description: Tall, striking, with long blond hair and a penchant for rock 'n' roll, Jozef Sabovcik is one of the most popular skaters on the pro circuit. His spectacular vertical leaps and back flips have captivated audiences and inspired his nickname "Jumpin' Joe."Although he now holds a Canadian passport, Jozef was a product of the communist skating system. The son of a prima ballerina and choreographer, he was Czechoslovakia's greatest hope for an Olympic medal; before he was twenty, he was a six-time national champion of Czechoslovakia, and had won two European titles.A maverick and a nonconformist with a passionate taste for western music, his perpetual run-ins with the authorities cramped his style and threatened his livelihood. But, despite the bureaucrats' menacing interference, and a serious injury, Jozef made it to the Olympics and won bronze. And that's only half the story!Jumpin' Joe chronicles all this and the subsequent, emotionally charged years that followed, including his departure to Canada; his friendships with Brian Orser, Scott Hamilton and Toller Cranston; his marriage to skater Tracey Wainman; and his triumphant return, following personal tragedy, to the world of professional figure skating.
language: English
title: Jumpin' Joe: The Jozef Sabovcik Story
publisher: Macmillan Canada