NAGANO, Japan -- This was hardly a repeat of Tonya and Nancy together on the ice for the first time at Lillehammer. Not even close.

Michelle Kwan and Tara Lipinski together on the ice for the first time at Nagano was witnessed by a mere 100 people or so Wednesday (Tuesday night ET) -- and that included building workers, other skaters, coaches and a dozen reporters.

It's

Tara Lipinski, front, and Michelle Kwan skate past each other during practice at White Ring Wednesday. (AP)

not exactly the media circus that greeted Harding and Kerrigan at the 1994 Games. Then again, while Kwan and Lipinski aren't exactly close, they're hardly bitter enemies. And neither has been implicated in any uncivilized behavior toward the other, nor likely to be.

"WE'RE NOT THE BEST of friends," Kwan said, "but I think we have a friendly relationship."

The closest they came to anything untoward occurred midway through the session, while Lipinski's short program music was playing. The defending world champion was skating full-speed up the right sideboards when, suddenly, there appeared Kwan. She was moving just as quickly in the same direction, perhaps eight feet from Lipinski.

Lipinski didn't seem to notice Kwan, who then made a quick left turn while Lipinski continued her routine.

The medals favorites did talk in the dressing room before Kwan, the current U.S. champion, headed for her first major news conference of the Olympics -- she arrived in Nagano on Monday.

"We talked about jet lag while we were warming up," Lipinski said after practice.

LIPINSKI SPENT 2 1-2 DAYS IN OSAKA, where the U.S. Olympic Committee rented a rink for practices. She flew back Wednesday morning.

"I'm a little tired, but I skated well," Lipinski said. "And I'm real excited to be back."

And Kwan is thrilled to finally be here. When she walked into White Ring for the first time Wednesday, Kwan said she was overwhelmed looking at the Olympic rings on the wall.

"I had this huge smile on my face and I was almost in tears," she said. "I kept looking at (coach) Frank (Carroll) like, 'Oh my God."'

One thing that didn't impress her was the crowd she drew at practice and her news conference.

"I never think of myself as a celebrity," she said. "I think of myself more as an athlete."

LIPINSKI, A VETERAN AT White Ring, was more impressed by Picabo Street's gold-medal performance in the women's super G earlier in the day. Her eyes sparkled when she talked about it.

"She won, isn't that great?" Lipinski said, sounding very much like a 15-year-old fan. "I met her in Sun Valley -- I think I was about 9 and in a show there. Then I met her last year again."

The trip to Osaka was worthwhile, Lipinski admitted. At first, she didn't want to go there.

"It was good because I got away from all the hype, relaxed and trained. But I'm happy to be back now."