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Patrick Chan Will Keep Busy When He Retires After The 2018 Olympics

He has a few things on his plate!
Patrick Chan of Team Canada celebrates during the medal ceremony after the Figure Skating Team Event on Feb. 12 in PyeongChang.
Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
Patrick Chan of Team Canada celebrates during the medal ceremony after the Figure Skating Team Event on Feb. 12 in PyeongChang.

If 27 seems a little young to bust out the leisure suit and ride a golf cart off into the sunset, keep in mind that Canadian figure skater Patrick Chan has been on the ice since he was five years old and is competing against athletes as much as 10 years his junior.

"I'm at a disadvantage now, technically," Chan said in 2016. "I'm competing against men who are doing five quads between the short program and the long program, and I'm at three between the two programs. Who would ever imagine that three wasn't enough for some people?"

Chan β€” a three-time world champion, two-time Olympic silver medalist, and 2018 team figure skating gold medallist β€” recently announced that the PyeongChang Olympics would be his last, and that he would retire after the 2018 season.

His absence will leave a hole in Canada's heart, where he influenced an entire generation of young fans and is one of the country's most adored athletes (after he added a quad to his repertoire, fans would throw lacy underwear β€” called "Chanties" β€” onto the ice after his performances, The Canadian Press reports).

Patrick Chan celebrates during the medal ceremony after the Figure Skating Team Event in PyeongChang on Feb. 12.
Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
Patrick Chan celebrates during the medal ceremony after the Figure Skating Team Event in PyeongChang on Feb. 12.

So what will Chan do after he hangs up his skates? Well, he's hinted at some plans.

1. He plans to stay in Canada

Patrick Chan/Instagram

Chan was born and raised in Canada, and his parents both emigrated from Hong Kong. He made waves in 2011 when he said he felt under-appreciated as a skater in Canada, and that "things would have been very different" if he'd skated for China (he later apologized, explaining that it was an emotional interview and he wasn't being precise in his answers).

But those worried Chan might not choose Canada as his retirement destination need only look at his 2017 interview with Sportsnet, where he confirmed that he'll be staying put.

"For me, I love Canada so I'm definitely coming back to Canada and the people. They've been so supportive. I have so much to give to skating in Canada," he said.

Hooray!

2. He's going to settle in Vancouver

Patrick Chan/Instagram

Chan, who is from Toronto, adores the West Coast. He moved to Vancouver in late 2017, The Canadian Press reports. And that's where he reportedly plans to stay.

"The lifestyle of Vancouver does seem to really draw me towards there," Chan told The Canadian Press, adding that his move was a real energy boost.

In May, Chan (who loves the outdoors) told The Canadian Press that living in Vancouver allows him to go mountain biking on the North Shore, ski at Whistler, and go surfing in Tofino.

"I've always wanted to be in Vancouver, just never had the opportunity to," Chan said. "It's a bit scary to think about moving there, but Vancouver is going to be a great place for training and my competitive career, and it's also going to be a huge step forward in my career outside of skating."

3. He's going to open a skating academy

Patrick Chan competes in the Men Free Skating during the Figure Skating Team Event at the PyeongChang Olympics.
Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
Patrick Chan competes in the Men Free Skating during the Figure Skating Team Event at the PyeongChang Olympics.

Hell ya he is!

When asked about his post-retirement plans by Sportsnet, Chan said that although he'll no longer be competing, he won't be leaving the ice behind.

"Looks like I'm going to be creating a skating academy in Vancouver partnering with Hockey Canada to promote just skating. Whether it's hockey, figure skating or speed skating we all start from one place. Hopefully we can develop a program where we can all win medals and be more successful in the international scene," Chan told Sportsnet in October 2017.

4. He will be promoting his new sparkling wine

Because all those medals he's won don't give him quite enough sparkle, Chan recently launched his own sparkling wine β€” a 2011 Blanc de Blancs from Jordan, Ont.'s Flat Rock Cellars.

"This local hero features soft notes of apple, plum and honey with a light, lacy mousse," the wine is described on the LCBO website.

Chan has been partnered with Flat Rock Cellars since 2015, when he launched his "On Ice" ice wine, The Toronto Star reports. He originally planned to put his name behind a table wine, but eventually decided an ice wine was a better fit for him, he told The Toronto Star.

"It's subtle, and I think that complements my skating perfectly," Chan said.

5. He hasn't ruled out politics

Patrick Chan after competing in the men's single skating short program during the PyeongChang Olympics.
Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images
Patrick Chan after competing in the men's single skating short program during the PyeongChang Olympics.

OK, we admit this one is a bit of a stretch, but when Sportsnet asked Chan in 2017 if there could be a run at politics in his post-skating future, he responded with a laugh and a "Maybe."

Chan had been training in Michigan at the time.

"I have a good idea of how lucky we are to be growing up in Canada. With everything that is going on in the United States, with the elections and how those turned out, it's cool to step back and see the comparison. If you're American and you live in America, you only see it one way. But it's cool for me to be Canadian to see both very different countries on the same continent. All I can say is I'm proud to be Canadian," he said.

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