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Stojko in no rush to turn pro
The three-time world figure skating champion announced yesterday he will remain an eligible (or amateur) skater for at least one more season, saying he is too competitive for the song-and-dance atmosphere of the pro ranks.
"Deep down inside, I don't want to let it go," Stojko said. "There are still more things I want to do."
His coach Doug Leigh has hinted that a new quadruple jump (other than the quad toe loop) or quad-triple jump combination may be on the horizon.
"I like being a pioneer and pushing the envelope," Stojko said. "I don't want to look back 10 years from now and say, 'Hey, I should have (remained amateur).' "
Stojko, 26, who was suffering from a severe groin injury during his silver-medal winning performance at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, but expects a full recovery as the season progresses.
Stojko's itinerary includes the Skate America competition in Detroit, Oct.28-Nov.1; Skate Canada, Nov.3-8 in Kamloops, B.C.; the Canadian championships, Jan.27-31 in Ottawa; the Grand Prix Final, March 4-7 in St. Petersburg, Russia; and the world championships, March 17-28 in Helsinki.
CROSS-CANADA TOUR
Stojko also will make his annual cross-Canada tour Nov.14-28, a nine-stop event with a Nov.20 stop in Toronto.
Stojko, recently named the sole recipient of the Governor General's Meritorious Service Cross for outstanding service to Canada, dismissed suggestions that such a gruelling schedule will play havoc with his recovery, which is almost complete.
As for what to expect this season, skating's Terminator plans to take advantage of a new International Skating Union rule that allows skaters to attempt a quadruple jump in the short program. Stojko said he has landed a quad in practice this summer.
He will stick with his popular Lion short program, performed to the haunting rhythm of Taiko drums, with a few slight variations including the addition of the quad. "We feel that it never quite reached its peak," Stojko said of the Lion program.
His free skate program will be new, probably a good move given that last year's long program - performed to the Ghost and the Darkness soundtrack -- was not exactly an artistic triumph. Stojko plans to keep his new program under wraps, although he did suggest it is definitely his style, meaning it is aggressive and masculine.