FIGURE SKATING : Boitano Shines in Debut No. 2

When Brian Boitano awoke Thursday morning, he had an ache in his stomach that he hadn’t felt for almost six years.

“This is the most nervous I’ve felt since I decided to come back,” said Boitano, the 1988 Olympic figure skating champion who left a professional career this year to try for another gold medal.

“I had to ask myself, ‘What am I doing here?’ ”

The answer became apparent later Thursday.

Trying to win.

On the eve of his 30th birthday, Boitano’s performance in the technical program at Reunion Arena on the opening night of the men’s competition in Skate America was not at the level that will be required for him to contend in February’s Winter Olympics at Lillehammer, Norway. But seven judges from six countries decided it was good enough for him to have the lead in his first international competition since he returned.

The other Olympic champion in the field, Ukraine’s Viktor Petrenko, who won in 1992 at Albertville, France, appeared equal to Boitano, but the judges placed him third, behind Russia’s Alexei Urmanov, who technically was better than both.

The dance judges have proved equally difficult to figure. After the first two compulsory dances Wednesday night, they placed the U.S. national champions, Renee Roca and Gorsha Sur, sixth. But after consultation with the two referees, who thought Roca and Sur deserved better, the judges placed them second in the original program Thursday night. They are now third overall.