Brian Orser
Encyclopedia
Brian Ernest Orser, OC
(born December 18, 1961) is a Canadian retired competitive and professional figure skater. He is the 1984
and 1988 Olympic silver medalist
, 1987 World champion
and the 1981-1988 Canadian national champion
.
He is one of the most accomplished skaters in Canada's history, with eight national titles, two Olympic medals, and a world title to his credit. He is the skating director at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club
.
.
In 1985 he was made a Member of the Order of Canada
and was promoted to Officer in 1988.
In November 1998, Orser lost a legal battle to prevent public disclosure when ex-boyfriend Craig Leask sued him for palimony
. Orser initially feared the revelation of his homosexuality would ruin his career, but he has since embraced support from other skaters and the public.
. He added a second national title, this time at the junior level, to his resume in 1979.
In 1980, he moved up to the senior level. He won the bronze medal at his first senior international, the Vienna Cup
, and then placed 4th at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships
. That was the last time he would place off the podium at the national level.
In the 1980-1981 post-Olympic season, Orser began making his mark on the skating world. He won the silver at the Nebelhorn Trophy
, placed 6th at Skate Canada, and then won his first of eight National titles. In his debut at Worlds, he placed 6th. The next season, he won his first medal at Skate Canada and moved up to 4th at Worlds. He won his first World medal in 1983, a bronze, positioning him well for the 1983-1984 Olympic season.
Orser was known as "Mr. Triple Axel
" during his skating career. He became the second man to land the jump when he performed it in winning his Canadian junior title in 1979, at a time when few senior skaters were even attempting it. Over the next few years, Orser performed the jump more frequently and more consistently than any other skater of the time. Orser became the first man to land the triple axel at the Olympics when he landed it in his free skate at the 1984 Winter Olympics
. He won the silver medal behind Scott Hamilton
, and then won the silver at 1984 Worlds, again behind Hamilton. Only Orser's low placements in the compulsory figures
prevented him from winning both titles.
In the 1984-1985 season, after Hamilton's retirement, Orser was seemingly poised to become the dominant champion. However, he had an imperfect Worlds, and placed second to Alexander Fadeev, who also had the triple axel in his repertoire. Orser resolved to begin putting two axels, not just one, in his free skate, in order to give himself an advantage over Fadeev. He finally won Worlds in 1987. At that competition he became the first skater at the World Championships to land two triple axels in the free skate and three in the same competition.
Going into the 1988 Olympics, Orser and Brian Boitano
were thrust into the Battle of the Brians
, each being the other's main rival. Orser was undefeated in the 1986-1987 season and had not lost a competition since losing to Boitano at the 1986 Worlds. At the Olympics, Orser served as the flag-bearer for Canada during the opening ceremonies. He placed 3rd in compulsory figures segment of the competition, 1st in the short program, and second in the free skating, winning the silver medal overall. Brian Boitano won the gold medal,defeating Orser by .10 of a point.
He won the silver again at Worlds, after winning the free skate. Orser turned professional following that season. He had not placed off a podium at any competition since 1982. During his competitive career, he trained at the Mariposa School of Skating
.
Orser toured for many years with Stars on Ice
. He skated his last with the show in 2007. He won an Emmy Award
for his performance in Carmen on Ice
. He was elected to the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1989 and to the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1995. In 1998, the Midland (Ontario) Sports Hall of Fame inducted him into its Athlete category.
In March 2009, he was inducted into World Figure Skating Hall of Fame
.
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 December 18, 1961) is a Canadian retired competitive and professional figure skater. He is the 1984
Figure skating at the 1984 Winter Olympics
-Medal table:-Men:Referee:* Donald H. GilchristAssistant Referee:* Tjasa AndréeJudges: Vladimir Amsel Gerhard Frey Monique Georgelin Ida Tateoka Ingrid Linke Björn Elwin Tatiana Danilenko Oskar Urban Margaret Berezowski Tsukasa Kimura -Ladies:Katarina Witt became the first lady to repeat as...
and 1988 Olympic silver medalist
Figure skating at the Olympic Games
Figure skating has been contested in the Olympic Games since the 1908 Summer Olympics. In 1908 and 1920, the figure skating competitions were held in conjunction with the Games of the Olympiad...
, 1987 World champion
1987 World Figure Skating Championships
-Medalists:- Medal table :-Men:-Ladies:-Pairs:-Ice Dancing:-Reference:** Result list provided by ISU* *...
and the 1981-1988 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...
.
He is one of the most accomplished skaters in Canada's history, with eight national titles, two Olympic medals, and a world title to his credit. He is the skating director at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club
Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club
The Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club is a sporting club in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-History:The club's history dates back to 1827 when the Toronto Cricket Club was established in part by the efforts of George Anthony Barber. Cricket was joined by the Curling Club in 1836, and the Skating...
.
Personal life
Brian Orser was born in Belleville, OntarioBelleville, Ontario
Belleville is a city located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in Southern Ontario, Canada, in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is the seat of Hastings County, but is politically independent of it. and the centre of the Bay of Quinte Region...
