About — Brian Boitano

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Very few athletes have enjoyed the artistic and popular success that figure skater Brian Boitano achieved after winning the gold medal for the United States at the 1988 Winter Olympics Games in Calgary, Canada.

Brian’s skating has been characterized by power, precision, consistency, and emotion. He created and routinely performed his signature jump, the Tano Triple – a move so difficult it was never completed by any of his competitors. In competitions and exhibitions, Brian raised the level of skating to new heights. He was the first American male athlete to have his own network television special, Canvas of Ice, which aired worldwide and aired nationally on the ABC Network. The critically acclaimed special won awards in the International Film and Television Festival of New York and the Chicago International Film Festival.

Brian was an Olympic alternate in 1980 and a member of the ’84, ’88 and ’94 U.S. Olympic teams. After turning professional in 1988, Brian won six world professional titles, placing first and scoring perfect 10’s in each of ten consecutive professional championships. As a professional, he won the first 20 out of the 24 competitions he entered, a record unmatched in the history of skating. He took a leadership role among professional skaters and his efforts changed the face of professional skating, raising its standard beyond any level seen in the sport’s history.

Brian won a prime-time Emmy Award, television’s highest honor, for his starring role in the movie Carmen on Ice. He and fellow Olympic gold medalist Katarina Witt toured North America in three successful ice shows: Boitano-Witt Skating, Skating II, and Skating ’92, which were broadcast on network TV. In 1994, he starred in Nutcracker on Ice with Oksana Baiul and Viktor Petrenko. For 15 years he toured with Champions On Ice around the country, headlining 25 national tours. Brian has also provided expert commentary and hosting on televised skating shows for ABC, NBC and Turner networks since 1990.

Brian’s book, Boitano’s Edge: Inside the Real World of Figure Skating (Simon & Schuster, November 1997), sold out after its third printing and is considered one of the finest skating books ever published.

In 1995, Brian co-founded White Canvas Productions to create figure skating shows for both live and television audiences. More than 30 White Canvas specials have aired.

Brian began his figure skating career in 1972 at the age of eight. After viewing a performance of “Ice Follies”, he traded his roller skates for ice skates and enrolled in group lessons taught by Linda Leaver. She immediately realized his potential and suggested private lessons. Thus began a remarkable partnership which has lasted 30 years and continues to flourish with Linda also serving as Brian’s personal manager.

At 14, while still in high school, he became the U.S. Junior Men’s Champion. Then Brian gained world recognition at 19 as the first skater to complete all six different triple jumps in a World Championship. He placed fifth in the 1984 Olympic Winter Games in Sarajevo and won the first of four consecutive U.S. Men’s titles in 1985.

In total, Brian, a three-time Olympian, has won more than 50 titles, including 23 international gold medals, two World titles, two Pro/Am titles, 16 professional titles, four U.S. National titles, as well as the Olympic Gold Medal. Boitano has been inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame, the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame and the National Italian-American Hall of Fame.

In 1998, Brian founded Youth Skate, a non-profit organization whose purpose is to introduce San Francisco’s inner-city youth to the sport of ice skating. Since its inaugural year, more than 10,000 children aged 5 – 15 have participated. Now in its 20th season, the charity continues to grow with Brian as an active participant.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS & ACHIEVEMENTS

1972

1st Place, Pixie Derby Boys, Central California Interstate Association (CCIA)

Preliminary Test

1st Place, Preliminary Boys, Seattle, Washington

2nd Place, Preliminary Boys, Ontario, California

1973

1st Place, Preliminary Boys, CCIA

1st Test

1st Place, First Test Boys, Squaw Valley, California

2nd Place, First Test Boys, Seattle, Washington

2nd Place, First Test Boys, Central Pacific

1974

1st Place, First Test Boys, Golden West

2nd Test

1st Place, Juvenile Boys Central Pacific Regional Championship

1st Place, Juvenile Boys Pacific Coast Sectional Championships

1975

3rd Test

1st Place, Intermediate Men Central Pacific Regional Championships

1st Place, Intermediate Men Pacific Coast Sectional Championships

1976

4th Test

5th Test

1st Place, Novice Men Junior Olympics

1st Place, Novice Men Central Pacific Regional Championships

1st Place, Novice Men Pacific Coast Sectional Championships

1977

3rd Place, Novice Men National Championships; 1st Place, Freestyle

6th Test

7th Test

1st Place, Junior Men Sun Valley Championships

1st Place, Junior Men Central Pacific Regional Championships

1st Place, Junior Men Pacific Coast Sectional Championships

1978

1st Place, Junior Men National Championships

3rd Place, Junior Men World Championships

8th Test

1st Place, Senior Men Vienna International Championships

8th Place, U.S. Sports Festival

1979

3rd Place, Senior Men Pacific Coast Sectional Championships

8th Place, Senior Men National Championships

3rd Place, Grand Prix St. Gervais International

3rd Place, Nebelhorn Trophy

5th Place, U.S. Sports Festival

1980

5th Place, Skate Canada; Brian Boitano lands the first ‘Tano triple Lutz in competition

2nd Place, Senior Men Pacific Coast Sectional Championships

5th Place, Senior Men National Championships

Alternate for U.S. Olympic team

1981

1st Place, Senior Men Pacific Coast Sectional Championships

4th Place, Senior Men National Championships

3rd Place, U.S. Sports Festival

3rd Place, Skate America

1982

1st Place, Senior Men Pacific Coast Sectional Championships

4th Place, Senior Men National Championships; Brian Boitano becomes the first American to land a triple Axel in national competition

1st Place, U.S. Sports Festival

1st Place, Ennia Cup

1st Place, Skate Canada

1983

1st Place, Senior Men Pacific Coast Sectional Championships

2nd Place, Senior Men National Championships

7th Place, World Championships: Brian Boitano becomes the first skater to land all 6 triple jumps in a World competition

1st Place, Skate America

1984

1st Place, Senior Men Pacific Coast Sectional Championships

2nd Place, Senior Men National Championships

5th Place, Olympic Winter Games

6th Place, World Championships

1st Place, St. Ivel International

3rd Place, NHK Trophy

1985

3rd, Worlds

1st, Nationals

2nd, Skate America

1st, National Sports Festival

1st, NHK Trophy

1986

1st, Worlds

1st, Nationals

1st, Olympic Festival

1st, Skate America

1987

2nd, Worlds

1st, Nationals

2nd, Skate Canada

1st, Novarat Trophy