Carriere announces coaching change, leaves Boston

Stephen Carriere, the 2007 world junior champion and 2008 U.S. bronze medalist, announced Wednesday that he has ended his nine-year professional relationship with coaches Peter Johansson and Mark Mitchell and will train with Priscilla Hill and Karl Kurtz at the Skating Club of Wilmington in Delaware.

Carriere has trained at the Skating Club of Boston since 2000 with Johansson and Mitchell, under whom he captured the 2006 U.S. junior title, the gold medal at the 2006 Junior Grand Prix Final and more.

"Making the decision to train with Priscilla was a difficult one," Carriere said. "Peter and Mark have been my coaches since I was 11 years old. They've done so much for me and for my skating career -- I don't think I'll ever be able to thank them enough."

Hill also coaches two-time world junior bronze medalist Ashley Wagner. Her former students include three-time U.S. champion and world bronze medalist Johnny Weir and six-time U.S. ice dancing medalists Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov.

"Going into this Olympic season, I felt I needed a change that would help give me an edge," Carriere said. "I'm now looking forward to the challenge of working with Priscilla and Karl."

During the 2008-09 season, Carriere won silver at the Cup of China, finished sixth at the NHK Trophy and placed ninth at the 2009 AT&T U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Cleveland.

Hill is the 1978 U.S. bronze medalist and a two-time worlds competitor.


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