Kurt Browning facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kurt Browning CM
Browning at the 2001 Stars on Ice
Personal information
Country represented	Canada
Born	(1966-06-18) June 18, 1966 (age 59) Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada
Residence	Caroline, Alberta, Canada
Height	5 ft 7 in
Former coach	Karen McLean Michael Jiranek Louis Stong
Former choreographer	Sandra Bezic Kevin Cottam Brian Powers Clarence Ford
Former skating club	Rocky Mountain House Royal Glenora Club Granite Club
Medal record Men's single skating Representing  Canada World Championships Gold 1989 Paris Men's singles Gold 1990 Halifax Men's singles Gold 1991 Munich Men's singles Silver 1992 Oakland Men's singles Gold 1993 Prague Men's singles

Browning performing "Singin' in the Rain" in Art on Ice 2014

Kurt Browning (born June 18, 1966) is a famous Canadian figure skater. He is also a talented choreographer and commentator. Kurt made history as the first skater to successfully land a quadruple jump in a competition. He won the World Championships four times and was also a four-time Canadian national champion.

Skating Career Highlights

Kurt Browning proudly represented Canada in three Winter Olympics. He competed in the 1988, 1992, and 1994 Winter Games. He finished 8th in 1988, 6th in 1992, and 5th in 1994. Even though he never won an Olympic medal, he was chosen to carry the Canadian flag at the opening ceremonies of the 1994 Games in Lillehammer, Norway.

Kurt started his competitive journey early. He won the Canadian novice championships in 1983. Then, he became the Canadian junior champion in 1985. As a senior skater, he won the Canadian national title four times. He also placed second three times.

World Championship Wins

Kurt Browning achieved great success at the World Figure Skating Championships. He won the gold medal four times:

• 1989
• 1990
• 1991
• 1993

In 1992, he earned a silver medal at the World Championships. This was impressive, especially since he was dealing with a serious back injury at the time.

Making History with the Quad Jump

On March 25, 1988, Kurt Browning made history. At the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, he landed the first-ever ratified quadruple jump. This was a "toe loop" jump. This amazing achievement is even listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

Kurt later shared that he was inspired by other skaters. He saw them trying the quad jump in practice. He expected more skaters to land it soon after him. He was surprised when it didn't happen right away.

Skating Style and Famous Programs

Kurt Browning is known for his unique and exciting skating style. He often used intricate, fast, and lighthearted footwork. He also chose interesting music for his programs. For example, in 1993, he skated to "Bonzo's Montreux" by Led Zeppelin. He used strong, punching movements and fast glides across the ice.

Another famous program was to "St. Louis Blues." In this program, he wore a tight black t-shirt. He also included humor, like pretending to laugh with his upper body. He would even point to the audience during his footwork.

One of Kurt's most iconic performances is his "Singin' in the Rain" program. He copied the famous dancing of Gene Kelly from the movie. This program was first shown on CBC-TV in 1994. People still ask him to perform it in ice shows today. He also toured with famous shows like Stars on Ice.

Life After Competing

After his competitive career ended in 1994, Kurt Browning became a professional skater. He also started working as a commentator. Since 2006, he has been a regular colour commentator for the CBC. He talks about major skating events.

Kurt also appeared on the TV show Skating with Celebrities in 2006. From 2009, he was a co-host for the show Battle of the Blades.

Choreography Work

Kurt Browning is also a talented choreographer. He creates skating programs for many other figure skaters. Some of the skaters he has choreographed for include:

He also helped direct and choreograph the 2011–12 Stars on Ice tour.

Awards and Honors

Kurt Browning has received many awards for his amazing career:

• He won the Lou Marsh Trophy in 1990 as Canada's top athlete.
• He received Lionel Conacher Awards in 1990 and 1991.
• He was named American Skating World Professional Skater of the Year in 1998.
• He received a Gustav Lussi Award in 2001.

In 1989, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada (CM). This is a very high honor in Canada.

Kurt has been inducted into several Halls of Fame:

• Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1994
• Skate Canada Hall of Fame in 2000
• World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2006

In 2001, he was honored with a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. In 2020, he received the first-ever ISU Skating Lifetime Achievement Award.

Personal Life

Kurt Browning was born on June 18, 1966, in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. He grew up in Caroline, Alberta.

He married Sonia Rodriguez on June 30, 1996. Sonia is a lead dancer with the National Ballet of Canada. They have two sons: Gabriel, born in 2003, and Dillon, born in 2007. They later divorced.

Kurt married Alissa Czisny on August 11, 2022.

Competitive highlights

See also

In Spanish: Kurt Browning para niños