HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (AFP) - Two-time world bronze medallist Fumie Suguri and former Canadian champion Cynthia Phaneuf will be looking for strong showings at this week's 2004 Skate Canada event.
The 16-year-old Phaneuf had a breakthrough season last year winning the national title in her first try and then capturing a silver medal at the International Skating Union's Four Continents Championship.
Phaneuf got off to a poor start this year, finishing a disappointing 10th at the World Junior Championships. Despite being the Canadian champ she was not chosen, in controversial move, to represent Canada in the World Championships.
The Halifax event begins Thursday and marks the second stop on the ISU's Grand Prix Circuit.
Other athletes battling for the podium in the ladies event will be reigning European champ Julia Sebestyen, of Hungary, and Japan's Yukari Nakano and Yoshie Onda.
Five-time world champion Michelle Kwan, of the US, and compatriot Sasha Cohen have withdrawn from the event.
The mens field is also missing a number of big names, but three-time national champ Emanuel Sandhu, 23, will be representing Canada.
World bronze medallist Stefan Lindemann, of Germany, and two-time world bronze medallist Takeshi Honda, of Japan, will also be looking for strong showings.
Three-time World Champion Evgeni Plushenko, of Russia, is not competing but is intending to skate at the 2005 ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Moscow.
The pair's event will be without reigning world champions Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin, of Russia, after Totmianina suffered a severe concussion in a head-first fall last week in Pittsburgh.
Totmianina received a concussion, black eye and some cuts, bruises and swelling on the right side of her head after Marinin lost his footing in the middle of their routine while holding her with one hand over his head.
Totmianina, who has no memory of the fall, said she expects to resume training in about two weeks.
Judges will use the new ISU scoring system that is designed to prevent a scandal like the one that marred the figure skating at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.
10/27/2004 - 05:57 GMT - AFP