| | Associated Press
Putting the stress and high expectations of Olympic-eligible
skating behind her, Nicole Bobek said Tuesday she is turning
professional.
The 1995 U.S. figure skating champion, who never reached that
level again, signed a four-year contract with the Tom Collins
Champions on Ice tour.
"I would like to get more creative," said Bobek, 22. "I feel
amateur skating is very competitive now and it's missing the
artistry of the sport. The women always were known as the artistic
part and the men were more athletic.
"I felt a little bit restrained as far as projecting a further
style, taking programs to the limit, giving it everything and being
more creative. There is always a certain line in amateur, with
everything that is required. In professionals, it is not."
Bobek never really lived up to her advance notice, especially
after winning the '95 U.S. crown. She often changed coaches, and
when she found one with whom she was comfortable in Carlo Fassi, he
died a few months later.
She put her career together in 1998 to qualify for the Olympic
team. Although Michelle Kwan and Tara Lipinski clearly passed her
by then, Bobek seemed a solid contender for a bronze medal at Nagano.
Instead, she crashed her way to 17th place.
"My Olympic performance wasn't amazing or anything like that,"
she said. "I am fine with it. I made it and that was an honor."
Injuries and lack of training slowed her since then and she
didn't skate in the next two American championships.
"It is my time right now (to turn pro)," said Bobek, who is
engaged and plans to get married next summer. "I still want to go
out there and do lots of things and I have a lot in me. I want to
take figure skating to a further level as far as artistry and
performing."
Bobek also plans to compete professionally, with her first event
the Grand Slam in October. She'll also be busy on the tour, on
which she has been a semiregular as an eligible skater.
"I have always done champions on ice and have a connection with
Tommy and a big group of skaters, and I love the show," she said.
"It has a great support group of people and the skaters feed off
each other."
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