Kerrin Lee-Gartner

Born in Trail, B.C., and raised in Rossland just two houses from Nancy Greene’s childhood home, Kerrin Lee-Gartner first raced on Red Mountain as part of the local Nancy Greene Ski League. By 18, she had qualified for Canada’s National “C” team and was already cracking the top 20 in World Cup downhill races.

Kerrin is best remembered for her gold-medal performance in the downhill at the 1992 Olympic Winter Games in Albertville, France — the first Canadian woman to win the event. Heading into those Games she was ranked 13th in downhill and 18th in super-G by FIS. On the Roc de Fer course at Méribel — considered one of the toughest for women — she won by just 0.06 seconds over the favourite, Hilary Lindh.

A member of the women’s national ski team for 10 years (1984 to 1994), Kerrin competed in 72 World Cup races and posted 37 top-10 finishes, including 14 top-fives. She competed at three world championships (1989, 1991, 1993) and three Olympic Games — Calgary 1988, Albertville 1992 and Lillehammer 1994 — and captured the Canadian downhill championship three times (1991, 1992, 1993). She finished 12th in the downhill at Lillehammer before retiring with her final World Cup downhill at Whistler.

Kerrin’s approach was famously summed up in her own words: “Ski relaxed — not pretty, just fast.” Beyond her competitive career, she has supported numerous causes, investing considerable time encouraging and inspiring young racers and ensuring the success of the Nancy Greene Ski League and her own Kerrin Lee-Gartner Challenge.

Married to fellow Canadian Ski Hall of Famer Max Gartner, she has spent many years providing expert analysis for CBC’s alpine ski coverage, becoming a recognized authority in the skiing community. Since retiring from competition in 1994, she has covered every Olympic Games for CBC.

Kerrin is also a member of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, the Olympic Hall of Fame and both the B.C. and Alberta Sports Halls of Fame. In 1992 she received the Velma Springstead Award as Canada’s Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year and was awarded the Order of British Columbia. She is also a recipient of the Canadian Meritorious Service Medal and was named Alberta’s Female Athlete of the Century.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• 1987 — 8th, FIS World Cup downhill, Val-d’Isère, France
• 1988 — 6th, FIS World Cup downhill, Aspen, U.S.; competed at Calgary Olympics, finishing 15th in downhill
• 1989 — 1st, FIS World Cup downhill, Vail, U.S.
• 1990 — 3rd, FIS World Cup downhill, Altenmarkt, Austria; 2nd, Canadian championships downhill at Lake Louise
• 1991 — Gold medal, Olympic Winter Games downhill, Albertville, France (won by 0.06 seconds); multiple top-fives on the World Cup circuit including Vail, Lake Louise and Santa Caterina; Canadian downhill champion
• 1992 — 2nd, FIS World Cup super-G, Panorama, B.C.; 3rd, FIS World Cup downhill, Vail, U.S.; 4th, World Ski Championships super-G, Morioka Shizukuishi, Japan; 2nd, FIS World Cup downhill, Veysonnaz, Switzerland; Canadian downhill champion
• 1993 — 2nd, FIS World Cup downhill, Veysonnaz, Switzerland; 4th, World Ski Championships super-G, Morioka Shizukuishi, Japan; 4th, FIS World Cup super-G, Morzine, France
• 1994 — 3rd, FIS World Cup super-G, Cortina, Italy; 6th, FIS World Cup super-G, Mammoth Mountain, U.S.; 6th, FIS World Cup super-G, Vail, U.S.; 12th, Olympic Winter Games downhill, Lillehammer; retired after final World Cup downhill at Whistler

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.