Kurt Browning
Encyclopedia
Kurt Browning, CM
(born June 18, 1966) is a Canadian figure skater
, choreographer and commentator
. He is a four-time World Champion
and four-time Canadian national champion
.
and raised in Caroline, Alberta
, Browning was both Canadian figure skating champion and World Champion
four times. He represented Canada in three Winter Olympics, 1988
(finishing 8th overall), 1992
(6th) and 1994
(5th), and earned the privilege of carrying the Canadian flag during the opening ceremonies of the 1994 games in Lillehammer
, Norway. Browning's other achievements are numerous, including three Canadian Professional Championships, three World Professional Championships, a Lou Marsh Trophy
for top Canadian Athlete (in 1990), Lionel Conacher Award
winner (1990 and 1991), Order of Canada
recipient (in 1990), an American Skating World Professional Skater of the Year Award (in 1998), and a Gustav Lussi Award from the Professional Skaters' Association (in 2001).
On March 25, 1988, at the 1988 World Championships
in Budapest, Hungary, Browning landed the first ratified quadruple jump
(a toe loop
) in competition. This accomplishment is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Josef Sabovcik had previously landed a quad toe loop at the 1986 European Championships
which was recognized at the event but then ruled invalid three weeks later. Browning later said, "I remember that there were a few people landing the jump (in practice) long before I did, and by watching them I was inspired to try it myself. After landing it, I certainly expected more skaters to start doing it in competition. I was surprised in the next few years when that really did not happen." Browning is also known for his footwork.
He was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 and Canada's Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2000. He was honoured with a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in 2001. He also appeared in the 2006 Fox
television program Skating with Celebrities
. Starting in 2009, he is the co-host of Battle of the Blades
.
As a professional skater, Browning has had a long rivalry with Brian Boitano
. At the 2006 Ice Wars
competition, Browning narrowly defeated Boitano.
As a commentator, Browning has made frequent appearances since turning professional in 1994. He has been a regular colour commentator for the CBC
at major skating events since 2006.
Browning married Sonia Rodriguez
, a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada
, on June 30, 1996. Their first son, Gabriel, was born on July 12, 2003 and their second son, Dillon, was born on August 14, 2007.
Browning's home in the Forest Hill
area of Toronto
suffered a fire on August 18, 2010.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(born June 18, 1966) is a Canadian figure skater
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
, choreographer and commentator
Commentator
Commentator may refer to:*Pundit , a commentator on a topic such as politics, social sciences or sport*Sports commentator, a sports commentator...
. He is a four-time World Champion
World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
and four-time Canadian national champion
Canadian Figure Skating Championships
The Canadian Figure Skating Championships is a figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of Canada. It is organized by Skate Canada, the nation's figure skating governing body. The levels of the competition are senior and junior; in some years, the novice level has...
.
Life and career
Born in Rocky Mountain House, AlbertaRocky Mountain House, Alberta
Rocky Mountain House is a town in west-central Alberta, Canada, approximately west of the City of Red Deer. It is located at the confluence of the Clearwater and North Saskatchewan Rivers, and at the crossroads of Highway 22 and Highway 11 .- History :The town has a long history dating to the...
and raised in Caroline, Alberta
Caroline, Alberta
Caroline is a village in central Alberta, Canada. It is located southwest of Red Deer. It is most famous for being the hometown of figure skater Kurt Browning, for whom the local ice rink is named.- Demographics :...
, Browning was both Canadian figure skating champion and World Champion
World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
four times. He represented Canada in three Winter Olympics, 1988
1988 Winter Olympics
The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
(finishing 8th overall), 1992
1992 Winter Olympics
The 1992 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 8 to 23 February 1992 in Albertville, France. They were the last Winter Olympics to be held the same year as the Summer Olympics, and the first where the Winter Paralympics...
(6th) and 1994
1994 Winter Olympics
The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 12 to 27 February 1994 in and around Lillehammer, Norway. Lillehammer failed to win the bid for the 1992 event. Lillehammer was awarded the games in 1988, after having beat...
(5th), and earned the privilege of carrying the Canadian flag during the opening ceremonies of the 1994 games in Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
, Norway. Browning's other achievements are numerous, including three Canadian Professional Championships, three World Professional Championships, a Lou Marsh Trophy
Lou Marsh Trophy
The Lou Marsh Trophy, also known as the Lou Marsh Memorial Trophy and Lou Marsh Award, is a trophy that is awarded annually to Canada's top athlete, professional or amateur. It is awarded by a panel of journalists, with the vote taking place in December. It was first awarded in 1936...
for top Canadian Athlete (in 1990), Lionel Conacher Award
Lionel Conacher Award
The Lionel Conacher Award is an annual award given to Canada's male athlete of the year. The sports writers of the Canadian Press first conducted a poll to determine the nation's top athlete, of either gender, in 1932. Separate polls for the best male and female athletes were conducted beginning...
winner (1990 and 1991), Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
recipient (in 1990), an American Skating World Professional Skater of the Year Award (in 1998), and a Gustav Lussi Award from the Professional Skaters' Association (in 2001).
On March 25, 1988, at the 1988 World Championships
1988 World Figure Skating Championships
**http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1067164/index.htm*http://www.sportcentric.com/vsite/vfile/page/fileurl/0,11040,4844-148236-165452-56215-0-file,00.pdf...
in Budapest, Hungary, Browning landed the first ratified quadruple jump
Quad (figure skating)
A quad, or "quadruple", is a figure skating jump with four or more, but fewer than five, revolutions. Most quadruple jumps have exactly four revolutions; the quadruple Axel has 4½ revolutions, although no figure skater to date has completed this jump, either in practice, or, more importantly, in...
