Ankle Injury Could Sideline Bobek If U.S. Champ Misses Nationals She May Miss World Skate, Too

U.S. figure skating champion Nicole Bobek of Chicago may not defend her title next week in San Jose, Calif., because of a nagging ankle injury.

Should she choose not to skate, it would take a vote of the international committee of the U.S. Figure Skating Association to get her on the U.S. team for the World Championships March 18-24 in Edmonton, Alberta.

Bobek’s new coach, Barbara Roles Williams, discussed the skater’s getting a bye into the worlds with USFSA president Morry Stillwell.

“Barbara was asking for advice,” Stillwell said. “I advised her to have Nicole skate. This could be a troublesome issue if it goes to the international committee.”

Because Bobek won a bronze med al in last year’s world meet, the U.S. gets three spots for women’s singles skaters at the 1996 worlds. Those spots normally would go to the top three finishers at nationals.

USFSA rules specify only that the national champion be selected automatically, with the remaining selections based on results of “the two most recent U.S. National Championships, the most recent World Championships, the Olympic Festival and all other international events.”

Bobek, 18, competed poorly all fall and has been bothered by tendinitis and swelling in an ankle since the Dec. 10 beginning of the 16-show Nutcracker on Ice tour in which she was a featured performer.