Hubbry Logo
Kitty CarruthersKitty CarruthersMain
Open search
Kitty Carruthers
Community hub
Kitty Carruthers
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Kitty Carruthers
Kitty Carruthers
Kitty Carruthers
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia


Caitlin A. "Kitty" Carruthers (born May 30, 1961) is an American former pair skater. With her adoptive brother, Peter Carruthers, she is the 1984 Olympic Silver medalist, a 1982 World Bronze medalist, and a four-time (1981–1984) United States National champion.[1]

Key Information

Career

[edit]

The Carruthers siblings were coached by Ronald Ludington.[2]

They finished off the podium at the U.S. Championships in January 1979 but their results improved the following season. After winning the International St. Gervais in late August 1979, the pair went on to take gold at the Nebelhorn Trophy and silver at the 1979 Norton Skate (the inaugural Skate America).[2] They placed second at the 1980 U.S. Championships and were assigned to their first Winter Olympics, where they finished fifth. The pair won their first U.S. National title in 1981 and stepped onto the World podium at the 1982 World Championships. In 1984, after winning their fourth national title, they were sent to their second Winter Olympics and won the silver medal. They were also cast members of Champions on Ice during that time.[1]

Following the 1984 Winter Olympics, the Carruthers siblings starred with "Ice Capades" and "Stars on Ice" for twelve years. They appeared throughout the world in many productions and made for television specials during their twelve-year career as professionals. They were inducted into the Adoption Hall of Fame in 1996 and into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1999. After retiring, she became a coach.[1]

Competitive highlights

[edit]

(with Peter Carruthers)

International
Event 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84
Winter Olympics 5th 2nd
World Championships 7th 5th 3rd 4th
Skate America 2nd 2nd 1st
NHK Trophy 1st
Nebelhorn Trophy 1st
St. Gervais 1st
National
U.S. Championships 7th 2nd 1st 1st 1st 1st

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Kitty Carruthers

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
''Kitty Carruthers'' is an American former pair figure skater known for her partnership with her adoptive brother Peter Carruthers, with whom she won the silver medal in pairs at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. The duo also secured a bronze medal at the 1982 World Figure Skating Championships and claimed four consecutive United States national titles from 1981 to 1984. Born Caitlin A. "Kitty" Carruthers on May 30, 1961, in Boston, Massachusetts, she and her brother were both adopted as young children from the New England Home for Little Wanderers. Their close sibling collaboration defined their amateur career, which included a fifth-place finish at the 1980 Winter Olympics and numerous professional performances following their retirement from amateur competition. After the 1984 Olympics, Carruthers turned professional and performed with Ice Capades and Stars on Ice, later winning multiple Challenge of Champions titles. She and her brother were inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1999. Carruthers has since become a coach for young skaters, settled in the Houston area with her husband Brett Conrad, and raised four children. She remains active in community service, particularly causes related to adoption, and has managed type 2 diabetes through disciplined healthy living and exercise, drawing on the resilience developed during her athletic career.

Early life

Early life and adoption

Caitlin A. "Kitty" Carruthers was born on May 30, 1961, in Boston, Massachusetts. She and her brother Peter were adopted as young children from the New England Home for Little Wanderers, an adoption agency in the Boston area, by Charles and Maureen Carruthers. The Carruthers, who were unable to have biological children, first adopted Peter when he was three months old and later adopted Kitty to complete their family. The siblings grew up together in Burlington, Massachusetts, where they experienced a normal childhood. Their adoptive father built an ice rink in the backyard along Route 62 to keep the children safe from playing near the heavily trafficked highway. This home environment set the stage for their early involvement in skating.

Figure skating career

Partnership with Peter Carruthers

Kitty Carruthers formed a pairs figure skating partnership with her adoptive brother Peter Carruthers, with whom she represented the United States internationally. Both were adopted by Charles and Maureen Carruthers from the Home for Little Wanderers orphanage in Boston, Massachusetts—Peter in 1959 and Kitty three years later in 1962—though they were not biologically related. Raised as siblings, they developed a close family bond that contributed to their on-ice chemistry and mutual trust as skating partners. Inspired by attending an Ice Capades show as children, the siblings decided to team up in pairs skating, with their parents providing strong support including a backyard ice rink built by their father. To pursue advanced training, the family relocated to Delaware, where Kitty and Peter trained under coach Ronald Ludington at the Skating Club of Wilmington. Their partnership was distinguished by the unique dynamic of adoptive siblings, which fostered exceptional coordination and emotional connection in their programs, alongside strong technical execution of pairs elements. This foundation allowed for notable progress in their skating during the late 1970s as they honed their skills together under Ludington's guidance.

