Finally Healthy, Chock and Bates Feel Refreshed and Joyful in Return to Grand Prix

When Madison Chock is reminded that she's back on the ISU Grand Prix Series circuit for the first time in two years, she's taken aback.
 
"That's a very good point," she said. "I didn't really think about it."
 
It may not be something she and partner Evan Bates have dwelled on, but it's the truth: their last Grand Prix appearances prior to 2019 were silver-medal finishes at Cup of China and Internationaux de France in 2017, followed by a fifth-place performance at the ISU Grand Prix Final that year.
 
The pair went on to win bronze at the 2018 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, and finish ninth and fifth at the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 and ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2018, respectively.
 
But after that, Chock had surgery on a lingering ankle injury, and everything screeched to a halt.
 
A quick offseason recovery became a months-long ordeal that kept Chock and Bates not only off the ice, but out of the Grand Prix season.
 
"My healing process was, for the most part, pretty smooth," Chock said. "There weren't any major setbacks. There were little things here and there, but that's expected when recovering from an injury. We were prepared for that, and our team was prepared for that.
 
"When I was going into the surgery, I was given a different kind of time period, so I think I was really gung ho on that and had my sights set on a very speedy recovery, which was," she added with a laugh, "in retrospect, a bit unrealistic. No recovery should be rushed, and after surgery, no recovery is a speedy recovery."
 
The duo tried to train for their Grand Prix assignments, but after a string of minor setbacks, Chock and Bates decided to make the prudent choice and withdraw from their fall competition slate.
 
"It was a bit frustrating to have to sit out the Grand Prixes last year, but it was definitely the right decision, and the healthy decision for us at the time," Chock said. "So no regrets there. I think we still had a very successful season, and we're happy with how it went, and I wouldn't change it."
 
In addition, Chock and Bates made an offseason coaching change as well, moving to Montreal to train with coaches Marie-France Dubreuil, Patrice Lauzon and Romain Haguenauer.
 
It was a season of change that happened to occur at the right time.
 
"It sort of felt like the close to an era of living and training in Michigan for so many years," Bates said. "And then with the surgery and the rehab and the move to Montreal, it felt like so many things were new.
 
"Once Madi got healthy and we were in a new environment with new coaches, you could certainly feel a difference in our skating and with our attitudes towards skating and our excitement level. So the surgery was obviously unfortunate and tough to watch, but like Madi said, I don't think we would change it, because it just led us to where we are now with our mindset and our appreciation for our health and our ability to still be able to do this."
 
While they tuned in occasionally to watch their friends and competitors skate last season, Chock and Bates spent most of the season focused inward. Chock continued rehabbing her ankle, and as a team they worked on getting their programs together and competition-ready.
 
Chock resumed full-out training in December, and when they finally made their season debut at the Mentor Torun Cup in Poland in January, competition-ready was an understatement.
 
They finished first in Poland, then won silver at the 2019 GEICO U.S. Figure Skating Championships held in Detroit, the pair's former home and training base.
 
"We were really looking forward to competing in Detroit in front of all of our family and friends," Chock said. "It was a huge home crowd support, and it was very nice to be able to get back to a major competition, but it was in our hometown. So that was really quite lovely."
 
From there, the pair headed to the ISU Four Continents Championships and – surprising even themselves – won gold.
 
"We didn't really set a very specific goal of winning," Bates said. "We were excited to honestly be there, be healthy again.
 
"I mean, very happy to win. Very excited," he added with a laugh. "It took us by surprise a bit, but it was a great moment and a feeling of maybe a bit of validation that we're on the right track of things and that we're showing improvement with our skating."
 
They took some time off this summer, going on vacation to Cancun and attending weddings in France and Spain, but were thrilled to finally have a normal, full off-season to spend at work.
 
They were able to spend time being creative with their programs, which include a rhythm dance to "Too Darn Hot" from Kiss Me Kate, and a free dance set to a medley of Egyptian songs.
 
According to Chock, she portrays a snake while Bates is a traveler that comes across her in the desert, and she turns into a woman when he opens the basket she's inside of.
 
"He doesn't know whether I'm a snake or whether I'm a woman, but he's intrigued, and I'm intrigued," Chock said. "So it's playful, it's sensual, and that is the story that we're telling. It is really fun, and it was very fun to do the choreography with our coaches. Very different and unique."
 
Chock and Bates competed twice this season before the Grand Prix season began, winning both the U.S. International Figure Skating Classic and Finlandia Trophy.
 
Last weekend, at Internationaux de France, they won silver for their 11th consecutive Grand Prix medal.
 
There may have been a two-year hiatus, but there was no rust to speak of. With Chock healthy, pain-free and feeling strong, the couple has big goals for the season.
 
"We want to be on the World podium," Chock said. "We want to be U.S. champions again. And just have a really fun, successful season. We want to perform our programs well every time we go out, and that's the main goal at every competition, and we're on the right track to do that."
 
Settled in their new training base and still feeling the effects of a fresh start, Chock and Bates are appreciating every minute of the journey.
 
"We feel like we're really at home in Montreal, and on a day-to-day basis, going to the rink is still just really joyful. We like going to work every day, which is all you can hope for in your life," Bates said with a laugh. "To be happy with what you're doing, and to be happy with the people you're surrounded by, and the place you're in. And that's still how we're feeling."

Chock and Bates kicked off their second Grand Prix assignment at Cup of China on Nov. 8, finishing second in the rhythm dance. Watch their full performances live and on-demand this weekend on the Figure Skating Pass on NBC Sports Gold.