Ski Jumping
The Thrill of Flight: Alex Loutitt’s Journey to the Top of the World
Alex Louttit's story is a powerful reminder that success isn’t just about reaching the top—it’s about embracing the journey.
Growing up in Canada, a country known most for hockey rinks and snowy slopes, Alex Loutitt wasn’t immediately drawn to the typical sports that many kids her age were interested in. Instead, she found herself captivated by something else entirely.
Watching the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, she saw ski jumpers soaring through the air, somehow completely defying gravity with grace and power. And while she was also intrigued by mogul skiing, it was ski jumping that she vividly remembers watching. It was the moment that sparked something within her.
“It was like nothing I’d ever seen before,” Alex recalled. “I told my parents I wanted to try it, and they thought I was a little crazy.” But, in some ways, it was her brother who inadvertently made her want to try it even more. The two of them went to a summer camp where they got to try their hand at several different sports, but she wasn’t there the day they tried ski jumping, and her brother was.
Patiently waiting for the season to begin
© Red Bull
Having talked about wanting to try it for years, she laughed and said she remembered telling her parents, “Well, if he’s doing it then I’m doing it!” Her mom didn’t think she’d last longer than a week, knowing Alex would have to carry these giant skis all over the place on her own.
But now here she is 10 years later, going from those first tentative steps on a ski kill to becoming a trailblazer in a sport that’s still growing in Canada.
She’s been breaking records, inspiring future athletes, and carrying the hopes of a nation on her shoulders. It all started with the daring choice to follow her heart and leap into a sport as thrilling as it is rare.
01
The early days
For any parent, having your kid want to jump and fly off massive towers on skis can be pretty intimidating, so it’s no surprise that Alex’s parents were understandably hesitant at the beginning. “At first, they weren’t so sure about it,” Alex explained. “Ski jumping is such a niche sport, and there’s definitely a level of danger involved.”
But, her parents could see the love and passion that was beginning to bloom.
With her family’s support, Alex found her footing—quite literally—on the ski hill and she recalled her first time standing at the top of a jump: “I was terrified, but I remember as soon as I went down my first little baby ramp, I was like ‘Yeah, this is my thing’, and I haven’t stopped talking about it since.”
It just felt like flying. It’s such a unique feeling and I knew I wanted to keep chasing it
Growing up in Calgary, Alex had a natural connection to winter sports and tried a variety of activities, but nothing compared to the thrill of ski jumping, saying, “It just felt like flying. It’s such a unique feeling and I knew I wanted to keep chasing it [from the moment I started].” Her adventurous spirit and the unwavering support of her family helped lay the foundation, especially her grandfather.
“My grandfather faced so many challenges as an Indigenous man, but his resilience and strength have always inspired me. Those values were passed down to me and are a big part of who I am today.” These values have become her foundation, allowing her to face adversity with grit and grace, both on and off the hill, which has been a driving force in getting her to where she is today.
02
Ski jumping is more mental than anything else
Alex reflected on her mindset when it comes to preparing for upcoming seasons. She uses the summer months to train and focus on refining techniques and building strength, but winter is where her true talent shines. “I am 100% a winter jumper,” she said with a laugh. “Thankfully, all the big events happen in the wintertime.”
Everyone is different, with many athletes training year-round, but Alex embraces her process with both patience and determination, completely understanding her philosophy to be the best she can be. “For me, it takes three good jumps to get back to really good jumping. One to fix the in-run, one to fix the takeoff, and one to fix the flying.”
Alexandria Loutitt
© Red Bull
But how does all of that work? For anyone who’s watched ski jumping, it seems as simple as starting from the top, jumping from the bottom, and flying as far as you can. That might be the simple essence of ski jumping, but it’s so much more than that.
Alex painted a vivid picture of the sport’s intricacies. She described the in-run, which is the dramatic ramp where every jump begins, as a moment of intense focus. “It’s about feeling the pressure change and the gravity, and then using the g-force release to launch yourself further.”
Red Bull gives you wiiings
© Red Bull
The next phase, the takeoff, is where power and precision become one, setting the stage for flight. And the flight itself? “It’s about creating a body shape that mimics an airplane wing. Everyone’s flight looks a bit different because each person’s body is unique in shape, weight, and structure.”
Every element is important on its own, but Alex emphasized the interconnectedness of all three phases: “You can’t fly without a good takeoff, and you can’t take off without a good in-run. It’s about making everything flow together.” But even with the right technique and physicality, ski jumping, to Alex, is 80% mental.
You can’t fly without a good takeoff, and you can’t take off without a good in-run. It’s about making everything flow together.
