K. C. Boutiette

KC Boutiette (born April 11, 1970) is an American speed skater from Tacoma, Washington, and a four-time Olympian. He was first of the wave of inline speed skaters who made the transition from inline to ice in order to have a shot at going to the Olympics.

KC Boutiette
KC Boutiette in 2006
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1970-04-11) April 11, 1970
Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
Spouse(s)Kristi Kirkeide Boutiette
Sport
Country United States
SportSpeed skating
Medal record
Men's speed skating
World Allrounds
Silver medal – second place 19971500 m
Silver medal – second place 1998500 m
U.S. Long Track Championships
Gold medal – first place 20035000 m
Silver medal – second place 20031500 m
Silver medal – second place 20045000 m
Bronze medal – third place 20041500 m
U.S. Allrounds
Gold medal – first place 1994Overall
Gold medal – first place 1996Overall
Gold medal – first place 1997Overall
Silver medal – second place 1995Overall
Silver medal – second place 2000Overall
Silver medal – second place 2002Overall
Gold medal – first place 2015Overall
U.S. Sprints
Silver medal – second place 1999Overall
Olympic Trials
Gold medal – first place 19945000 m
Gold medal – first place 199410000 m
Silver medal – second place 19981000 m
Silver medal – second place 199810000 m
Silver medal – second place 200210000 m

Biography

In 1993, he showed up at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, looking to improve his technique on inline skates, but ended up earning a spot on the team that would be sent to the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. Although he had been a champion inline speed skater for years, Boutiette at that time had no ice speed skating experience at all. Nevertheless, within a few months he made the team.

Although Boutiette has never won an Olympic medal, he demonstrated to other American inline speed skaters that the opportunity was there if they would give it a shot. Following in his footsteps were Apolo Ohno, Derek Parra, Jennifer Rodriguez (Boutiette's ex-wife), and Joey Cheek, who won seven medals at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. After 2002 he went out and hand-picked another former inline skater, Chad Hedrick, who went on to win three medals at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy, after switching to ice skating in 2003. Now almost half of the Olympic team were inline skaters for whom he paved the way. Boutiette skated in the team pursuit in the 2006 Olympics.

In the Netherlands, Boutiette participated as a marathon speed skater for several years and in this period he won the Six Days of the Greenery twice in 2003 and 2004. He wore the Brussels sprout suit for ten days in between 2003 and 2005, the second in ranking after Cédric Michaud.[1] In total he won 23 speed skating marathons on artificial tracks.[2] He also was the leader in the Essent Cup for two days, wearing the orange suit.[3]

Records

World records
EventTimeDateVenue
1500 m1:50.09March 15, 1997Olympic Oval, Calgary
Small combination154.103March 15, 1997Olympic Oval, Calgary

Source: SpeedSkatingStats.com[4]

Personal records
Personal records[5]
Men's speed skating
Event Result Date Location Notes
500 m36.09January 10, 2004Utah Olympic Oval, Salt Lake City
1000 m1:09.09January 3, 2004Utah Olympic Oval, Salt Lake City
1500 m1:46.78December 28, 2002Utah Olympic Oval, Salt Lake City
3000 m3:47.16October 1, 2005Utah Olympic Oval, Salt Lake City
5000 m6:22.97February 9, 2002Utah Olympic Oval, Salt Lake City
10000 m13:21.06February 28, 2004Thialf, Heerenveen

See also

References
  1. Spruitjespak, schaatspeloton.nl
  2. Overwinningen, schaatspeloton.nl
  3. Oranje leiderstrui, schaatspeloton.nl
  4. "KC Boutiette". SpeedSkatingStats.com. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  5. "KC Boutiette". SpeedskatingResults.com. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
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