Her Gwich’in roots gave her grit, says gold medal ski jumper Alexandria Loutitt

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Her Gwich’in roots gave her grit, says gold medal ski jumper Alexandria Loutitt – CBC

by ahnationtalk on January 20, 2023194 Views

Jan 20, 2023

‘It still doesn’t quite feel real to me. It’s something I’ve always dreamed about,’ the 19-year-old said

Last Friday, in the gathering darkness on a ski hill in Zao, Japan, Alexandria Loutitt prepped for her next jump at the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup, not totally aware she was on the verge of making ski-jumping history.

It was getting later in the evening — when most of the competition was scheduled to accommodate European TV viewers — and the sun had gone down between the first and second rounds. Loutitt had already made a remarkable first jump, leading by more than 10 points.

Then, as Loutitt jumped, making it a distance of 95 metres, an incredible moment for Canada — and for Gwich’in — was marked. The 19-year-old Nihtat Gwich’in member became the first Canadian woman to achieve a World Cup victory in ski jumping.

“It felt surreal, it still doesn’t quite feel real to me. It’s something I’ve always dreamed about. But it’s one of those things where you’re never sure if it’s really going to happen,” she said.