Bill Keenan

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.