A decade into their ice dance careers, Chock and Bates are fuelled by a love for skating - and the hunger for a world title
The Americans just won their fourth national title. The three-time world medallists would like to level up in 2023: 'We've [set] the goal of being world champions.'
Figure Skating
Over a decade ago, American ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates made their first figure skating national championships appearance in San Jose in 2012, in the same arena where they claimed a fourth U.S. title just a few weeks ago.
While they skated to an 11th consecutive national podium on 28 January, former rivals Maia and Alex Shibutani, retired since 2018, were being inducted into the U.S. skating federation’s hall of fame during a ceremony that same day.
Rinkside, Charlie White, who won Olympic gold with Meryl Davis at the first Games Chock/Bates competed in together during Sochi 2014, was also in attendance – as a coach.
As were their (former) peers, including Madison Hubbell, Scott Moir and Tanith White... all coaching. Ben Agosto, Tanith’s partner, was commentating on the ice dance for the broadcaster NBC.
But the duo, who are partners on and off the ice, continue on, they say, for the simple fact that they love it – and they’d like to claim a long-elusive world title, having three times been on the podium, but never with gold medals draped around their necks.
“The easiest part, the best part, is just the fact that we still love skating so much and that we enjoy going to the rink every day,” Bates told Olympics.com in San Jose after their U.S. win. “We like what we do, and that's the core reason why we're still doing it: It’s just because we love it.”
“There are some goals left over and we want to achieve them,” added Chock. “We set [those goals] for ourselves and we felt like we're more capable of achieving them. And so why not give it another go?”
Going head-to-head with Gilles/Poirier
Though none of the Olympic medallists from Beijing 2022 are competing this season, it’s still a crowded, competitive field in ice dance in the year following the Games, and one that offers ample opportunity.
Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Canada, also a veteran duo, have emerged as the top team after the first half of the season, winning three Grand Prix golds, including a victory by 3.6 points over Chock/Bates at the Grand Prix Final in December.
This weekend the two teams were set to meet again at the Four Continents Championships, the final major international event before the World Championships in late March, but Gilles continues to recover from an appendectomy, meaning their next clash is - likely - worlds.
Do Chock and Bates enjoy having another familiar team there, pushing them in the race for global gold?
“Absolutely,” Bates said, unflinchingly. “We're no stranger to having rivals in our sport, and we know that it's helped us along the way over the years to push us to be better and to know that on days, especially when it's a little extra difficult to train or you're tired, you know that there are other skaters in the world who are working really hard and we're all going really for the same goal at the end.”
Last year at Worlds, Chock/Bates claimed their third world medal (2015, 2016 and 2022), while Gilles/Poirier, who had landed on their first world podium in 2021, finished fifth.
Which team will rise to the top at Worlds? They'll also contend with the likes of European champions Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri of Italy - among others.
A lasting partnership – focused on now
While Chock/Bates began skating together in 2011, the two have been a couple off the ice for over five years, and this past year Bates proposed to Chock as they did a string of post-Olympic exhibition tours. The engagement itself took place in Thailand.
“We’re certainly committed to one another on the ice and off the ice,” said Chock. “And we've just made one more step forward in our plans for our future together.”
That certainty of a partnership outside of the sport isn’t an advantage when it comes to competition itself, but it does play in favour of Chock and Bates’ cause as they navigate what comes next. They’re not sure if they’ll skate until Milano Cortina 2026, but that isn’t having an impact on what they’re doing now, this season.
It’s a season-by-season approach for the two, who are 30 and 33, respectively.
“We enjoy the process, which I think is one of the most important things when you're setting these lofty goals and having to put in the work – day after day and year after year,” explained Chock. “You really have to fall in love with the process, and that's something that we've done and we continue to still have those feelings. It just makes it that much more enjoyable when we do achieve our goals.”
Chock/Bates: Finding another gear – again
Chock/Bates have learned how to take satisfaction from that process over the years. At Beijing 2022 they were fourth as training mates and U.S. rivals Hubbell and Zachary Donohue captured the Olympic bronze.
Their three world podiums have been silver, bronze and bronze, while four medals at the Grand Prix Final – including this season – have all been silver.
They are undeterred.
“We certainly have been vocal this year about setting the goal of being world champions, and that's because we feel like it's really within our capabilities of accomplishing that,” Bates said.
“We've been at this for a long time and we've been on the world podium multiple times. We've been to three Olympics together. And, you know, part of the reason why we wanted to continue skating and competing is because we felt like there were still some goals that we had in mind that we haven't reached. And the ultimate goal for us for a long time has been becoming world champions.”
The duo said they feel “reinvigorated” by their U.S. title, which continues them down a path of strong skates after struggling at the opening Grand Prix of the season.
But, however they do proceed, they’ll do it together. That’s the part of the process they have full control over – and no doubt about.