Hall of Famer
Kathy Kreiner-Phillips
Standing in the start gate before the giant slalom at the 1976 Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck, Austria, Kathy Kreiner told herself, “They don’t know it but I am going to win” (quoted by Danny Gallagher, Ontario Sports Legends Hall of Fame). She did just that, upsetting favourite Rosi Mittermaier of Germany to capture Canada’s only gold medal at the 1976 Games.
Kathy began racing at age seven at a small ski area in the mining town of Timmins, Ont. Seven years later she was named to the Canadian women’s alpine ski team, winning her first World Cup giant slalom at Pfronten, Germany, in 1974. She remained on the national team until 1980, competing in 62 World Cup races in slalom, giant slalom and downhill, placing in the top 10 on 22 occasions.
She competed at the national championships on six occasions between 1975 and 1981, winning five gold and four silver medals, and in two Winter Olympics: Innsbruck in 1976 and Lake Placid in 1980, where she posted top-10 finishes in all three alpine disciplines — fifth in downhill, ninth in giant slalom and 15th in slalom.
Kathy was honoured in 1976 with induction into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and the Canadian Amateur Sports Hall of Fame, and named Ontario’s Athlete of the Year. Over her 10 years with the Canadian women’s alpine team, she demonstrated extraordinary versatility in all alpine disciplines, with skills unmatched before or since by any other skiing athlete, Canadian or international.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- 1973 — 3rd, World Cup giant slalom, Mt. Alyeska, Alaska
- 1974 — 1st, World Cup giant slalom, Pfronten, Germany; 5th, World Cup slalom, Val-d’Isère, France; 6th, World Cup giant slalom, Zell-am-See, Austria; 7th, World Cup slalom, Les Diablerets, Switzerland; 5th, World Cup slalom, Aspen, U.S.
- 1975 — 1st, Canadian championships downhill; 4th, Canadian championships giant slalom; 1st, Canadian championships slalom; 9th, World Cup slalom, Cortina, Italy; 4th, World Cup giant slalom, Sun Valley, U.S.; 8th, World Cup downhill, Val-d’Isère, France
- 1976 — Gold medal, Olympic Winter Games giant slalom, Innsbruck; 1st, Canadian championships giant slalom; 3rd, World Cup giant slalom, Mont-Sainte-Anne, Que.; 9th, World Cup giant slalom, Meiringen-Hasliberg, Switzerland
- 1977 — 2nd, World Cup giant slalom, Arosa, Switzerland; 10th, World Cup downhill, Pfronten, Germany; 9th, World Cup giant slalom, Val-d’Isère, France; 8th, World Cup giant slalom, Les Mosses, Switzerland; 5th, World Cup giant slalom, San Sicario, Italy; 9th, World Cup slalom, Courmayeur, Italy
- 1978 — 1st, Canadian championships downhill; 1st, Canadian championships giant slalom; 10th, World Cup downhill, Pfronten, Germany; 8th, World Cup downhill, Pfronten, Germany
- 1979 — 4th, Canadian championships downhill; 1st, Canadian championships slalom
- 1980 — 5th, Olympic Winter Games downhill, Lake Placid; 9th, Olympic Winter Games giant slalom, Lake Placid; 7th, World Cup giant slalom, Waterville Valley, U.S.; 2nd, Canadian championships downhill; 2nd, Canadian championships slalom; 2nd, World Cup downhill, Val-d’Isère, France; 7th, World Cup downhill, Megève, France
- 1981 — 2nd, Canadian championships giant slalom; 2nd, Canadian championships downhill; 2nd, FIS downhill competition
Note: Information compiled from several sources; may not include all accomplishments. © Canadian Ski Museum & Hall of Fame. For personal/educational use only. All rights reserved.
Kathy Kreiner. CSHFM Collection.
Kathy Kreiner. 2021 Canadian Olympic Committee.
Pontiac Cup Final at Bromont, QC. Denise Creighton and Diane Pratte accepting the Pontiac Cup as Nancy Greene (far left), Kathy Kreiner (2nd from right) and Lucile Wheeler (far right) look on. c. 1970s. Alpine Canada Alpin.
World Cup event (giant slalom) at Mt. St. Anne, QC, March 19, 1976. 1st – Monika Kaserer 2nd – Fabienne Senat 3rd – Kathy Kreiner (right). Alpine Canada Alpin.
1972 Canadian Olympic Women’s Alpine Ski Team [L to R]: Peter Franzen (coach), Judy Crawford, Laurie Kreiner, Dianne Pratte, Kathy Kreiner. Michael Burns Photography.
