Hall of Famer

Laurie Graham

Affiliated Discipline(s): Alpine

Hometown: Inglewood, Ontario / Ottawa, Ontario

Active Career Period: 1978 – 1998

Induction CSHF: 1991

Induction Category: Athlete

Laurie Graham. Courtesy Alpine Canada Alpin.

One of Canada’s greatest downhill racers, Laurie Graham dominated the World Cup circuit for nearly a decade (1978–1988).

The three-time Olympian — Lake Placid 1980, Sarajevo 1984 and Calgary 1988 — recorded six World Cup victories (five in downhill, one in super-G), 34 top-10 downhill finishes and three national titles. She was the first North American woman to win a super-G World Cup race and the first Canadian to win on home soil at the inaugural World Cup downhill in Canada at Mont-Tremblant, Que.

Laurie began skiing at age five and competing by 10 on the slopes near Collingwood, Ont. Her first international event was at 12 at Mont-Sainte-Marie, Que., and her first World Cup race came in 1977, when she placed 22nd in the combined. She attended the University of Toronto Schools but left in Grade 12 to focus on ski racing full time.

Known for her sportsmanship and leadership skills, Laurie mentored younger teammates as she neared retirement in 1988. She was once married to Canadian bobsledder Clarke Flynn, had children and pursued her love of horses.

Appointed a Member of the Order of Canada on July 11, 1998, her citation noted that “… she served gracefully as an unofficial ambassador to the sports world and as a much-respected role model and mentor to younger athletes.”

Laurie was named Canada’s female athlete of the year in 1986 and inducted into the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame in 1991, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1993, the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2015.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1979 — 3rd, FIS World Cup downhill, Val d’Isère, France
1980 — Competed at Altenmarkt, Austria (December)
1981 — 3rd, Canadian national championships, downhill
1982 — 3rd, FIS World Ski Championships downhill, Schladming, Austria; received Sport Excellence Award, Government of Canada, Tribute to the Champions
1983 — 1st, FIS World Cup downhill, Mont-Tremblant (first women’s World Cup downhill in Canada); Canadian Alpine Woman Skier of the Year (Ski Racing International Journal)
1984 — 1st, FIS World Cup super-G, Puy-Saint-Vincent, France
1985 — 1st, FIS World Cup downhill, Val d’Isère, France; 2nd, FIS World Cup downhill, Val d’Isère, France; 1st, FIS World Cup downhill, Banff; 3rd, FIS World Cup downhill, Banff
1986 — 1st, FIS World Cup downhill, Val d’Isère, France; 1st, FIS World Cup downhill, Crans-Montana, Switzerland; 2nd, FIS World Cup downhill, Vail, U.S.; 3rd, FIS World Cup downhill, Furano, Japan; 3rd, FIS World Cup downhill, Puy-Saint-Vincent, France; 3rd, FIS World Cup downhill, Badgastein, Austria; named Canadian female athlete of the year
1987 — 2nd, FIS World Cup downhill, Vail, U.S.; 2nd, FIS World Cup downhill, Calgary; 4th, FIS World Cup downhill, Val d’Isère, France
1988 — 5th, Olympic Winter Games downhill, Calgary; 13th, Olympic Winter Games super-G, Calgary

Laurie Graham (1980). Athlete Information Bureau / C80-11715.

Laurie Graham at Husky World Cup Downhill event at Nakiska (Mt. Allan), Alberta, on March 7, 1987. Alpine Canada Alpin / Alec Pytlowany.

1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary, AB – Laurie Graham. Calgary Herald.

Opening ceremonies for 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary, AB. Laurie Graham (in front, waving to crowd), Kerrin Lee-Gartner (far right). Calgary Herald.

1988 Calgary Olympic Winter Games Laurie Graham on training run. Photo Bob Johannsen.

1980 Canadian National Championships [L to R]: Gerry Sorensen (2nd), Laurie Graham (1st), Kathy Kreiner (3rd). Canadian Ski Association / Information & Resource Center

Laurie Graham 1986. Alpine Canada Alpin.

