Elvis is in the house, ready to skate
VANCOUVER (CP) -- Elvis Stojko figures he's the hunter, not the hunted, even though he's the biggest name at this weekend's Canadian figure skating championships.
Today, Stojko skates his short program -- the part of his routine he must improve if he's to regain the world title he held in 1994 and '95. The two-time Canadian champion slipped to fourth in the world last year when he faltered badly in the short program.
"Having good performances the next couple of years is important to me," Stojko said this week. "I want to step up artistically and technically."
A solid performance in the nationals is key as Stojko prepares for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
"I was always the hunter until '94," he said. "Then last year I wasn't into it mentally as the previous couple years.
"There's always a change in one's life when you're dealing with things. Now I always want to be the hunter, no matter if I get back to No. 1 in the world."
Stojko, 24, of Richmond Hill, Ont., still trains with coach Doug Leigh at the Mariposa school of skating, with choreography by Uschi Keszler.
The acrobatic Stojko plans to execute his controversial quadruple combination jump again as part of his skating to the music of the movie Dragonheart in his long program.
''I've been through all the different categories from underdog to defender to loser. Now I'm coming back to being on top again."
At the nationals, Stojko figures to be challenged by Jayson Denomee of Brossard, Que., Ben Ferreira of Edmonton, local favorite Matthew Knight of suburban Delta and Collin Thompson of Mississauga, Ont.
The gracious Stojko, who succeeded Canadian Kurt Browning as world champion, contends he merely wants to "skate well. If I win, it's a bonus."
Stojko contends the hunter is never content merely with being first. He must always push his skating to a higher level.
"Skating for the money, the medals, the glory, that's all part of it. But for myself it's doing the performance to the best of my ability. That is the most important thing for an athlete in any sport.
"Once you achieve that, that's what makes it worthwhile."
Stojko's short program will be skated to The Rocketeer soundtrack, a theme he plans to take on to the world championships next month in Lausanne, Switzerland.