Sears Figure Skating Open hosts some of the world's best amateur and professional skaters

-- First Open Event in Canada Comes to Kitchener Memorial Complex --

KITCHENER, ON, Nov. 19 /CNW/ - Top world competitors will converge at the first-ever open skating event in Canada, the Sears Figure Skating Open. Set to take place at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex on Saturday, December 5th in Kitchener, Ontario, the event features skaters including three-time World Bronze Medalists and six-time Canadian Dance Champions, Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz, and four-time World Champion Kurt Browning. The one-day event will play host to some of the world's best amateur and professional skaters going head-to-head for more than $400,000 in prize money.

Divided into two sessions, the event begins with the short programs in the afternoon at 1:00 p.m., and concludes with the artistic programs in the evening at 7:00 p.m. Both sessions will feature competitions in Mens, Ladies, Pairs and for the first time ever, Dance.

Formerly the Canadian Professional Figure Skating Championship, this will be the 5th year of the event, and 1998 marks the first time an ``Open'' figure skating competition will be held in Canada. Until now there have been separate amateur and professional competitions. New International Skating Union (ISU) rules permit open competitions where pros (ineligible) and amateurs (eligible) can compete together on a head-to-head basis. A skater is ineligible if they have turned professional and are ineligible for events such as the Olympics. An eligible skater is an athlete who has not yet turned professional.

The rules and judging will be under the auspices of the International Skating Union (ISU), the international governing body for figure skating. The event is sanctioned by the Canadian Skating Association (CFSA).

The following skaters have confirmed their entries for the Sears Figure Skating Open:

Competing in the Mens category will be four-time World Champion Kurt Browning, nine-time British Champion, Steven Cousins, two-time Olympic Silver Medalist Brian Orser, Canadian Olympic Team Member Jeff Langdon and Olympic Bronze Medalist Jozef Sabovcik.

World Bronze Medalist Nicole Bobek will be up against tough competition in the Ladies category from Canada's skating darling, three-time Canadian Champion Josee Chouinard, as well as seasoned veteran, and World Bronze Medalist, Caryn Kadavy, five-time Russian champion Maria Butyrskaya, Olympic Silver Medalist Elizabeth Manley and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Ekaterina Gordeeva.

For its initial debut at an open event, three-time World Bronze Medalists and six-time Canadian Champions, Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz will be competing in the Dance event, along with recently paired Maya Usova and Evgeny Platov.

In the pairs competition World Champions and Olympic Bronze Medalists, Mandy Wotzel and Ingo Steuer will be up against, new U.S. pair Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman, and Kristy Sargeant and Kris Wirtz, 1998 Canadian Champions.

Sears is the title sponsor of the Sears Figure Skating Open. Associate sponsors include Panasonic, Buena Vista Home Entertainment and AOL Canada. Information about this competition is available on AOL Canada at keyword: Sears Skating.