Canada’s ski jumping sensation Alexandria Loutitt hopes receiving the Alberta Government’s Sport Recognition Awards as the 2023 Female Athlete-of-the-Year will inspire a whole new generation of ski jumpers.

Established in 1987, the prestigious awards are bestowed annually to the athletes, coaches and officials in Alberta who dedicate themselves to excellence in their craft while representing the best in sport from across the province.

“It fills me with great pride to be acknowledged not only for my results, but also for my unwavering passion and the recognition of my true character,” said Loutitt, who was part of Canada’s bronze-medal winning team at the 2022 Olympics. “Having my name included alongside the best of Alberta’s athletes who have been recipients of this Award brings me immense joy.”

Loutitt became the first Canadian to stand on top of the podium at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, taking gold in the large hill.

Just weeks after becoming the first Canadian woman ever to win a World Cup ski jumping event, the now 20-year-old Calgarian added to her historic list of firsts, winning the junior world championships on the hill she was inspired to take up the sport on in Whistler, B.C. after watching the 2010 Olympics. Loutitt completed the golden hat trick in ski jumping in 2023 after she was crowned World Champion on the large hill at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Planica, Slovenia. It was the first medal ever won by a Canuck in the sport at the world championships. Later last March, Loutitt jumped 225 metres during the first ever women’s flying hill competition in Vikersund, Norway claiming the title of Canadian distance record holder.

The last World Cup win by any Canadian was Horst Bulau in 1983, more than two decades before the young Loutitt was born. 

Loutitt chalked up four medals during the 2023 Summer Grand Prix season to finish third overall. She continued her sizzling flight path into the 2024 winter campaign where she won seven World Cup medals to finish third overall on the World Cup circuit.

Loutitt, who has centralized with her teammates in Slovenia, has stayed connected with her Canadian roots, leveraging her success to be a role model for young girls in the community encouraging them to set big dreams and battle through adverse times. A lot of those youngsters are Indigenous people, particularly from her Nihtat Gwich’in roots. She hopes her success and recognition of her accomplishments in the sport will help spark continued growth for ski jumping across Canada, particularly Alberta.

“Kids need heroes, so I hope and believe (this recognition) has the opportunity to positively impact our community,” said Loutitt. “Our team has put a lot of work this year into becoming people younger athletes would like to be. I feel it is the impact we have off the hill that is most important. Anyone can become a good athlete, but a hero, a role model, is something you have to earn. I hope I can be that for Canadians.”

While the ski jumping facility where it all began for Loutitt and her Canadian teammates at Winsport’s Canada Olympic Park is now closed, Ski Jumping Canada and its sport partners continue to spread their wings, finding new, innovative ways to introduce youngsters keen to fly, to the sport.

One of those new opportunities is at the Red Deer Nordic Ski Club located at the Canyon Ski Resort that is now offering year-round programming. The Club is currently in the process of incorporating itself and is eagerly looking for local board members with background in sport or business in addition to a variety of coaches to support cross-training opportunities.

 Ski Jumping Canada is the governing federation for ski jumping in Canada. It is responsible for the governance of all ski jumping competitions in Canada and for the operation of the national team. For more information, please visit skijumpingcanada.com.

For further information:

Chris Dornan
E-mail: hpprchris@shaw.ca
Phone: 403-620-8731