Canadian blues
Stojko, Bourne and Kraatz out of Grand Prix final
Posted: Tuesday March 02, 1999 12:26 PM
| |
Stojko is still suffering from a groin injury from the Nagano Olympics and will not compete in the Grand Prix final. Mike Powell/Allsport |
TORONTO (AP) -- Injuries have wiped out the Canadian figure skating team for the Grand Prix final this week in St. Petersburg, Russia.
On Monday, the International Skating Union issued a medical bye to three-time world champion Elvis Stojko, who has been recuperating from a groin injury since the Nagano Olympics last year.
The Canadian Figure Skating Association withdrew seven-time Canadian champion dancers Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz.
Stojko competed in the Four Continents event, but two tough back-to-back competitions would have aggravated the injury. Stojko worried the extra wear on his body would have caused him to lose training time before the world championships later this month.
Stojko lost several days of training after January's Canadian championships because of leg tightness.
Bourne tore cartilage in her left knee during a freak practice accident before the Canadian championship. She was still in pain at the Four Continents event last week in Halifax, where she and Kraatz won the gold medal.
After winning, Bourne said her knee felt tender. Bourne said she did not want to jeopardize their chances at the world championships in Helsinki. After that, she needs arthroscopic surgery, which will be followed by three to four weeks of recovery.
Bourne and Kraatz won the Grand Prix final in 1997, when the event was called the Champions Series final.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
| 
