The World Professional Figure Skating Championship, which starts Friday, has a new rule this year to help separate the event from the numerous other made-for-TV specials.

It's even in the skaters' contracts: Everyone has to perform at least one new routine.

"It's the biggest competition of the year in the pro life," said Oksana Baiul, the 1994 Olympic gold medalist who is making her third appearance at the event. "Everybody wants to see new programs, my fans and my friends."

There's another change that will make the 28th edition of this competition stand out from the other pro events - and make it more like the Olympics or amateur World Championships. For the first time, it will actually appear on television the same year it takes place.

Usually this event doesn't make it to the airwaves until January. This year, Friday night's technical program will air on NBC on Saturday afternoon. Saturday night's artistic program will be broadcast Sunday. That's a quicker turnaround than the network had at the Olympics in Sydney.

"Maybe it's better if the competition is shown on TV the next day," two-time Olympic bronze medalist Philippe Candeloro said. "It creates more excitement."

More excitement may be needed, because the competition lost its biggest name Thursday when defending women's champion Tara Lipinski withdrew. Lipinski had surgery on her hip in September and planned to make her return to competition at these championships. But she isn't yet able to perform a full array of triple jumps that helped her win the 1998 Olympic title.

Lipinski's absence not only throws the women's competition wide open, it changes the dynamic. The other five competitors - all in their 20s - won't have to worry about the hopeless cause of keeping pace with all the jumps Lipinski can do at age 18.

Yuka Sato, who won in 1995, is the new favorite, although she's been dividing her attention between singles and a budding pairs career with husband and former U.S. pairs champion Jason Dungjen.

"I'm still learning my pairs skills, so that's where I spend most of my time," said Sato, who now lives in Detroit. "I'm trying to coordinate my schedule so I'm not killing myself."

Sato and Dungjen finished last at last week's Canadian Open, but at least they finished.

"I'm very proud that we got through it in one piece," Sato said.

Also in the field are Baiul, Surya Bonaly, who was third last year, and two skaters who turned pro this year: Nicole Bobek and Lucinda Ruh.

Bobek said she's happy to be free of the amateur pressure of qualifying for nationals, worlds or the Olympics.

"I got tired of always doing these technical programs and being restricted in what I'm able to do," Bobek said. "I wasn't really enjoying myself out there.

And now?

"I just don't take it so scary seriously," Bobek said. "It's great to win, but I just really need to get out there and show people I can be professional with my skating. If I don't win, it doesn't matter."

For the first time in seven years, neither Kurt Browning nor Brian Boitano are competing. Ilia Kulik, the 1998 Olympic champion, rode in with the new wave of younger winners last year, and he's back to defend his title against Candeloro, Rudy Galindo and Alexei Urmanov.

Last year's pairs and dance events produced surprise winners, and the defending champions are back trying to repeat: Russian pair Elena Leonova and Andrei Khvalko, and U.S. dance team Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow.