Kerrin Lee-Gartner
Skiing Athlete — Inducted 1995
Kerrin Lee-Gartner is one of Canada’s most accomplished alpine ski racers and a trailblazer in women’s downhill skiing. As a member of the Canadian National Alpine Ski Team, she competed at the highest international level for more than a decade, representing Canada at three Olympic Winter Games and four FIS World Alpine Ski Championships.
Throughout her career, Lee-Gartner consistently ranked among the world’s elite competitors. She recorded more than fifty top 15 finishes in World Cup competition and placed among the top eight in thirty-six World Cup, World Championship, and Olympic races. Her greatest achievement came at the 1992 Winter Olympic Games in Albertville, France, where she won the gold medal in the women’s downhill event, becoming the first Canadian woman to capture Olympic gold in downhill skiing.
Following her Olympic success, she continued to compete at the highest level and finished third overall in the 1993 World Cup downhill standings.
Lee-Gartner’s outstanding achievements and sportsmanship earned widespread recognition. She received the 1991–1992 John Semmelink Memorial Award for Sportsmanship, Conduct, and Ability. In 1992, she was named Calgary Female Athlete of the Year, Alberta Amateur Athlete of the Year, British Columbia Athlete of the Year, and Canadian Female Athlete of the Year. That same year, she was inducted into the Canadian Amateur Sports Hall of Fame and received the Meritorious Service Medal of Canada.
After Induction
Following her competitive career, Lee-Gartner’s contributions to Canadian sport continued to be recognized through numerous honours. She was inducted into the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame in 1994, the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1995, and the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame in 1996. In 2000, she was named the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame’s Female Athlete of the Century in recognition of her exceptional achievements and lasting impact on Canadian alpine skiing.
Career Highlights
- 1992 Olympic Gold Medalist — Downhill
- Three-time Olympic Winter Games competitor
- More than 50 World Cup Top 15 finishes
- 36 Top eight finishes in World Cup, Olympic, and World Championship competition
- World Cup Downhill — Two second place and three third-place finishes
- World Cup Super-G — One second-place finish
- 1992 Calgary Female Athlete of the Year — Henry Viney Trophy
- 1992 Alberta Amateur Athlete of the Year
- 1992 Canadian Female Athlete of the Year — Velma Springstead Award
- 1992 Inducted into the Canadian Amateur Sports Hall of Fame
Did You Know
Lee-Gartner is currently a television broadcaster with CBC Sports in Canada. She also assisted the BBC with coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
