Celebrating Canada's Success in the Iconic Kitzbuhel Downhill Race

The Hahnenkamm Races

The Hahnenkamm Races represent arguably the world's most prestigious FIS Alpine Ski World Cup race in Kitzbühel, Austria. These iconic ski races, the second oldest alpine skiing competition, have been held every year since 1931. This year a Canadian, Jack Crawford, won the glorious downhill down the fabled Kitzbuhel course.

There is much more to this incredible achievement. The victory results from the humble story of a small team competing in a winter nation perched on top of one of the giants in all of ski racing. Canada is a vast land with a small number of people relative to its vast mountains and pristine forests. This is a story of unbridled determination from Alpine athletes like Jack (James) Crawford, Erik Read and more.

In the sport of downhill ski racing you are always on the edge of finishing or falling. Kitzbuhel, is next level, complete chaos on two thin planks rocketing at sports-car speed down a pure ice surface. the event demands every fiber of one's attention, commitment and focus to cross the finish line in one piece.

Canada's Jack Crawford

Jack Crawford, won the Stanley Cup of ski racing - a race that has rarely been won by North Americans. The last Canadian to capture this prestigious was in 1983. Canada's alpine ski racing budget pales in comparison to powerhouse ski teams, including the U.S., Switzerland, and Austria. But their racers make up for resource shortfalls with determination, hard work and extraordianry grit. Elite racers Jack Crawford and Erik Read have proven that Canada belongs on the world alpine racing stage.