Body awareness is huge in the sport of ski jumping, so blocking out the noise and having trust in yourself is key. Alex shared one of the best pieces of advice she’s received, which has helped shape her mindset when it comes to competitions, saying, “You need to feel what you’re doing and not think about it. If you’re thinking, you’re not necessarily doing. But if you’re feeling, those feelings lead to the outcomes you’re thinking about.”
Having that mental clarity has been transformative for her and she explained how she overcame a tendency to overanalyze her in-run position. Instead of obsessing over what not to do, she learned to clearly focus on maintaining a solid position: “It’s about solving problems through feeling, not overthinking.”
03
Looking forward to what’s ahead
Looking ahead to the upcoming season, Alex’s goals reflect her growth and maturity. She learned from years past not only about what not to do but also how to use those mistakes and challenges as fuel. “My goal isn’t to win; that is the reward for reaching my goals,” she explained.
Her focus is on the technical and mental milestones, knowing that success will naturally follow if she sticks to her plan and this mindset has her eager to get going. In the past, she admitted, she was overly critical of herself even when she won. “I thought being harsh was honest, but now I realize being constructive and genuine with myself is more effective.”
There are certain events, like Zao in Japan, that hold a special place in Alex’s heart. “That hill has so much personality, and I love its rhythm,” she said. Zao is where Alex clinched her first World Cup win and where her podium streak began. It’s also the place where she became the first-ever Canadian to win a World Cup—a moment that she might not have planned for, but was ready as soon as the moment presented itself. She’s also looking forward to the ski flying event, which is an undoubtedly thrilling aspect of an already thrilling sport, where every sensation is magnified.
Practice makes perfect
© Red Bull
Laughing, she recalled her first jump on a ski flying hill: “All I could think was, ‘Holy, I’m not even going to make it to the end, I’m going to fall on my butt through the curve.’” That’s the adventurous spirit and will to push herself forward that’s propelled Alex to not only the international stage, but to the top of it.
As she continues to look forward to the season to come, Alex is excited for the World Championships and her return to Zao. “I’ll have family coming to watch, and it’s the hill where I won my first World Cup,” she said. “I love hills that have energy—they make you feel alive.”
Representing Canada fills Alex with a deep sense of pride, and she embraces the pressure that comes with it: “I feel pride, but not pressure. I like knowing I’m not just competing for myself but also for my country and my sport.” And with Milano Cortino 2026 on the horizon, she’s optimistic but focused.
Alexandria Loutitt
© Red Bull
While she acknowledges that a lot can happen in a year, she’s taking the approach of staying rooted in the moment. “The only thing I know I can do is jump to the best of my abilities at the time,” she said. There’s no doubt that she’ll be able to draw on her experience from Beijing 2022, where she and her team became the first-ever Canadians to medal in ski jumping at the Olympics, securing the bronze medal.
In many ways, representing Canada at the 2022 Beijing Olympics was a defining moment for Alex. But the experience, she admitted, was both overwhelming and completely transformative. “The Olympics are a whole different level—the energy, the pressure, the excitement—it’s a lot to take in,” she shared. “I remember standing there and thinking, ‘This is what I’ve been dreaming of my whole life.’”
I learned that it’s okay to feel the pressure, but you can’t let it define you. Every jump, whether it’s perfect or not, is an opportunity to grow.
But despite the high stakes, she stayed present and reminded herself to take it one jump at a time, to just do her best in that moment. The Olympics also taught her valuable lessons about resilience and self-compassion. “I learned that it’s okay to feel the pressure, but you can’t let it define you. Every jump, whether it’s perfect or not, is an opportunity to grow.”
For Alex, that experience wasn’t just about competing—it was about discovering what she was capable of on the world’s biggest stage, and she’ll be using those moments as reminders and fuel as she heads into 2025 and beyond.
04
The future is what you want it to be
With goals set, an unshakable mindset, and a drive to be the best, Alex will be looking to add to an already incredible career to date. And while her success is noteworthy, she’s also the driving force behind a movement that’s helping get people of all ages interested in a sport like ski jumping. A sport that doesn’t really get the recognition it deserves.
You can’t necessarily plan to be that person who helps make change or bring awareness, but Alex has evolved into it and has embraced it with open arms. For young Canadians with big dreams, Alex had simple but powerful advice: “If you love it, enjoy the process, even the hard parts. It can be a magical journey.”
Her path, filled with lessons and growth, has shaped her into the world-class athlete she is today. “I don’t fail; I learn,” she said. “Every mistake is one big step forward.” Alex’s story is a powerful reminder that success isn’t just about reaching the top—it’s about embracing the journey.
And hers has just begun.
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A quick break between jumps
© Red Bull