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Stojko back on blades
The three-time world figure skating champion returned home from filming a Disney special on the weekend and has resumed practice with a vengeance.
Stojko had to pull out of a show last month in Hamilton after aggravating a groin strain. The same injury plagued him throughout the 1998 Nagano Olympics.
"He's practising everything," Stojko's coach, Doug Leigh, said. "He's skating hot."
Leigh believes his skater will be virtually 100% for the Canadian championships, Jan. 27-31 in Ottawa.
His next competition following the nationals, however, likely will not be the Grand Prix final in St. Petersburg. It looks as though Stojko instead will take part in the Four Continents Cup, Feb. 23-28 in Halifax, one of the new International Skating Union-sanctioned events.
"We feel pretty good about going to Four Continents," Leigh said. "I can't say that the Grand Prix final is one of our big priorities right now."
If Stojko skips the Grand Prix final, Japan's Takeshi Honda would be the next qualifier, having finished seventh after the six Grand Prix events. Honda also is coached by Leigh.