Tai Babilonia

Tai Reina Babilonia (born September 22, 1959 ) is an American pair skater. Together with Randy Gardner, she won the 1979 World Figure Skating Championships and five U.S. Figure Skating Championships (1976–1980). The pair qualified for the 1976 and 1980 Winter Olympics.

Career Babilonia and Gardner began skating together at eight and ten years old when skating coach Mabel Fairbanks needed a young pair team for a skating show in Culver City, California. They were medal favorites at the 1980 Winter Olympics but were forced to withdraw due to an injury to Gardner, which ended their competitive careers.

Babilonia and Gardner toured with the Ice Capades for four years and with Champions on Ice for two years. They performed in many ice shows and competed professionally, earning first place in the World Professional Championships in 1985.

Babilonia appeared in the 2006 Fox television program Skating with Celebrities, partnered with Olympic decathlon gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner.

Babilonia and Gardner also appeared on an episode of Hart to Hart "Silent Dance" (season 5 episode 16) in 1984.

Babilonia and Gardner also appeared in an episode of Diagnosis Murder, "Murder on Thin Ice" (season 4 episode 3).

Personal life

Babilonia was inspired at the age of six to begin ice skating after watching Peggy Fleming on television. Babilonia has a son named Scout with former husband Cary Butler. She was engaged in 2005 to actor and comedian David Brenner, but they never married before their breakup in 2011.

Competitive highlights (with Gardner)

Event 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 Winter Olympic Games 5th WD World Championships 10th 10th 5th 3rd 3rd 1st U.S. Championships 2nd 2nd 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st Nebelhorn Trophy 1st Coupe des Alpes 3rd WD = Withdrew