Chan harnesses home support for record score
Source: AFP |
March 15, 2013, Friday
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Print Edition
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PATRICK Chan is well on his way to defending his title after producing one of the greatest short programs of his career at the World Figure Skating Championships in London, Ontario, on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old Canadian was rewarded with a score of 98.37, the highest ever recorded for the opening round.
The twice world champion delivered a rock solid quadruple-triple jump combination and picture perfect triple axel in a sublime performance that had the home crowd at the Budweiser Gardens on its feet as he wound down his final spin.
"It was so inspirational to be out there. I got into my last spin and there was a rush through my whole body. It was tingling," said Chan.
Grabbing second place was unheralded Kazakh Denis Ten (91.56), who opened with a beautiful quadruple toe-loop and delivered a flawless, yet less technically difficult, program than Chan.
Canada's No. 2, Kevin Reynolds, who scored an upset with his recent win at the Four Continents Championship, posted 85.16 points to sit third.
Ten, a descendant of the famous Korean general Min Keung-ho, said the small medal he won for his short program result was the first world championship medal for Kazakhstan. "I will try to keep my mood and motivation the same for (today's) final," said Ten, who now works with the coach and choreographer who were behind United States skating star Michelle Kwan's brilliant career.
Chan was the only man among the four gold medal favorites to skate to his potential on a night when stellar performances were the exception.
While it is unlikely Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu, (ninth with 75.94) can claw his way back in the final, his countryman Daisuke Takahashi (fourth with 84.67) and Spain's Javier Fernandez (seventh with 80.76) still have a shot at the podium.
Earlier, Russians Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov finished atop the scoreboard with an assured performance in the pairs short program.
The twice world silver medalists head into the final with 75.84 points and a slim lead over Canadians Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford (73.61) and Germany's four-time world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy (73.47).
The 22-year-old Canadian was rewarded with a score of 98.37, the highest ever recorded for the opening round.
The twice world champion delivered a rock solid quadruple-triple jump combination and picture perfect triple axel in a sublime performance that had the home crowd at the Budweiser Gardens on its feet as he wound down his final spin.
"It was so inspirational to be out there. I got into my last spin and there was a rush through my whole body. It was tingling," said Chan.
Grabbing second place was unheralded Kazakh Denis Ten (91.56), who opened with a beautiful quadruple toe-loop and delivered a flawless, yet less technically difficult, program than Chan.
Canada's No. 2, Kevin Reynolds, who scored an upset with his recent win at the Four Continents Championship, posted 85.16 points to sit third.
Ten, a descendant of the famous Korean general Min Keung-ho, said the small medal he won for his short program result was the first world championship medal for Kazakhstan. "I will try to keep my mood and motivation the same for (today's) final," said Ten, who now works with the coach and choreographer who were behind United States skating star Michelle Kwan's brilliant career.
Chan was the only man among the four gold medal favorites to skate to his potential on a night when stellar performances were the exception.
While it is unlikely Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu, (ninth with 75.94) can claw his way back in the final, his countryman Daisuke Takahashi (fourth with 84.67) and Spain's Javier Fernandez (seventh with 80.76) still have a shot at the podium.
Earlier, Russians Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov finished atop the scoreboard with an assured performance in the pairs short program.
The twice world silver medalists head into the final with 75.84 points and a slim lead over Canadians Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford (73.61) and Germany's four-time world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy (73.47).
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