.
In 1985 he was made a Member of the 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...
and was promoted to Officer in 1988.
In November 1998, Orser lost a legal battle to prevent public disclosure when ex-boyfriend Craig Leask sued him for palimony
Palimony
Palimony is a popular term used to describe the division of financial assets and real property on the termination of a personal live-in relationship wherein the parties are not legally married. The term is a portmanteau of the words pal and alimony...
. Orser initially feared the revelation of his homosexuality would ruin his career, but he has since embraced support from other skaters and the public.
Skating career
Orser won his first national title on the novice level in 1977. The following season, he went to Junior Worlds and placed 4th, behind eventual rival Brian BoitanoBrian 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...
. He added a second national title, this time at the junior level, to his resume in 1979.
In 1980, he moved up to the senior level. He won the bronze medal at his first senior international, the Vienna Cup
Vienna Cup
The Vienna Cup was a football competition held in Vienna, Austria and organized by Vienna Football Club. It was one of the first competitions played between teams across Europe, having been played for in 1914...
, and then placed 4th at the Canadian Figure Skating 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...
. That was the last time he would place off the podium at the national level.
In the 1980-1981 post-Olympic season, Orser began making his mark on the skating world. He won the silver at the 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....
, placed 6th at Skate Canada, and then won his first of eight National titles. In his debut at Worlds, he placed 6th. The next season, he won his first medal at Skate Canada and moved up to 4th at Worlds. He won his first World medal in 1983, a bronze, positioning him well for the 1983-1984 Olympic season.
Orser was known as "Mr. Triple Axel
Axel jump
The Axel is a figure skating jump with a forward take-off. It is named after the Norwegian skater Axel Paulsen, who first performed the jump in 1882. An Axel jump has an extra ½ rotation in the air due to its forward take-off...
" during his skating career. He became the second man to land the jump when he performed it in winning his Canadian junior title in 1979, at a time when few senior skaters were even attempting it. Over the next few years, Orser performed the jump more frequently and more consistently than any other skater of the time. Orser became the first man to land the triple axel at the Olympics when he landed it in his free skate at the 1984 Winter Olympics
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
. He won the silver medal behind Scott Hamilton
Scott Hamilton (figure skater)
Scott Scovell Hamilton is an American figure skater and Olympic gold medalist. He won four consecutive U.S. championships , four consecutive World Championships and a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics....
, and then won the silver at 1984 Worlds, again behind Hamilton. Only Orser's low placements in the compulsory figures
Compulsory figures
Compulsory figures or school figures were formerly an aspect of the sport of figure skating, from which the sport derives its name. Carving specific patterns or figures into the ice was the original focus of the sport. The patterns of compulsory figures all derive from the basic figure eight...
prevented him from winning both titles.
In the 1984-1985 season, after Hamilton's retirement, Orser was seemingly poised to become the dominant champion. However, he had an imperfect Worlds, and placed second to Alexander Fadeev, who also had the triple axel in his repertoire. Orser resolved to begin putting two axels, not just one, in his free skate, in order to give himself an advantage over Fadeev. He finally won Worlds in 1987. At that competition he became the first skater at the World Championships to land two triple axels in the free skate and three in the same competition.
Going into the 1988 Olympics, Orser and 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...
were thrust into the Battle of the Brians
Battle of the Brians
The Battle of the Brians was an informal name given to the figure skating rivalry between Canadian Brian Orser and American Brian Boitano at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. It is considered one of the most memorable competitions in figure skating history....
, each being the other's main rival. Orser was undefeated in the 1986-1987 season and had not lost a competition since losing to Boitano at the 1986 Worlds. At the Olympics, Orser served as the flag-bearer for Canada during the opening ceremonies. He placed 3rd in compulsory figures segment of the competition, 1st in the short program, and second in the free skating, winning the silver medal overall. Brian Boitano won the gold medal,defeating Orser by .10 of a point.
He won the silver again at Worlds, after winning the free skate. Orser turned professional following that season. He had not placed off a podium at any competition since 1982. During his competitive career, he trained at the Mariposa School of Skating
Mariposa School of Skating
The Mariposa School of Skating, located in Barrie, Ontario, is a major figure skating training center in Canada.-History:It was founded in Orillia, Ontario in 1973 by Doug Leigh and Tom Harrison...
.
Orser toured for many years with Stars on Ice
Stars on Ice
Stars on Ice is a touring figure skating show produced by IMG. It was originally conceived in 1986 as a vehicle for IMG client Scott Hamilton, who had been released from his contract with Ice Capades, after being told that male skaters do not sell tickets...
. He skated his last with the show in 2007. He won an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for his performance in Carmen on Ice
Carmen on Ice
Carmen on Ice is a 1990 dance film with a choreography for figure skaters made in Germany. The music is based on the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet in an orchestral version arranged especially for this film...
. He was elected to the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1989 and to the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1995. In 1998, the Midland (Ontario) Sports Hall of Fame inducted him into its Athlete category.
