Eldredge, Lipinski Shine Detroit’s U.S. Skating Team Members Well Received In Exhibition, Sendoff

Six members of the U.S. Olympic skating team got high marks from a hometown crowd Saturday as they made their last public skating appearances before heading to Japan.

Five-time U.S. national champion Todd Eldredge, 26, skated his new short program to music from “Les Miserables.”

“I’ve been doing it a little over a week and it’s coming along,” Eldredge said after the exhibition.

It will be the second Olympics for Eldredge, the 1996 world champion, and he’s considered the best hope for a medal this year among the men.

“I’m going there to try and skate for gold, but gold, silver, bronze - I’ll still be happy, as long as I’m happy with the way I skated,” Eldredge said.

Eldredge and fellow team member Tara Lipinski, 15, got standing ovations after their performances, and both were swarmed by fans after the show.

“I’m really getting excited to get there and enjoy the whole experience,” Lipinski said. “I hope to win, I’m going to skate hard. It’s going to be a totally different competition than anything I’ve been to.”

In 1997, Lipinski became the youngest women’s world champion and national champion.

The six in Saturday’s exhibition train at the Detroit Skating Club. There are seven more members of the Olympic skating team. The exhibition, “Champions on Ice,” was the rink’s annual fund-raiser.

“I’m just glad to see them up close, because usually you can’t ” Anne Marie Wozniak, 10, said as she waited in line for Eldredge.

“I wanted to come. When you have Olympic stars 10 miles from your house, why not? It’s a great opportunity,” said Geri Batt, 56.

Ice dancers Jessica Joseph, 15, and Charles Butler, 18, were the surprise winners of the silver at this year’s U.S. championships in Philadelphia. They are also the reigning junior champions.

But they said they’re not letting that scare them as they head to Japan.

“We weren’t sure we were going to make it, but it goes to show, anything can happen,” Joseph said. “We’re going to do our absolute best, and show everybody we’re ready to be on the senior team.”

The group leaves for Nagano on Feb. 3.

Countdown to Nagano

Days until opening ceremony: 13.

Snowfall Saturday: .79 inches in Nagano city and 5-3/4 inches on men’s downhill course. Current blanket is 6 inches in Nagano city, and 6 feet, 2 inches on men’s downhill course.

Olympic update: The Olympic Village, which will house some 3,000 athletes and officials during next month’s Nagano Winter Games, opened Saturday.

About 400 Olympic organizing committee officials and volunteers attended the opening ceremony held in front of the village.

Carrying the torch: Three torches that traveled through 46 prefectures in Japan have arrived in Nagano. They passed through the towns of Omachi, Iida and Usuda on Saturday.

Going for the gold: Kristian Ghedina of Italy won a World Cup downhill at Kitzbuehel, Austria, followed closely by Switzerland’s Didier Cuche, the surprise winner of Friday’s downhill, who has become an Olympic favorite.