Now, Stage Is Set for Boitano

Brian Boitano, who this weekend will attempt to complete the first quadruple toe loop, Thursday scored an easy victory in the compulsory figures at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

The reigning world and two-time national champion won first-place ordinals of all nine judges in the competition at Sprinker Recreation Rink. He then turned his attention to the quadruple he will attempt as the fourth jump of his long program in the finals at Tacoma Dome Saturday night.

“When I went into this competition, I didn’t think about who could beat me,” said Boitano, 23, of Sunnyvale, Calif. “As a world and national champion, I wanted most to improve, to show a world champion can get better, to do something new, maybe more technical.”

Daniel Doran, the 1986 bronze medalist from Chicago, placed second in the compulsories, and ’86 silver medalist Scott Williams of Redondo Beach, Calif., was third.

But Doran and Williams also seemed more preoccupied with Boitano’s planned quadruple than their performance in figures.

Several male skaters, including Boitano, have attempted the quadruple, but none has completed it perfectly. Boitano’s first attempt came during Skate America last November.

“If he lands it, it’s a fabulous advancement for the sport, and we all can learn by watching him,” Williams said. “Because he’s so easygoing and hasn’t let the world championship change him at all, he’s not so much intimidating as a competitor but inspirational. It’s nice to watch and learn from him.”

In junior competition, Todd Eldredge, 15, of South Chatham, Mass., won the men’s championship. Ann-Morton Neale of Mount Lebanon, Pa., and Dee Pascoe of Belleview, Mich., won the original set pattern competition in the ice dance to maintain their lead after two rounds.

The senior ice dancers also skated their original set pattern later Thursday.

The junior women were to skate their short programs Thursday evening.

The finale of the competition Thursday were the senior pairs’ free style finale. Defending champions Gillian Wachsman and Todd Waggoner of Wilmington, Del., stood first in the standings going into the finals, while 1985 titlists Jill Watson and Peter Oppegard of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., were second.