CALGARY — Canadian ski jumping star Alex Loutitt has been sidelined with a serious knee injury that will prevent her from competing for the rest of the season and end her bid to participate in the upcoming Olympic Winter Games.
The 21-year-old Olympic medallist and World Champion suffered the injury during a Summer Grand Prix competition Friday on the 2026 Olympic jumps in Val di Fiemme, Italy. Medical officials treated her locally before she returned to Innsbruck, Austria, where she is scheduled to undergo knee surgery this week. Doctors expect her recovery to require at least one year of rehabilitation.
“I am heartbroken that this injury will prevent me from representing Canada at the upcoming Olympic Winter Games. I feel like I’m letting down my family, friends, and teammates as well as the incredible sponsors that have embraced my journey. This is the toughest part for me to accept,” Loutitt said. “I know that I am still young, and I am grateful for everything I’ve already achieved in ski jumping. This is a setback in my journey, but it’s not the end. I will put in as much hard work into my recovery as my Olympic preparation and come back stronger for the future.”
Loutitt had been in strong form, finishing a summer season-best fourth place in competition just a day before the accident. Her recovery and rehabilitation will be supported by the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre, which provides elite-level care for athletes competing in Europe.
Rising Star Halted by Injury
Loutitt has been one of Canada’s breakout stars in international ski jumping. She made history as the first Canadian athlete to win World Championship titles at both the senior and junior levels. Over the course of her young career, she has already amassed 11 individual World Cup podium finishes, including two victories.
Her absence will be a significant loss for Canada’s national ski jumping team, which had been building momentum heading into the 2026 Games.
“Alex is an extremely valuable member of our national program and will have Ski Jumping Canada’s full support throughout this period of adversity and her recovery process,” said Todd Stretch, high-performance director at Ski Jumping Canada. “Alex is a determined athlete, who is driven to succeed, and I have no doubt she will make a full return to competition. Her health is our number one priority at this time, and we will therefore ensure she takes the necessary time to fully rehabilitate her injury. We also look forward to having Alex around the daily training environment where we know she will continue to lend her experience to the national program while supporting her teammates on the path to the 2026 Games.”
Turning to Coaching and Mentorship
Although sidelined from competition, Loutitt plans to stay engaged with the sport. In addition to her rehabilitation, she will begin pursuing her coaching certifications, with the goal of mentoring younger athletes while remaining active in the national program.
The Calgary-born athlete has made clear her longer-term ambition remains firmly set on the 2030 Olympic Winter Games. By continuing her development as both a competitor and a mentor, she hopes to contribute to the future of Canadian ski jumping while preparing herself for another Olympic run.
“The opportunity to learn and grow in a coaching capacity, even while recovering, is something I value,” Loutitt said in a statement through Ski Jumping Canada. “I want to continue supporting my teammates and inspiring the next generation, even as I focus on my return to competition.”
Next Steps for Team Canada
In the meantime, Team Canada will turn its attention to the next stop on the Summer Grand Prix circuit in Hinzenbach, Austria, scheduled for October 18–19. The team will compete without its most accomplished jumper, but officials are confident that Loutitt’s continued presence in the training environment will provide encouragement and inspiration to her fellow athletes.
The injury underscores both the physical demands and risks of ski jumping, a sport where fractions of a second and small shifts in technique can have major consequences. For Canadian ski jumping, Loutitt’s absence will be felt in the short term, but her achievements and determination suggest she will remain a central figure in the sport’s future.
Ski Jumping Canada, the sport’s governing body in Canada, is responsible for overseeing all competitions and managing the national program. The federation said it remains committed to supporting Loutitt throughout her recovery while continuing its long-term mission of building the sport domestically.
For now, Loutitt faces a difficult year ahead, but with a World Championship pedigree, Olympic experience, and support from one of the world’s leading performance centres, she has set her sights firmly on a comeback.
