopping you to say hi,” said Chan.
In 2010, not only was I hard on myself in terms of expectations, I also added the layer of being on home turf and wanting to bring home the gold for Canada.
“You have to have a good entourage, whether it’s Skate Canada or your own coach, choreographer, your own agent or manager; having them really designate specific times when people can have a moment with you. Or just cut it off, say I’m sorry, I have to go, so you can have an hour by yourself before practice. Those details are important because you can burn yourself out really quickly, just with all that stimulation.”