In March 2009, he was inducted into World Figure Skating Hall of Fame
World Figure Skating Hall of Fame
The World Figure Skating Hall of Fame serves as a repository for the sport of figure skating. The World Figure Skating Hall of Fame is where the greatest names in the history of the sport are honored...
.
Coaching career
He is the head instructor at the Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club. His current and former students include:- Fedor AndreevFedor AndreevFedor Vladimirovich Andreev is a figure skater with dual Russian and Canadian citizenship. In single skating, he is the 2003 Canadian bronze medalist and the 1999 junior national champion. In 2010, he switched to ice dancing and competed for Russia with partner Jana Khokhlova for one season.-...
. Began coaching him in the fall of 2007 (Andreev has since switched to ice dancing). - Sean CarlowSean CarlowSean Carlow is an Australian figure skater. He is the 2006-2007 Australian national champion. He also competed in pairs at the novice level, winning the 2001 novice title with Wafa Asmar....
. Coached him in 2007 and 2008. - Phoebe Di TommasoPhoebe Di TommasoPhoebe Di Tommaso is an Australian figure skater. She is the 2007 Australian junior national bronze medalist. She is a one season competitor on the Junior Grand Prix circuit. She placed 29th at the 2005 World Junior Figure Skating Championships...
. Worked with her in 2007 and 2008. - Javier FernándezJavier FernándezJavier Fernández may refer to:* Javier Fernández , Spanish judoka* Javier Fernández , Spanish figure skater...
. Began coaching him in mid-2011. - Christina GaoChristina GaoChristina Gao is an American figure skater. She is the 2009–2010 Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist and 2009 U.S. Junior bronze medalist.-Personal life:...
. Began coaching her in September 2009. - Elene GedevanishviliElene GedevanishviliElene Gedevanishvili is a Georgian figure skater. She is the 2010 European bronze medalist, becoming the first skater from Georgia to medal at an ISU Championships.-Career:...
. Began coaching her in mid-2011. - Yu-Na KimYu-Na KimKim Yu-Na is a South Korean figure skater.She is the 2010 Olympic champion in Ladies' Singles, the 2009 World champion, the 2009 Four Continents champion, a three-time Grand Prix Final champion, the 2006 World Junior champion, the 2005–2006 Junior Grand Prix Final champion, and a four-time South...
. Began coaching her in March 2007 until August 2010. - Rachel KirklandRachel KirklandRachel Kirkland is a Canadian pair skater. With partner Eric Radford, she was the 2006 Junior Canadian Nationals Silver medalist. They teamed up in 2005 and were coached by Brian Orser in Toronto, Canada and part-time by Ingo Steuer in Chemnitz, Germany...
& Eric RadfordEric RadfordEric Radford is a Canadian pair skater. With current partner Meagan Duhamel, he is the 2011 Four Continents silver medalist and 2011 Canadian national silver medalist...
. Began coaching them in 2005 until 2009. - Min-Jung Kwak. Began coaching her in February 2010 until August 2010.
- Rylie McCulloch-CasarsaRylie McCulloch-CasarsaRylie McCulloch-Casarsa is a Canadian figure skater. She is the 2009 Canadian junior bronze medalist.-Programs:-Competitive highlights:*J= Junior level-External links:...
. Began coaching her in 2006. - Adam RipponAdam RipponAdam Rippon is an American figure skater. He is the 2010 Four Continents champion, the 2008 and 2009 World Junior champion, the 2008 U.S. junior national champion, and the 2007–2008 Junior Grand Prix Final champion.- Personal life :...
. Began coaching him in December 2008 until March 2010. - Yea-Ji Yun. Worked with her in the summer of 2008 and summer of 2009 through September 2010.
Programs
| Season | Short program | Free skating | Exhibition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987-1988 | Sing Sing Sing by Benny Goodman |
Ballet Suite No.5 from The Bolt by Shostakovich |
Story Of My Life / Hungarian Rhapsody #2 Liszt |
| 1983-1984 |
Competitive highlights
| Event | 1976-77 | 1977-78 | 1978-79 | 1979-80 | 1980-81 | 1981-82 | 1982-83 | 1983-84 | 1984-85 | 1985-86 | 1986-87 | 1987-88 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympic Games Winter Olympic Games The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating... |
2nd | 2nd | ||||||||||
| 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... |
6th | 4th | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | ||||
| World Junior Championships World Junior Figure Skating Championships The World Junior Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which younger figure skaters compete for the title of World Junior Champion... |
4th | |||||||||||
| 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... |
1st N. | 3rd J. | 1st J. | 4th | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| 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... |
6th | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 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.... |
2nd | 2nd | ||||||||||
| 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.... |
2nd | |||||||||||
| Vienna Cup Vienna Cup The Vienna Cup was a football competition held in Vienna, Austria and organized by Vienna Football Club. It was one of the first competitions played between teams across Europe, having been played for in 1914... |
3rd | |||||||||||
| Grand Prix Coupe des Alpes | 1st | |||||||||||
| Novarat Trophy | 1st |
- N = Novice level; J = Junior level