They’re Back in the Sunshine

This week’s U.S. Figure Skating Championships will be old home week for Todd Eldredge and his coach, Richard Callaghan, for several reasons.

Eldredge, a five-time men’s champion, calculated this will be his 17th national competition, including novice and junior championships. In addition, Eldredge and Callaghan are familiar with Southern California, having been based in San Diego in the early 1990s before they moved to Rochester Hills, Mich.

“We were in San Diego four years, and it was kind of nice,” Callaghan said. “We left because the training facility in Michigan was excellent and the number of hours and times of day we would have the ice were better.

“I didn’t leave San Diego willingly, believe me. It’s so nice to be outdoors in this weather. It’s awesome.”

Eldredge was among the few senior-level men who took advantage of Saturday’s first official practice at HealthSouth Training Center in El Segundo. Arriving early obliged him to miss a chance to participate in the Olympic torch relay today in Michigan, but he hopes to get another opportunity, perhaps when the flame arrives in California on Jan. 14.

“I’m going to try to see if maybe that can be worked out,” he said. “It would be fun.”

Callaghan will also coach senior women’s competitor Stacy Pensgen and senior pair Larisa Spielberg and Craig Joeright this week. But he’s more relaxed than he was in 1998, when the U.S. championships last served as the Olympic qualifier and he coached Eldredge and Tara Lipinski. Eldredge won and Lipinski was second; Eldredge finished fourth at the Nagano Games but Lipinski upset Michelle Kwan to win.

“Half the stress,” Callaghan said of this year’s event.

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The first skaters arrived Friday, with more on hand Saturday for the first practices at the Sports Arena and HealthSouth. So far, so good, said Larry Kriwanek, chairman of the organizing committee.

“We really didn’t have any snafus, other than maybe a bus breakdown,” he said. “It went way smoother than any previous competition I can remember.”

Security will be tight at every practice and competition venue, with the LAPD providing most of the protection. Buses traveling among hotels and venues will have a motorcycle police escort and officers will ride on some buses. In addition, police will do a security check on each bus before it begins its route and will conduct spot checks on people boarding or leaving buses.

“People are cooperating and are used to dealing with new security measures,” Kriwanek said.

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Kriwanek said ticket sales for the week picked up after a brief lull. For the most popular event, the women’s final, the lower bowl at Staples Center is sold out and about 2,000 tickets remain in the upper bowl. “Other events are up there where they’re consistent with that,” he said.

He also said next Sunday’s exhibition will break attendance and revenue records. “Our goal is to leave a legacy for local ice athletes,” Kriwanek said.

Proceeds from the championships will go to the Southern California Ice Foundation and will be distributed as grants to deserving athletes. Kriwanek and other members of the organizing committee work on a volunteer basis and take no salary. “It probably ends up costing us, but we love it,” he said.

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About 800 volunteers have been credentialed and about 2,000 media and official credentials were issued, Kriwanek said. “It’s an Olympic year, so we have national and international people,” he said, “so the press presence is very heavy.”

Today’s Schedule

At Sports Arena

Time: Event

11 a.m.: Novice men short program

12:50 p.m.: Novice women short program

2:40 p.m.: Novice pairs short program

4:40 p.m.: Novice dance compulsory dance