Hall of Famer
Todd Brooker
Affiliated Discipline(s):
Alpine
Hometown:
Paris, ON / Collingwood, ON
Active Career Period:
1975-1987
Induction CSHF:
1991
Induction Category:
Alpine: Downhill
Throughout a long and distinguished career, Todd Brooker, last of the “Crazy Canucks”, exemplified a true competitive spirit, recognized on April 8, 1987 when he was awarded the Johnny F. Bassett Memorial Award. This award pays tribute to a Canadian “Champion of Champions”, in recognition of, not so much competitive achievement, but caliber of character.
He was a member of the National Alpine ski team for 10-years from 1977 to 1987, competed at the 1984 Winter Olympic Games, Sarajevo, and at the Federation Internationale de Ski (FIS) World Championships at Schladming, Austria, in 1982 and Bormio, Italy in 1985.
During his career he competed in 62 World Cup Downhill events, earned points in six World Cup Final Standings, finishing in the top 15 on no fewer than 33 occasions, 10 podium finishes and 3 World Cup Downhill victories.
A daring skier, his career was troubled by many injuries which eventually forced his retirement in 1987.
Competition highlights
1975
1st place, Downhill event, Canadian National Junior Championships.
2nd place, Slalom event, Canadian National Junior Championships.
3rd place, Giant Slalom event, Canadian National Junior Championships.
1976
1st place, Downhill event, Province of Ontario Championships.
1977
2nd place, Downhill event, Pontiac Cup, Mont Ste Anne, Quebec.
1982
2nd place, Downhill event, World Cup, Aspen, Colorado, USA.
1983
No.1 World Ranking, Downhill Competition, Federation Internationale de ski (FIS)
1st place, Downhill event, World Cup, Kitzbuhel, Austria.
1st place, Downhill event, World Cup, Aspen, Colorado, USA.
2nd place, Downhill event, World Cup, Val Gardena, Italy.
2nd place, Downhill event, World Cup, Val d’Isere, France.
Recipient of a Sport Excellence Award.
Winner, Canadian Alpine Skier of the Year Award.
1985
1st place, Downhill event, World Cup, Furano, Japan.
3rd place, Downhill event, World Cup, Kitzbuhel, Austria.
Recipient of a Sport Excellence Award.
Please Note: The ski information gathered here is compiled from a number of sources; it may not be inclusive of all accomplishments.
Copyright © 2021, Canadian Ski Museum. For Personal/Educational use only. All Rights Reserved.
Todd Brooker autographed postcard. CSHFM Collection. Photo – Gianni Constantino.
National Alpine Men’s Ski Team c. 1983 [L to R]: Scott Shaver, Steve Podborski, Todd Brooker, Robin McLeish, Felix Belczyk, Chris Kent. Alpine Canada Alpin / Alec Pytlowany.
Todd Brooker 1986. Alpine Canada Alpin.
Todd Brooker. Alpine Canada Alpin.
National Alpine Men’s Ski Team c. 1984 [back row]: Paul Boivin, Don Stevens, Alain Villiard, François Jodoin?, Mike Tommy, Todd Brooker [front row]: Felix Belczyk, ?, Chris McIver, Gary Athans, Jim Read. Alpine Canada Alpin.
1982 National Alpine Ski Team [back row]: Athans, Brooker, Stylan, McLeish, O’Rourke, Kerr, Belczyk, Kent, Irwin, Read [front row]: Lehodey, Robbins, Gougeon, Savijarvi, Knight, Bédard, Lacasse. Alpine Canada Alpin.
Men’s National Alpine Ski Team c. 1980 [top row]: Bob Styan, Gary Athans, Brian O’Rourke [bottom row]: Todd Brooker, Doug Kerr, Jim Kirby. Alpine Canada Alpin.
National Olympic Men’s Alpine Ski Team 1984 [top row]: Gary Athans, Todd Brooker, Steve Podborski [bottom row]: Jim Read, Mike Tommy. Alpine Canada Alpin.
Men’s National Alpine Ski Team 1984-85 [top row]: Todd Brooker, Gary Athans, Felix Belczyk, Chris Kent [bottom row]: Paul Boivin, Scott Shaver, Chris McIver, Don Stevens. Alpine Canada Alpin.
National Alpine Ski Team 1985 [top row]: Currie Chapman (head coach), Jim Kirby, Gary Athans, Chris McIver, Scott Shaver, Glenn Wurtele [2nd row]: ?, Don Stevens, Felix Belczyk, Paul Boivin, Todd Brooker, Chris Kent [3rd row]: Laurie Graham, Andréa Bédard, Karen Percy, Karen Stemmle, Josée Lacasse [bottom row]: Liisa Savijarvi, Diana Haight, Kerrin Lee Gartner. 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.
National Alpine Ski Team 1986 [back row]: Todd Brooker, Mike Tommy, Jim Read, Felix Belczyk, Don Stevens [front row]: Brian Stemmle, Rob Boyd, Chris Kent. Alpine Canada Alpin.
National Alpine Ski Team 1986 [Back row]: Chris Kent, Gary Athans, Chris McIver, Dan Moar, Mike Carney, Rob Bosinger [Front row]: Don Stevens, Felix Belczyk, Brian Stemmle, Todd Brooker. 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.
Men’s National Alpine Ski Team 1986 [L to R]: Brian Stemmle, Rob Boyd, Gary Athans, Chris McIver, Dan Moar, Mike Carney, Rob Bosinger, Todd Brooker, Chris Kent, Don Stevens, Felix Belczyk. Alpine Canada Alpin.
National Alpine Ski Team 1986 [back row]: Paul Boivin, Chris Kent, Don Stevens, Felix Belczyk, Daniel Moar, Gary Athans [front row]: Brian Stemmle, Chris McIver, Scott Shaver, Jim Kirby, Rob Boyd, Todd Brooker. Alpine Canada Alpin.
![1982 Canadian National Championships - Men's downhill [L to R]: Ken Read (2nd), Raiber (1st), Brooker (3rd).](https://skimuseum.ca/app/uploads/2020/09/sm_x2006-60-1-107_Read_Raiber_Brooker_DH-200x300.jpg)
Todd Brooker's 1983 World Cup Downhill Victory in Kitzbuehel | CBC Sports
The Legend of the Crazy Canucks Olympic Alpine Skiing Team | On the Line
The story of how a group of Canadian daredevils Olympic skiers broke the European stranglehold on downhill skiing and became the talk of the alpine circuit at and around the Innsbruck 1976 Winter Olympic Games.
SUBSCRIBE
