Sasha Cohen withdraws from next week’s French Grand Prix event

Sasha Cohen out of Grand Prix event

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Olympic silver medalist Sasha Cohen has withdrawn from the first Grand Prix figure skating event of the season because of tendinitis in her right calf.

The 2006 runner-up at the Turin Games is making a comeback after not competing since the 2006 world championships. But she said Friday she will not skate at the Trophee Eric Bompard in Paris after consultation with an orthopedic surgeon.

“I have been advised to limit my training for the next few weeks,” Cohen said. “My pain is subsiding, but I have not been able to fully train for Trophee Bompard.”

The 24-year-old Cohen says she is confident she will be ready for Skate America, Nov. 12-15 in Lake Placid, N.Y.

“I was looking forward to competing in Paris, and I’m sorry I won’t be there,” Cohen said. “However, I’m still excited about the rest of the season and am looking forward to competing in Lake Placid.”

Cohen needs the work in her attempt to make the U.S. team for the Vancouver Olympics in February. Although she did triple jumps and many competitive moves while touring with Stars on Ice the last two years, she has not appeared before judges.

Her withdrawal follows Kimmie Meissner dropping out of the Grand Prix series because of a knee injury. Meissner, the 2006 world champion, would need a waiver from U.S. Figure Skating to skate at the national championships in January, where the two U.S. berths for Vancouver will be determined.

Cohen led after the short program at the Turin Olympics, but struggled in the free skate and finished second to Japan’s Shizuka Arakawa. She was third at worlds a month later, then left competitive skating and even looked into acting.

But in May, she said she was returning for a shot at gold in Vancouver. Cohen is working with new coach Rafael Arutunian, who once coached Michelle Kwan.