(a toe loop
Toe loop jump
The toe loop is one of the simplest jumps in figure skating. It is usually the second jump learned after the salchow. It is a toe pick-assisted jump that takes off and lands on the same backward outside edge. - Toe loop technique :...
) in competition. This accomplishment is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Josef Sabovcik had previously landed a quad toe loop at the 1986 European Championships
1986 European Figure Skating Championships
The 1986 European Figure Skating Championships were the European Figure Skating Championships of the 1985-1986 season. Elite senior-level figure skaters from European ISU Member Nations competed for the title of European Champion...
which was recognized at the event but then ruled invalid three weeks later. Browning later said, "I remember that there were a few people landing the jump (in practice) long before I did, and by watching them I was inspired to try it myself. After landing it, I certainly expected more skaters to start doing it in competition. I was surprised in the next few years when that really did not happen." Browning is also known for his footwork.
He was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 and Canada's Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2000. He was honoured with a star on Canada's Walk of Fame in 2001. He also appeared in the 2006 Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
television program Skating with Celebrities
Skating with Celebrities
Skating with Celebrities is a celebrity reality television show that began airing on the Fox network on January 18, 2006. The show also aired in Australia on Network Ten in early 2006 and in New Zealand in October 2008. The show was the U.S. version of Dancing on Ice, which also aired in the U.K....
. Starting in 2009, he is the co-host of Battle of the Blades
Battle of the Blades
Battle of the Blades is a Canadian figure skating reality show and competition that airs on CBC Television. It was first broadcast before a live audience at the historic Maple Leaf Gardens. With Maple Leaf Gardens under renovation however, the show was filmed at Pinewood Toronto Studios in season two...
.
As a professional skater, Browning has had a long rivalry with Brian Boitano
Brian Boitano
Brian Anthony Boitano is an American figure skater from Sunnyvale, California. He is the 1988 Olympic champion, the 1986 and 1988 World Champion, and the 1985-1988 U.S. National Champion. He turned professional following the 1988 season...
. At the 2006 Ice Wars
Ice Wars
Ice Wars is an annual elite figure skating team competition. The first Ice Wars took place in 1994. The competition format is "Team World" vs. "Team USA" or "Team North America". The 2005 competition was one exception, with the format changed to a "Battle of the Sexes" format, Men vs. Ladies...
competition, Browning narrowly defeated Boitano.
As a commentator, Browning has made frequent appearances since turning professional in 1994. He has been a regular colour commentator for the CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
at major skating events since 2006.
Browning married Sonia Rodriguez
Sonia Rodriguez
Sonia Rodriguez is a Canadian ballet dancer.Born in Toronto, Ontario, she moved to Madrid, Spain, at age five. Rodriguez received dance training there with Pedro de la Cruz and also at the Princess Grace Academy in Monaco...
, a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada
National Ballet of Canada
The National Ballet of Canada is Canada's largest ballet troupe. It was founded by Celia Franca in 1951 and is based in Toronto, Ontario. Based upon the unity of Canadian trained dancers in the tradition and style of England's Royal Ballet, The National is regarded as one of the premier classical...
, on June 30, 1996. Their first son, Gabriel, was born on July 12, 2003 and their second son, Dillon, was born on August 14, 2007.
Browning's home in the Forest Hill
Forest Hill, Toronto
Forest Hill is an affluent neighbourhood in central Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Along with Lawrence Park, Rosedale, and The Bridle Path, it is one of Toronto’s wealthiest neighbourhoods.-History:...
area of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
suffered a fire on August 18, 2010.
Competitive highlights
| Event | 1985-86 | 1986-87 | 1987-88 | 1988-89 | 1989-90 | 1990-91 | 1991-92 | 1992-93 | 1993-94 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympics | 8th | 6th | 5th | ||||||
| World Championships World Figure Skating Championships The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion... |
15th | 6th | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | ||
| Canadian Championships Canadian Figure Skating Championships The Canadian Figure Skating Championships is a figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of Canada. It is organized by Skate Canada, the nation's figure skating governing body. The levels of the competition are senior and junior; in some years, the novice level has... |
2nd | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | ||
| Skate America Skate America Skate America is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. It is organized by the United States Figure Skating Association. The location changes yearly... |
8th | 3rd | |||||||
| Skate Canada International Skate Canada International The Skate Canada International is an international, senior-level invitation-only figure skating competition organized by Skate Canada. It is the second competition of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating. The location changes yearly. Medals are awarded in four disciplines: Ladies' singles, Men's... |
4th | 1st | 1st | 1st | |||||
| Trophée Lalique | 1st | ||||||||
| NHK Trophy NHK Trophy The NHK Trophy is an international, senior-level figure skating competition held as part of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series. Figure skaters compete in the disciplines of ladies' singles, men's singles, pair skating, and ice dancing.... |
7th | 3rd | 3rd | ||||||
| Nations Cup Nations Cup The Nations Cup is a rugby union competition that was first held in 2006 at Estádio Universitário in Lisbon with Argentina A, Italy A, Portugal and Russia taking part... |
1st | ||||||||
| Nebelhorn Trophy Nebelhorn Trophy The Nebelhorn Trophy is an international senior-level figure skating competition organized by the Deutsche Eislauf-Union and held annually in Oberstdorf, Germany. The competition is named after the Nebelhorn, a nearby mountain.... |
3rd |