Mabee He Will

Christopher Mabee didn't exactly show up in Halifax with thoughts of a Canadian championship dancing in his head.
But he'll have a hard time fending off that sentiment now.
Mabee had the Metro Centre crowd in the palm of his hands with a bouncy, exhilirating — and, oh yes, clean as a whistle — performance that brought 'em to their feet after he was done. Suddenly, the perennial bridesmaid from Tillsonburg, Ont., has a national title clearly in his sights.
“It's always been in my head, it's always been a goal of mine,” admitted Mabee, 21. “It's very close right now, but my focus isn't on winning, it's getting the performance done. Then you'll receive the reward afterward.”
Mabee surely got his last night — first from the audience, which enveloped Mabee (who couldn't stop smiling) with a standing ovation. Then the judges handed him 75.68 points, a personal best by a whopping seven points.
“I had a blast out there,” said Mabee, who seems to earn a standing ovation at just about every Canadians he enters. “I finally put it out in competition like I know I can.”
For three years now, Mabee has been chugging close to the medal podium: Sixth in 2004, then fifth, then fourth. With a 10.47-point edge over third-place Emanuel Sandhu and nearly 12 over the rest, Mabee is looking good to secure one of Canada's three men's berths for the world championships in Tokyo. He seems completely relaxed on the ice, and has found the right comfort zone mentally.
“I tell myself to be confident in myself,” said Mabee, who's drawn the final start position for Saturday night's free skate final. “Know that I can do it, don't just tell myself that I think I can ... that's when doubts creep in. I think that's what I did during the short program. I went out and said 'I know I can do this clean.' ”
While Mabee held court with the media, his friend Jeffrey Buttle stood off to the side, waiting his turn. Buttle couldn't stifle a grin or two while Mabee spoke, then gave him a warm hug afterward.
“We're pretty much best friends, we hang out all the time,” said Buttle, 24, the two-time defending champ from Smooth Rock Falls, Ont. “I didn't see (Mabee's skate), but I heard (the ovation) and I watch him every day and he does it well.
“That was really cool to skate after that.”
Despite falling on a triple Axel, Buttle posted a 78.85-point score to build a slim lead over Mabee, his training mate at the Mariposa School of Skating in Barrie, Ont. Given the fact he's missed most of the season recovering from a stress fracture in his lower back, Buttle admits a third title would be particularly sweet.
“It would mean a lot, especially considering the circumstances this year,” said Buttle, who declared himself in “the best shape of my life” after being off the ice for three months because of the injury. “It would be a big confidence booster for me (to win again).”
His good buddy Christopher Mabee, no doubt, can tell him how much that can mean.