Posted at 2:44 p.m., Thursday, January 31, 2008
Figure skating: Weir to skip Four Continents event
Associated Press
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Johnny Weir won't be going to Four Continents.The runner-up at last weekend's U.S. Figure Skating Championships withdrew from next month's competition in Seoul, South Korea, on Thursday, citing fatigue. He still plans on skating at the world championships, which are March 17-23 in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Weir will be replaced at Four Continents by Jeremy Abbott, who was fourth at nationals. Four Continents is Feb. 11-17.
"The U.S. Championships were very exhausting physically and emotionally, and I want to be completely fresh for whatever competitions I enter," Weir said. "I am back on the ice already preparing for the World Championships in Sweden, but the trip to South Korea and competing again just a few weeks after the U.S. Championships seemed too tall an order."
Weir, a three-time U.S. champion, finished as close to Evan Lysacek as he possibly could Sunday without winning. The two had the same overall score, 244.77, but Lysacek won the title because he had the higher score in the free skate.
