Calgary ski jumper Alexandria Loutitt named Alberta Female Athlete of the Year

Alexandria Loutitt was named Alberta's Female Athlete of the Year for 2023 on Wednesday. (Photo: X@SkiJumpingCanada)

Calgary ski jumping sensation Alexandria Loutitt hopes her latest award inspires a new generation of Indigenous girls to become ski jumpers.

Loutitt was recognized Wednesday when she was named the Alberta government’s Female Athlete of the Year for 2023.

The award, presented to athletes, coaches and officials who “dedicate themselves to excellence in their craft while representing the best in sport from across the province,” has been handed out since 1987.

Loutitt was the first Canadian woman to win a World Cup ski jumping event, when she took gold at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. She also won the junior world championships in Whistler, the site where she watched the 2010 Olympics that made her want to become a ski jumper.

Loutitt made it a dream season when she was crowned world champion at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Planica, Slovenia, the country that has become the Canadian ski jumping team’s new training home following the closure of the ski jumping facilities at WinSport in Calgary.

 

 

 

 

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Loutitt hopes to encourage young girls in the community to give ski jumping a try, particularly Indigenous girls who share her Nihtat Gwich’in roots.

She is hopeful that the strong showing by Canadian women on the world ski jumping circuit will help promote the growth of the sport in Canada.

“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.”

“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.”