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Figure skating: Chan has plenty to prove at Olympic trials
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Jan 12, 2010
London (AFP) - Patrick Chan heads into the nationals as one of the Canada's best hopes for a medal at the Winter Games but also surrounded by questions concerning the timing of a coaching change.
Chan, who turned 20 last month, and coach Don Laws rocked the Canadian figure skating community by deciding Friday to cut ties just five weeks prior to the start of the Vancouver Games.
World silver medallist Chan and five-time reigning national champion Joannie Rochette will headline a strong field that will battle for Olympic spots at the Canadian championships which begins Thursday at the John Labatt Centre arena.
Chan, Rochette and the dance duo of Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are the favourites to reach the top of the podium in this final tune-up for the Winter Games.
"Athletes are not only competing for spots on the world and four continents teams but also the Olympic team," said William Thompson chief executive of Skate Canada. "Eight of these performances will be previews of what we will see at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.
"Fans in London are in for a special treat as they get to witness a little bit of history."
Canada will be sending two entries in each of the four disciplines to the Vancouver Olympics and that is where things get interesting as a host of Olympic contenders will be battling for those second-place spots in London.
For Chan, the competition will show if he has recovered physically from a recent calf injury and mentally from a disappointing sixth-place finish at Skate Canada in November.
Laws and Chan parted ways after Chan decided to train full-time in Colorado Springs under American technical expert Christy Krall. Chan will keep his choreographer Lori Nichol.
Laws began coaching the Toronto native after Chan's first coach, the legendary Osborne Colson, died in July 2006.
Chan, the reigning two-time Canadian champ, is one of four national title winners back to defend their crown.
In women's singles, Rochette, 23, will be seeking her sixth-straight Canadian title and in pairs Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison are hoping to reach the top of the podium after taking back the title in last year's event. Ice dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are aiming for a third Canadian title. Virtue is competing in her home town.
The senior nationals are being held in conjunction with the Canadian junior championships where 11-year-old Nam Nguyen will be trying to make history.
Nguyen captured the country's national junior singles title at age 8 and is aiming for his fourth consecutive Canadian crown.
Despite his success, Nguyen has yet to compete in a junior worlds championship because the minimum age is 13.
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