Sarah Burke was a rising star in the world of Freestyle Skiing. In competition, she was the FIS Freestyle World Ski Champion - Half-pipe in 2005, a four-time gold medallist at the Winter X Games, a gold medallist at the Nippon Open Slopestyle in 2007 and the 2007 gold medallist at the WSI, Whistler Pipe. Sarah was the first woman to land a 720, 900 & 1080 degree rotation in competition.

Sarah was a leader in her sport, not only on the slopes, but also through her passion and determination. Sarah started in her sport when there were no women competitors and she could only compete with men. With her strength, personality and belief that all girls should have an equal chance, she attracted and often trained a generation of female competitors. Sarah’s passion and perseverance has been recognized as having been instrumental in the recent inclusion of her sport at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.  She died in January 2012 at the age of 29 after succumbing to injuries suffered while training.

Sarah lived her life with a pure commitment to everything she did and with everyone she touched. She was a truly extraordinary individual mentoring young skiers and was often the last to leave an event as she always had time for her many fans. Sarah was, and will remain, a great role model for youth across Canada and above all, will be remembered for her warmth, her smile and her love of life.