Figure Skating

LONDON, Ont. -- Patrick Chan brought the crowd in London, Ont., to its feet, Sunday, as he picked up the pace in his Phantom of the Opera free program to win third-straight national title.

Chan, 18, of Toronto, received a score a season's record 177.88 for his skate. He scored 268.02 overall, a new Canadian record.

Chan started his program a little shakily, stepping out of his triple-Axel and landing a triple-flip a little shakily, but he said he started to really hit his stride after he landed his third jump cleanly -- a triple-Lutz.

Thrilling the crowd at London's packed John Labatt Centre, Chan blew through the rest of his program. Chan said the skate spiked his confidence at a crucial point in his season. The Olympic competition is less than four weeks away.

"I wish I had this a bit earlier," Chan said about his confidence, "It's a little last minute, a little late, but it makes it exciting. To have had this performance I'm really relieved and I'm going to look forward to training now with a bit more weight off my shoulders."

Chan had a difficult season. He caught a bad case of the flu at a national training camp in the fall, then suffered a tear in his calf muscle that sidelined the 2009 World silver medallist from international competition until November.

Then, as if all that wasn't enough of a setback, just one week before the 2010 Canadian Figure Skating Championships, Chan's coach announced his resignation.

All that is behind Chan, now.

"I feel awesome," he said after receiving his gold medal. "Really, I'm taken back with everything (that has) happened here and with all the hardship I had this season, I was able to come through with a good performance here."

Vaughn Chipeur, of Edmonton, earned his second-straight national silver medal after finishing second in both the short and free programs, and has likely punched his Olympic ticket. He scored 222.10 overall.

Kevin Reynolds earned the bronze medal with 216.49.