Ashleigh McIvor

Ashleigh entered ski-cross at a young age, being one of the youngest on the World Cup circuit, and finishing second in her first overall race, she entered the X-Games soon after. She was soon a featured athlete during the X-Games, and became the face of women’s ski cross

McIvor started competing in 2003. She has been to four Winter X-Games, with her best finishes being 7th in X-Games 10 and X-Games VII. McIvor won her first World Championship in 2009 at Inawashiro, Japan. She also has four podium finishes on the FIS World Cup circuit to her credit, including a silver medal at Cypress Mountain in 2009. McIvor finished third overall on the 2008-09 FIS World Cup season.

Prior to the Winter Olympics, McIvor attended the 2010 Winter X Games as a final tuneup event. There, she won a silver medal, that being her first X Games medal of any colour

McIvor was a member of Canada’s freestyle skiing team at the Vancouver Olympics where ski-cross was making its debut as an official medal event and she won the first ever Olympic gold medal for ladies’ ski cross.

Danielle Lawrie

Named NCAA National Player of the Year in 2010, Danielle Lawrie has risen to the peak of her sport to become the only Canadian to win such a noteworthy award and the second player in history to win the title in back-to-back years. As one of the most compelling athletes from BC, she has elevated the sport and captured many Canadians dreams.

Danielle grew up playing in the fields of Langley where she excelled at a very young age. She led her high school team to three league championships and was named Most Valuable Player in both her freshman and senior years. Her success continued as she joined the Canadian National Team four years in a row from 2005 – 2008. She was awarded a Silver Medal at the 2006 World Cup and was named Most Valuable Pitcher in the same tournament. In 2008, Danielle was also selected to represent Canada in the 2008 Olympic Games in Bejjing, China.

At age 23, Danielle holds many single season records with the University of Washington in wins, strikeouts, starts, shutouts, complete games and innings. In 2010, she has set the NCAA record for 24 shut out games and has won the PAC 10 Pitcher of the Week 18 times. Now moving on to her professional career, Danielle has signed a two-year contract with the National Pro Fastpitch League where she is looking to become a full-time pro player.

Duncan Keith

Duncan Keith is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is an alternate captain for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League. Keith was drafted 54th overall by Chicago in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. He spent two seasons with the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League (AHL) before joining the Blackhawks in 2005–06. Internationally, he has represented Canada on two occasions, winning a gold medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Keith is known as a two-way defenseman, capable in both shutdown and offensive roles. Keith had a big year in 2010; not only did he win a gold medal for his home country in his home province, he was awarded the 2010 Norris Trophy which is given to the NHL’s most outstanding defenseman of the year and he also captured a Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks.

Lauren Woolstencroft

Known as the Paralympic Winter Games “Golden Girl,” Lauren Woolstencroft is a three-time Paralympic skier with eight gold, one silver, and one bronze medal. At Vancouver 2010, Lauren became the first Canadian winter Paralympian to win five gold medals at a single Games. Lauren was also named Canada’s flag bearer for the 2010 Paralympic closing ceremonies.

Lauren has been a member of the Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Team (CPAST) since 1998 and has won over 50 World Cup medals, 8 World Championship titles, 10 Paralympic medals, and is the 2006 IPC Athlete of the Year. Lauren was born without legs below the knee and no left arm below the elbow. She started skiing in Whitefish, Montana on family ski holidays at the age of four. At 14 years old, Lauren began racing with the Alberta Disabled Ski Team.

Lauren recently announced her retirement from the game, stating that she hopes to be remembered as an athlete who faced challenges and overcame them to achieve success. Off the ski slopes, Lauren is an electrical engineer with British Columbia Hydro.

Maelle Ricker

Growing up among the mountains of West Vancouver and Whistler, Maëlle’s love of the outdoors developed at a young age. Consistently trying to keep up with her older brother, Maëlle eventually followed him into the world of snowboarding, swapping racing skis for a board, and icy racecourses for fresh powder.

Now a 13-year veteran of the Canadian National Snowboard team, Maëlle has been a trailblazer for women’s snowboarding, competing at both the inaugural snowboarding halfpipe event at the Nagano Olympic Games in 1998 and in the first-ever Snowboard Cross event at the Torino Games in 2006.

Just shy of a medal at both of her previous Olympic Games, Maëlle delivered the performance of her life to the delight of the fans in British Columbia becoming the first Canadian woman to win Olympic gold on home snow.