Chris Robinson

Chris Robinson’s impressive career in skiing and snow sports began as a high-level freestyle skier in the early 1970s before he shifted his focus to coaching, management, marketing, administration, leadership and media.

Chris joined the professional freestyle circuit in 1977 and competed internationally through the inaugural season of the FIS World Cup in 1980–81. While still competing, he coached the national junior freestyle team from 1979 to 1981. In 1982–83, he served as competition manager for the Canadian Ski Association, overseeing national and international events in Canada, and continued under contract as marketing director from 1984 through the Calgary Winter Olympics in 1988.

During this period and into the early 1990s, Chris led Freestyle Skiing Ontario and the Ontario Freestyle Ski Team as head coach, developing some of Canada’s most successful freestyle skiers who went on to win World Cup, world championship and Olympic medals. He later served five years as president of the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association (1996–2000), nine years as Canada’s representative on the FIS Eligibility Committee (1992–2001) and was appointed chairman of the FIS Freestyle Skiing Committee in 2000, a post he held until 2017. During his tenure he oversaw the integration of ski cross, halfpipe and slopestyle into the FIS structure and their eventual inclusion in the Olympic Games.

Chris served the FIS as an advisor to the amalgamated FIS Snowboard/Freestyle/Freeski Committee from 2017 and was appointed lifetime Honorary Member of the committee with his retirement in 2024. He also chaired the FIS Public Relations and Mass Media Committee from 2018 to 2024.

In 2002, Chris became president and chair of the Canadian Snowsports Association (CSA) and was instrumental in the revival of the Fondation Ski Canada Foundation (FSCF) in 2005. He stepped down from the CSA in 2023 and continues today as a Board Member of the FSCF. He served on the Canadian Ski Council Board of Directors from 2002 to 2019 and received the CSC’s highest honour, the Judith Kilbourne Award, in 2007 for his contributions to snowsports development programs.

Chris’ professional career has also spanned 4 decades in the media and television industry with a focus on snowsports. His company, Double Black Diamond Productions, is noted for the success of its magazine show, World of Skiing, along with live and host broadcast coverage of national and international events including FIS World Cups in skiing and snowboarding. Chris was also Producer for the FIS World Snowboarding Championship in 2005 and Production Manager (Olympic Broadcasting Services) for the Olympic coverage of Snowboarding (Torino 2006), Paralympics Alpine (Vancouver 2010) and Cross Country Skiing (PyeongChang 2018). He received the North American Ski Journalists Association Harold S. Hirsch Award for Excellence in TV Broadcasting in 2002 and was awarded the FIS Journalists Award in 2016.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• 1977–81 — Competed internationally on the professional freestyle circuit, including inaugural FIS World Cup season
• 1979–81 — Coach, national junior freestyle team
• 1982–88 — Competition manager, then marketing director for Canadian Ski Association, including Calgary 1988 Olympics
• 1980s–90s — Head coach, Freestyle Skiing Ontario and Ontario Freestyle Ski Team; developed future world and Olympic medallists
• 1992–2001 — Canada’s representative, FIS Eligibility Committee
• 1996–2000 — President, Canadian Freestyle Ski Association
• 2000–2017 — Chairman, FIS Freestyle Skiing Committee; introduced ski cross, halfpipe and slopestyle into FIS and Olympics
• 2002–2023 — President and chair, Canadian Snowsports Association; revived Ski Canada Foundation (2005)
• 2002–2019 — Board member, Canadian Ski Council; recipient of Judith Kilbourne Award (2007)
• 2016 — Recipient, FIS Journalists Award
• 2018-2024 — Chairman, FIS Public Relations and Mass Media Committee; advisor to FIS Snowboard/Freestyle/Freeski Committee

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.