BOBEK BOLTS FROM HER COACH, AGAIN.

Byline: Barry Wilner Associated Press 

Richard Callaghan won't be repeating his rare double at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships next week, even if his skaters do.

Callaghan coached Todd Eldredge and Nicole Bobek to the national titles last year. Eldredge, who has worked with Callaghan since he was a child, remains Callaghan's primary student. Bobek has bolted.

That doesn't surprise anyone in the sport: The mercurial Bobek has had nine coaches in as many years. One coach said she might have nine more before her career is through.

"We had a great year together," Callaghan says. "But it wasn't working out and we talked about it and she decided to make a change."

Bobek is nursing an ankle injury that could force her out of the event, which began Saturday with the separate figures competition at San Jose. The men get started Thursday and the women on Friday.

Barbara Roles Williams, her new coach, asked the U.S. Figure Skating Association about a bye for Bobek, allowing her to skip nationals to heal, then participate at the world championships in March. Bobek won a bronze medal in the 1995 worlds.

But she was rebuffed. So Bobek, who skated in an ice show throughout December despite the injury, will have to take on Michelle Kwan, who has had a good year and, at 15, is seeking her first national crown.

Callaghan needn't concern himself any longer with the oddities that always accompany Bobek. He now has Tara Lupinski, a 13-year-old pepperpot considered one of the rising stars of the ever-younger women's ranks.

"She is doing real well and I don't know what to expect," says Callaghan, who saw Lupinski finish second to Sydne Vogel for the U.S. junior championship last year. Vogel also has moved up and could be a factor. "It's up to the other girls to see what they do. Is it up for grabs? I hope so."

The men's division appears more predictable. Eldredge capped a sensational comeback by winning his third national title and first since 1991 with an inspirational performance a year ago. He then nearly won the world title, barely edged by Canada's Elvis Stojko.

"I suppose in '93, Todd was not focused, and in '94 he got focused and trained and was ready to go. Then he got sick (flu) at nationals and that was the biggest letdown," Callaghan says.

Even though he was only 22, Eldredge was at a crossroads.

"At that point, you had to wonder," Callaghan says. "As soon as he was given the opportunity to go to the Goodwill Games after not going to worlds and the Olympics, that was his way to show maybe he should have gone. If he could beat the top three guys, that proved in his mind that he was ready in '94, just unlucky."

Eldredge was ready and lucky in '95. He won three straight international events leading to nationals, which he convincingly won against two-time defending champion Scott Davis. Then Eldredge did so well at worlds and came in first at the Hershey's International to cap off a remarkable year - for himself and for Callaghan.

"I had a real good year," Callaghan says. "Businesswise, it did not really help. I am busy enough; I was last year and two years ago. I set myself up in a certain league, and when Nicole left and Tara came in, maybe she came in because I was successful with others.

"My role is just confidence and training and kind of just showing them why they could win. I have to try not to say, 'You can do it' without proving to them they can with a fact or an actual payoff.

"Last year came the payoff. Big time."

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Michelle Kwan, at 15, is seeking her first national crown at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in San Jose next week. Associated Press