Boitano to Take His First Step Toward ’94 Winter Olympics

In the first competition of what is presumed to be his path to the 1994 Winter Olympics, Brian Boitano will appear in the Hershey Kisses Pro-Am on April 6-7 at the Sports Arena, the U.S. Figure Skating Assn. said Friday.

It will be Boitano’s first test against amateur competition since he turned professional after winning the gold medal in the 1988 Winter Olympics. Committed to compete against him in a six-man field are the champion, Scott Davis, and runner-up, Mark Mitchell, from the 1993 U.S. championships.

Nancy Kerrigan, the 1992 Olympic bronze medalist and ’93 U.S. champion, will compete in a six-woman field along with the runner-up, Lisa Ervin, and third-place finisher, Tonia Kwiatkowski, from this year’s national championships, and former Olympian Caryn Kadavy.

This will be the second USFSA event that brings together professionals and amateurs to compete for prize money. Amateurs can accept money as long as they put it in a trust fund that will be available to them upon their retirements.

Further blurring the lines between professionals and amateurs, the International Skating Union adopted a rule last year that allows professionals to apply for reinstatement as amateurs so they can compete in the Winter Olympics.

Boitano, 29, said recently that he is 95% sure he will apply before the April 1 deadline. Even if he does not decide to seek reinstatement, he will be eligible for the Pro-Am as a professional.