Kathy Kreiner donating skis (used at 1976 Innsbruck Olympic Winter Games to win gold medal in giant slalom) to Arnold Midgley, Director of the Canadian Ski Museum. CSHFM Collection.
Canadian Olympic Alpine Ski team at 1976 Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck, Austria [L to R]: Jim Hunter, Jane Helder (physiotherapist), Kathy Kreiner, Andrzej Kozbial (alpine program director), Laurie Kreiner, Ken Read, Betsy Clifford, Dave Murray, Scott Henderson (head coach-men), Wayne Gruden (coach), Luc Dubois (manager), Robert Safrata, Lynden McIntosh (coach), Dr. Bernie Lalonde (head coach-women). Alpine Canada Alpin.
National Alpine Ski Team c. 1970 [L to R]: Kathy Kreiner, Karen Cloutier, Betsy Clifford, Laurie Kreiner, Susan Clifford. Canadian Ski Association / Alpine Office / Lolly Moss.
National Alpine Ski Team 1971-72 [top row]: Doug Woodcock, Betsy Clifford, Judy Crawford, Kathy Kreiner, Diane Culver, Laurie Kreiner, Carolyn Oughton, Diane Pratte, Virginia Honeyman, Russel Goodman [middle row]: Luc Dubois (coach), Don Lyon (coach), Robert Butler (coach), Al Raine (Alpine Program Director) [bottom row]: Peter Bellos, Aidan Ballantyne, Jim Hunter, Rick Hunter, Doug Temple, Mike Culver, Derek Robbins, Reto Barrington, Paul Carson. D. Richard Houlding Photography, Toronto.
National Alpine Ski Team 1971-72 [top row]: Al Raine (Alpine Program Director), Diane Pratte, Diane Culver, Judy Crawford, Robert Butler (coach) [bottom row]: Betsy Clifford, Laurie Kreiner. Rene Korot for St-Tropez Enrg., St Leonard.
National Alpine Ski Team – October 1972 in Stelvio, Italy [L to R]: Carolyn Oughton, Virginian Honeyman, Kathy Kreiner, ?, Laurie Kreiner, Karen Cloutier, Diana Gibson, ?, Judy Crawford, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Mike Culver, ?, ?, Russell Goodman, ?, ?, Peter Ballos, ?, ?, ?, Jim Hunter, ?, ?, ?, ?. Alpine Canada Alpin.
Women’s National Alpine Ski Team 1972 Val d’Isère [L to R]: Laurie Kreiner, Kathy Kreiner, Judy Crawford. Alpine Canada Alpin.
National Alpine Ski Team 1976 at Montreal Ski Show [back row]: Jean Beaulieu, Ken Read, Dave Irwin, Jim Hunter, Karen Cloutier, Jeanette Zanier, Dave Murray, Bernie Lalonde (coach) [front row]: Germain Barrette, Yvon Blackburn, Kathy Kreiner, Susan Clifford, Steve Podborski, Scott Henderson (Coach). Alpine Canada Alpin.
Women’s National Alpine Ski Team 1978-79 [L to R]:Gustave Chable (coach), Martine Lesieur, Kathy Kreiner, Marie Dufresne, Ann Blackburn, Laurie Graham, Loni Klettl, Dianne Lehodey, Currie Chapman (coach). Alpine Canada Alpin.
National Alpine Ski Team 1978-79 [back row]: Vanita Haining?, Jean Bealieu, ?, Peter Monod?, ?, Germain Barrette, Robert Safrata, Bernie Lalonde (coach) [front row]: ?, Marie Dufresne?, Laurie Graham, Ann Blackburn?, Kathy Kreiner. Alpine Canada Alpin.
National Alpine Ski Team c. 1979 [top row]: Ken Read, Steve Podborski, Dave Irwin, Dave Murray [bottom row]: Kathy Kreiner, Laurie Graham, Loni Klettl. Studio Impact.
Gault Gillespie (left) with Canadian Ski Museum Chair, Bill Tindale, and Kathy Kreiner at 1987 Canadian Ski Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Photo A. Irwin
Kathy Kreiner, Ernie McCullogh, and Linda Crutchfield at 1984 Canadian Ski Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. CSHFM Collection.
Kathy Kreiner at 1984 Canadian Ski Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. CSHFM Collection.
Canada Vignettes - Skier | Kathy Kreiner | National Film Board Fan
This vignette about skiier Kathy Kreiner leads up to and includes her Olympic Gold medal race at Innsbruck.
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