FAIRBANKS — Fairbanks figure skater Cordero Zuckerman made history on Friday in Jackson Hole, Wyo.

By placing fourth in the novice division at the Pacific Coast Sectional Championships, Zuckerman became the first Fairbanks boy to qualify for the U.S. Figure Skating Association National Championships.

“Oh my gosh, this is a dream come true,” an elated Zuckerman said via cell phone from Jackson Hole shortly after his competition. “I’ve seen it so many times in my head, and today it became a reality.”

The top four skaters in each competition category advance to the national championships beginning Jan. 13 in Spokane, Wash.

Several other Alaska skaters are in position to qualify for the national championships heading into the final day of competition today.

Fairbanks ice dancer Baxter Burbank and his partner Katherine Zeigler of Pennsylvania are in third place after two of three events. Competing in the junior division, Burbank and Zeigler skate their free dance program today.

Anchorage ice dancers Ryan Van Natten and Alison Carey are in fourth place in the junior division.

Senior division skater Keegan Messing of Anchorage is in first place with his final event this evening.

Zuckerman, a 17-year-old former Lathrop High School student who is now a freshman at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, finished fourth in the short program on Thursday and took fourth again on Friday in the long program to cement his spot in the national championships.

“I definitely felt some pressure today,” Zuckerman said. “I knew it would take quite an effort to stay in fourth place, but I felt really confident and my music helped me settle down.”

After his fourth-place finish in the short program Thursday, Zuckerman said he had trouble sleeping.

“I woke up at 3 a.m. and got out of bed,” he said. “I tried to calm down by saying a little prayer and tried to go back to sleep,” he said.

Zuckerman said his performance on Friday wasn’t perfect, but he was happy with the way he skated.

“I only made two major mistakes the whole competition, so I feel good about that,” he said. “We can fix the small mistakes before nationals.”

Burbank will continue training in Salt Lake City under the tutelage of coach Lisa Kriley, formerly of Fairbanks.

He said he doesn’t have a problem juggling his school work with his training regimen of about four hours per day.

“There’s a lot of flexibility with my college schedule,” Zuckerman said. “I spend about half the day in school and four hours a day training Monday through Saturday.”

That training paid off in a big way on Friday afternoon in Jackson Hole.

Contact sports editor Bob Eley at 459-7581.