NEXT TIME, FOLLOW NICOLE BOBEK’S LEAD

As soon as his Detroit rink mate, Tara Lipinski, concludes her women’s figure skating competition Friday night, Todd Eldredge would like nothing better than to be on a plane headed for home.

Eldredge, a five-time U.S. champion, hasn’t had a particularly rewarding Olympic experience, finishing fourth last weekend in a men’s competition that he believed he could win.

But Eldredge must remain in Nagano for an exhibition Saturday and then travel to Tokyo for another on Tuesday.

The top four finishers in each figure skating discipline were committed to those exhibitions.

“One more fall and I could have gone home,” Eldredge joked this week.

HER NAME TRANSLATES INTO “SURLY BABY”

The first time France’s Surya Bonaly competed in front of international judges, at the 1991 World Championships, she skated into the kiss-and-cry area, saw her scores, cupped her hands around her mouth and booed the judges.

Her mother, who was one of her coaches, slapped her on the wrist.

Bonaly, 24, hasn’t learned a great deal about etiquette since then.

Disappointed with her second-place finish at the 1994 World Championships, she had to be coaxed into appearing for the medal ceremony.

After Wednesday night’s short program here, she dismissed the judges by leaving the kiss-and-cry area even before all of her scores were read.

“It was horrible,” the five-time European champion said of the judging. “But I am used to it.”