Calgary, AB. (July 30, 2025) — Canada’s James Crawford (Toronto, ON) was joined this week by nearly 200 guests to celebrate having his name etched on a gondola car in Kitzbühel (AUT). Each year, the winners of the Hahnenkamm races on the Streif course in Kitzbühel have their name inscribed on a cabin on the gondola to immortalize them in the history of the races. Crawford, who won the 2025 downhill, joins three other Canadian winners of the Hahnenkamm races who also have dedicated cabins: Ken Read (1980), Steve Podborski (1981 and 1982), and Todd Brooker (1983).

Among the special guests attending this week’s ceremony were his parents, Angus Crawford and Laurel Scott, sister Candace, Aunt Trudy, Grandma Alexandra, girlfriend Tess Thompson, teammates Brodie Seger and Jeffrey Read, head coach John Kucera, and former Canadian ski stars Ken Read and Jan Hudec.

“You never just win for yourself,” said Crawford. “You win for everyone who means something to you. And I feel that especially today, seeing everyone who’s come all this way to Kitzbühel with me. We’ve been coming here for the last 10 years and you get to ride all your heroes’ gondolas and to have one amongst them all is extremely cool. It took me 17 attempts competing in Kitzbühel before I finally won. Words can’t even begin to describe what this means to me.”

Crawford’s win in the downhill on the Streif on January 25th 2025 was his first World Cup victory to go along with five World Cup podiums, an Olympic Winter Games bronze medal in alpine combined in 2022, and a super-G world championship in 2023.

“It is super inspiring to see Jack’s gondola,” said Jeffrey Read. “You come here and you see the names on the gondolas and you dream. Winning here something that we’ve been striving for and to have one of us achieve it and to know that any of us could do it, is super inspiring and I can’t wait to come back.”

“This means a lot for the team,” commented assistant coach Chris Powers. “This is the biggest race in the sport and we know how it can inspire a generation of ski racers and a whole country. We’ve been targeting this race for a while and for Jack to win, and for Cameron (Alexander who finished third behind Crawford) to be right there with him, is exciting.”

“This is a pretty special moment,” said head coach John Kucera. “It symbolizes a lot of hard work by Jack, and also by a lot of people behind the scenes. I hope it stands as something inspirational for everyone coming up racing for Canada.”

Also celebrated was Ken Read, winner of the Kitzbühel downhill in 1980, receiving official recognition of his gondola car that has been running since 1996.

“It is quite a special honour to formally receive my gondola after seeing it for many years, and it’s even more special to receive it with Jack,” said Ken Read. “To see the Canadian tradition of winning here in Kitzbühel continue is very exciting.”

“Everyone on our team has the ability to win here and if we come out and put our best foot forward anything can happen,” added Crawford. “May the course always stay icy and intimidating, that’s what makes the Streif so unique. As long as it stays that way, I’ll gladly come back every year and take the risk. Anyone who wins on the Streif two or even three times becomes one of the greats.”

Crawford and the rest of the Canadian ski team will continue to train on and off snow over the coming months in preparation for the start of the World Cup season in late October and for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in February 2026.

Follow Canada’s Ski Team this season on Alpine Canada’s website, across our social media accounts and subscribe to our newsletter (link here).

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Mark Halliday
Alpine Canada
403 777 3204
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About Alpine Canada

Alpine Canada is the governing body for alpine, para-alpine, and ski cross racing in Canada, as well as for Canadian ski coaches, providing education, certification, insurance, and compliance with the coaching code of conduct. With the support of valued corporate partners and donors, along with the Government of Canada, Own the Podium, the Canadian Olympic Committee, and the Coaching Association of Canada, Alpine Canada develops Olympic, Paralympic, World Championship, and World Cup athletes to stimulate visibility, inspiration, and growth in the ski community.