Skating back home in Canada a real treat for Browning

Copyright 2000 - The Globe and Mail

Turn up the lights. Kurt Browning is at home. The 34-year-old Canadian figure skating star is making a rare appearance in Canada this week at the Sears Open in Hamilton. But these days, home is where the heart is.

Browning has survived an emotional year, after the death of his mother, Neva, in June, and he knew what he had to do: cut back on competitions, stay home and spend time with his family, including his wife, Sonia Rodriguez, now a principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada.

His father, Dewey, and former coach Michael Jiranek and his wife are coming from Alberta to spend 10 days with Browning.

"It's just a quieter year," Browning said. "I'm healthy and skating fine, and we'll see what happens."

Browning had a list of eight events he could have competed in. He chose to do only three. He has a contract to do the Ice Wars competition in the United States for the next three years. He has done every Ice Wars since the made-for-television professional competition started. "I'm emotionally attached to it," he said.

The others he chose because they were close to home: the Sears Open and the Hershey's Kisses Figure Skating Challenge, another open event, in Auburn Hills, Mich., on Dec. 10. He's not doing the world professional championship s in Landover, Md. He's already won three of those.

That doesn't mean that Browning has turned into a couch potato. He's still a major player in the Stars on Ice tour and delights fans in 66 U.S. cities . "You can kill yourself," he realized.

For four years in a row, Browning did a Stars on Ice tour that included 78 to 85 cities without a break, both in the United States and back and forth across Canada.

That wasn't counting all of the competitions he did, as well. Sometimes, Browning would have to juggle eight routines because competition organizers and broadcasters demanded new material. It wasn't easy to stay on top of it all.

On top of living out of a suitcase and in a different hotel every night, Browning would have to attend three rehearsal periods for the tours -- one for a month and two others for a week each.

"Just do the math," he said, thinking of the tiring schedule.

"I learned so much in four years, having to do it, four months straight, 85 times, injured or not, tired or not.