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There are moments in sport that transcend time—when history, heart, and heritage align. Jack Crawford’s name etched onto a gondola in Kitzbühel is one such moment.
In January, the 28-year-old from Toronto did what no Canadian had done since the golden age of the Crazy Canucks—he conquered the Streif. Not since Ken Read and the crew lit up the Austrian Alps in the early 1980s has a Maple Leaf been lifted so high on this hallowed ground. And now, as tradition dictates, Jack has his gondola, riding forever above the mountain he mastered.
“Seventeen times I had to go to the start in Kitzbühel to finally win,” said Crawford. “Words can hardly describe what this means to me.” It was not just his first Hahnenkamm win—but his first-ever World Cup victory. A victory that came with fearless precision, steely resolve, and the icy, terrifying conditions that define the Kitzbühel track. “May the track always remain so icy and terrifying—that’s what makes the strip so unique,” he added. Spoken like a true descendent of the Crazy Canuck spirit.
That spirit was on full display in the 85th running of the Hahnenkamm downhill, where Crawford led a double podium for Canada, with teammate Cam Alexander joining him in glory. It broke a 43-year drought and added a new name to the pantheon of legends—alongside Read, Podivinsky, Grandi, Guay, Hudec, and so many who came heartbreakingly close.
And so today, Canada celebrates. In Kitzbühel’s Legende Park, a gondola bearing Crawford’s name now joins those of the sport’s greatest. The Kitzbüheler Ski Club spoke of how this win will inspire a new generation—not just in Austria, but across the globe. They are right. Crawford’s run was electric. It reminds us that grit, resilience, and belief still matter. That with the right support—our coaches, our teammates, our leaders—Canada still produces champions.
Ken Read, whose own name is carved into this mountain’s myth, put it best: “There are days that are very special in life. Today was one.”
This is a celebration not just of a skier, but of a ski nation. Of a legacy renewed. Of the next chapter being written.
Today, the new Crazy Canucks ride. And Jack Crawford rides highest of all.
Facebook photo.
