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Four Continents part of busy stretch
The competition will be hosted by the Canadian Figure Skating Association at Halifax Metro Centre from Feb. 23-28, 1999.
All-event ticket packages have been selling briskly since September and today individual event tickets will go on sale.
The Four Continents event is equivalent in status to the European Championships.
It provides athletes from 16 countries in North America, South America, Oceania (Australia/New Zealand) and Asia with the opportunity to appear in front of international judges prior to the world championships, set for Helsinki, Finland, from March 21-28.
It's also an added opportunity for non-European skaters to win prize money with a total of $517,000 US up for grabs. Athletes will compete in all four skating disciplines at the senior level - men's, ladies, pairs and dance.
It won't be known what skaters will be competiting until each country holds its national championships.
But three-time world champion, Elvis Stojko, says he will most likely be part of the action.
"I think it will be kind of interesting because both sides of the world will be at separate competitions and then bring them all together for Worlds so it kind of sets it up pretty nice," Stojko said at a news conference Thursday in Halifax, while in town for his Elvis Tour of Champions.
"It does make it a little difficult of course, because we have many competitions during the season. Nationals, the Grand Prix Final and the Worlds.
"It will be a tough run and hopefully we'll have a good outing and it's great that it is going to be happening in Canada and in Halifax."
The Grand Prix Final event, to be held in St. Petersburg, Russia, from March 4-7, will be right after the Four Continents. But because of his fourth place finish at Skate America and placing second at Skate Canada, Stojko isn't sure if he'll make the Grand Prix Final. It will depend on the point totals of the other skaters.
"It might just actually be a little better for me in the sequence," the 26-year-old double Olympic silver medallist said.
"There's Four Continents, then Grand Prix, then Worlds. So within a month it's unbelievable. You're going from Halifax to St. Petersburg, back home and then to Finland."
He says it may be better to have the two weeks in between to set up for the world championships.
Stojko said the Four Continents event allows for more of an even playing field, especially with prize money.