Jumpin' Joe: The Jozef Sabovcik Story

by Jozef Sabovcik

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.

Genres: Figure Skating, Biography

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Ryan Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most candid skating biographies that emerged from the figure skating boom in the 1990s. From his youth in Czechoslovakia to the Olympic podium and beyond, 'Jumpin' Joe' is extremely honest about his life both on and off the ice in this book - the good, bad and ugly. Jozef was not an overnight sensation as a professional - it actually took him quite a few years to really become an A-lister - and this book does a fine job in explaining the how and why. A very interesting read.

[Surreysmum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a highly readable and quite interesting book, from the perspective of someone who emerged from outside the great skating powers. Fascinatingly, Sabovcik was actually inspired by Toller Cranston's skating in 1973, and was distressed not to be able to skate in his farewell tribute nearly two decades later. The failed marriage to Tracey Wainman, and the long drought between his retirement from amateur skating and his emergence as a professional star in the mid-90s are both dealt with without any undue bitterness. He also speaks about the 1986 quad at Europeans which was not ratified, and about how he had broached the matter with his friend, Kurt Browning.

[Alan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible book. Cool skater with a mullet!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book