Women’s National Alpine Ski Team c. 1985 [back]: Laurie Graham, Andréa Bédard, Karen Stemmle, Karen Percy [front]: Kerrin Lee, Liisa Savijarvi, Diana Haight. 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.

Women’s National Alpine Ski Team c. 1980 [top row]: Lynda Robbins, Laurie Graham, Dianne Lehodey [bottom row]: Gerry Sorensen, Diana Haight, Shanne Leavitt. Alpine Canada Alpin.

National Alpine Women's Olympic Ski Team 1984 — National Alpine Women’s Olympic Ski Team 1984 [top row]: Andréa Bédard, Laurie Graham, Diana Haight [bottom row]: Liisa Savijarvi, Gerry Sorensen, Karen Stemmle. Alpine Canada Alpin.

National Alpine Ski Team 1984-85 [top row]: Andréa Bédard, Laurie Graham, Diana Haight, Josée Lacasse [bottom row]: Kerrin Lee, Karen Percy, Liisa Savijarvi, Karen Stemmle. Alpine Canada Alpin.

National Alpine Ski Team 1985-86 [top row]: Todd Brooker, ?, Mike Tommy, Derek Thussler, Gary Athans, Alain Villiard, Paul Boivin, Don Stevens, Don Lyon (coach), Currie Chapman (coach), Max Gartner (coach), Carl Petersen (Fitness Co-ordinator) [2nd row]: Piotr Jelen (coach), Germain Barrette (coach), Bruce Henry (coach), ?, Felix Belczyk, Rob Boyd, Istvan Balyi, Glenn Wurtele [3rd row]: Jim Kirby, Andréa Bédard, Jim Read, Chris Kent, Brian Stemmle, Dan Moar, Chris McIver, Diana Haight, Scott Shaver [4th row]: Karen Stemmle, Laurie Graham, Kerrin Lee Gartner, Liisa Savijarvi, Kellie Casey, Josée Lacasse, Karen Percy. Alpine Canada Alpin.

Women's National Alpine Ski Team 1985-86 — Women’s National Alpine Ski Team 1985-86. [top row]: Andréa Bédard, Kellie Casey, Laurie Graham [bottom row]: Diana Haight, Josée Lacasse, Kerrin Lee. Alpine Canada Alpin.

National Alpine Ski Team 1986 [back row]: Glenn Wurtele (coach), Don Stevens, Rob Boyd, Todd Brooker, Mike Tommy, Carl Pettersen (fitness co-ordinator) [middle row]: Diana Haight, Andréa Bédard, Felix Belczyk, Chris Kent, Jim Read, Brian Stemmle, Kellie Casey [bottom row]: Karen Percy, Josée Lacasse, Laurie Graham, Karen Stemmle, Liisa Savijarvi. Alpine Canada Alpin.

Women's National Alpine Ski Team 1986-87 — Women’s National Alpine Ski Team 1986-87. [top row]: Andréa Bédard, Kellie Casey, Nancy Gee, Laurie Graham [bottom row]: Diana Haight, Josée Lacasse, Lucie LaRoche, Kerrin Lee. Alpine Canada Alpin.

National Alpine Ski Team 1987-88 [top row]: Andréa Bédard, Kellie Casey, Nancy Gee [bottom row]: Laurie Graham, Kendra Kobelka, Josée Lacasse. Alpine Canada Alpin.

National Alpine Ski Team 1988 [back row]: Rob Boyd, Don Stevens, Ralf Socher, Alain Villiard, Peter Bosinger, Mike Tommy [2nd row]: Mike Carney, Rob Crossan, Felix Belczyk, Jim Read, Dan Moar, Greg Grossman, Brian Stemmle, Rob Bosinger [3rd row]: Josée Lacasse, Kerrin Lee, Nancy Gee, Kendra Kobelka, Michelle McKendry, Liisa Savijarvi, Andréa Bédard [bottom row]: Lucie LaRoche, Kellie Casey, Karen Stemmle, Laurie Graham, Karen Percy. 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.