Following the 1984 Olympics….several skaters emerged as likely medal hopes following the retirement of USA Scott Hamilton…..when Brian Boitano won the 1985 United States Figure Skating Championships….which was the first of his four titles…..and while at the first World Championships of the post-Hamilton era in 1985…..that’s when USSR Alexander Fadeev won, with Brian Orser finishing 2nd and Boitano 3rd…..plus he had injured tendons in his right ankle a few weeks before the 1986 U.S. Championships….but went on to win his second national title.At the 1986 World Championships….as seen in this video herewith….Boitano took the title….all while Fadeev had a disastrous free skate despite having been in an excellent position to win…. and Orser finished 2nd once again.
During the 1986–87 season, Boitano had introduced two new elements to his programs…. the ‘Tano triple lutz” and a quadruple toe loop….albeit he never succeeded in landing a clean quadruple jump in competition. The 1987 World Championships were held in Cincinnati, giving defending World champion Boitano a home-field advantage…..as the outcome of this event would set the tone for the 1988 Olympics. At Worlds, Boitano fell on his quadruple toe loop attempt and placed second.