Amateur competitive career

Kitty Carruthers and her adoptive brother Peter began their senior-level pairs career in the late 1970s, showing early promise despite initial challenges. They finished seventh at the 1979 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. In the 1979-80 season, they earned international experience with a silver medal at the inaugural Norton Skate in Lake Placid, New York, which later became known as Skate America. They improved significantly at the national level, placing second at the 1980 U.S. Championships to secure a spot on the Olympic team. At the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics, the pair finished fifth overall. They also competed at the 1980 World Championships, where they placed seventh. The early 1980s marked their rise to dominance in U.S. pairs skating, as they captured four consecutive national titles from 1981 through 1984. Internationally, their results progressed steadily, with a fifth-place finish at the 1981 World Championships. They achieved their first World medal with bronze at the 1982 World Championships. In 1983, they placed fourth at the World Championships. Additional international successes included a second-place finish at Skate America in 1981 and a victory there in 1983. Their final amateur national title in 1984 preceded their performance at the Sarajevo Olympics.

1984 Winter Olympics

Kitty Carruthers and her brother Peter Carruthers represented the United States in the pairs figure skating event at the 1984 Winter Olympics held in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. They achieved a second-place finish overall and were awarded the silver medal. This result marked the pair's highest Olympic achievement, improving upon their fifth-place finish in the same event at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics. The silver medal earned by the Carruthers siblings was the first medal for the United States at the 1984 Winter Games. It followed their four consecutive U.S. national championships in pairs from 1981 to 1984. With this accomplishment, Kitty Carruthers secured her only Olympic medal in a career that peaked at these Games.

Professional skating career

Following the 1984 Winter Olympics, Kitty Carruthers turned professional and performed alongside her brother Peter Carruthers in major ice shows. They began with Ice Capades, where Carruthers met her husband Brett Conrad, who served as an event coordinator at the Houston Summit during the tour. The pair later spent several seasons with Stars on Ice. Raising four children ultimately brought an end to her professional performing career. In 2013, they briefly reunited for a performance in the Legends show. Carruthers and her brother found success in professional competitions, winning the NutraSweet World Challenge of Champions in Moscow in December 1989. Her television appearances were limited to skating-related specials and honors, with no narrative acting roles. She was a special award recipient at The 10th Annual People's Choice Awards in 1984. She performed as herself in the 1992 TV special Christmas Fantasy on Ice. In 2014, she appeared as herself in the TV special P&G & Walmart Tribute to American Legends of the Ice.

Personal life

Marriage and family

Kitty Carruthers married Brett Conrad after meeting him while she was performing with Ice Capades and he was working as an event coordinator at the Houston Summit. Their relationship began with a long-distance courtship before they married and settled in the Houston area. By 2014, they had been married for 24 years. The couple has four children, two of whom are adopted sons: Brett Peter (born June 24, 1995) and Kyle Richard (born August 12, 1997). They also have two daughters: Kayla Nicole (born March 24, 1998) and Brooke. The adoptions of their sons mirror Carruthers' own childhood experience as an adoptee.

Coaching and later activities

After retiring from professional skating in the mid-1990s, Kitty Carruthers transitioned to coaching figure skating. She settled in the Houston, Texas area, where she has coached primarily young skaters, taking them to competitions and finding great satisfaction in watching their development over time. In a 2014 profile, Carruthers Conrad described coaching as a rewarding "feel-good" experience, noting that many former students stay in touch and credit the sport with helping them in life. She has been affiliated with the Sugar Land Ice & Sports Center, serving as a coach in its figure skating programs, drawing on her credentials as the 1984 Olympic silver medalist, 1982 World bronze medalist, and four-time U.S. national pairs champion (1981–1984). In later years, Carruthers Conrad has remained connected to the skating community through occasional appearances, including a reunion performance with her brother Peter in the 2013 Legends show. Public details on the full scope of her coaching tenure, specific students, or more recent activities remain limited.

Awards and recognition

Hall of Fame inductions and honors

Kitty Carruthers and her brother Peter were inducted into the Adoption Hall of Fame in 1991 by the National Council For Adoption, in recognition of their outstanding commitment to promoting adoption through their personal experiences as adoptees and their public success. In 1999, the siblings were jointly inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame for their significant contributions to pairs figure skating, including their achievements as four-time U.S. champions and 1984 Olympic silver medalists. These honors acknowledge the enduring legacy of their athletic accomplishments and their advocacy for adoption.
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.