Lauren Woolstencroft

Lauren Woolstencroft (born November 24, 1981, in Calgary, Alberta)[1] is a Canadian alpine skier and electrical engineer. Born missing her left arm below the elbow as well as both legs below the knees, she began skiing at the age of 4 and began competitive skiing at the age of 14.[2] She is an eight-time gold medal winner at the Paralympics. In 1998, she was nicknamed "Pudding" by her teammates, due to her sweet tooth.[1] Her life and achievements were celebrated in the Toyota ad "Good Odds" that aired just after kickoff during Super Bowl LII in February 2018.[3]

Lauren Woolstencroft
Medal record
Women's para alpine skiing
Representing  Canada
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2002 Salt Lake City Super-G
Gold medal – first place 2002 Salt Lake City Slalom
Gold medal – first place 2006 Turin Giant slalom
Gold medal – first place 2010 Vancouver Slalom – Standing
Gold medal – first place 2010 Vancouver Giant slalom- Standing
Gold medal – first place 2010 Vancouver Downhill - Standing
Gold medal – first place 2010 Vancouver Super-G - Standing
Gold medal – first place 2010 Vancouver Super combined - Standing
Silver medal – second place 2006 Turin Super-G
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Salt Lake City Giant slalom

Career

Woolstencroft represented Canada at the 2002 Winter Paralympics in Salt Lake City, winning two gold medals and a bronze. She represented her country again at the 2006 Games in Turin, winning gold in the giant slalom and silver in the Super G. For her performance at the 2006 Games Woolstencroft was named Best Female at the Paralympic Sport Awards.[4] She had contemplated retiring after the 2006 Games, but decided to stick around through the 2010 Games in Canada.[5]

In the 2010 Winter Paralympics Woolstencroft won 5 gold medals for Giant slalom, slalom, super-G, downhill Skiing, and Super Combined. She became the first Canadian to win 3 golds at the same Winter Paralympics,[6] this total was later increased to 5 golds. With her 4th gold medal, she helped Canada set a record for most gold medals at any Winter Paralympic Games by winning the 7th medal. The previous mark was six, set at the 2002 Salt Lake City Paralympics.[7] With her 5th gold medal, she set the record for most gold medals won by any Winter Paralympian at a single Games, and she tied the record for gold medal haul of any Canadian Paralympian at a single Games, tying Chantal Petitclerc (who did the feat twice) and Stephanie Dixon, both Summer Paralympians.[5] Her five gold are also the record for any Canadian Winter Paralympian or Olympian.[8]

Other work

Woolstencroft graduated with an electrical engineering degree from the University of Victoria. She now resides in North Vancouver.[6]

Broadcasting career

In March 2018, she joined CBC's Broadcasting team for the 2018 Winter Paralympics from March 9 to March 18.

Personal life

In November 2016, she and her husband Derek Uddenberg welcomed their first child Maxwell Davis Uddenberg.

Honours

Woolstencroft won the Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award in 2002. In 2007, during the International Paralympic Committee's General Assembly in Seoul, Woolstencroft was named the Paralympic Sport Awards 2007 Best Female Athlete.[2] She was inducted into the Terry Fox Hall of Fame in 2007.[9] In 2012 Woolstencroft was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.[10] In 2015, she was inducted into the Canadian Paralympic Hall of Fame of the Canadian Paralympic Committee.[11]

References
  1. The Province, "Woolstencroft's electric performance", Damian Inwood, 21 March 2010, (accessed 21 March 2010)
  2. "Canadian Paralympic Skier Lauren Woolstencroft Honored" Archived 2008-09-01 at the Wayback Machine, First Tracks magazine, October 19, 2007
  3. Rieger, Sarah (February 4, 2018). "Super Bowl ad tells Calgary Paralympian's story of triumph". CBC News. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
  4. "Winners of Paralympic Awards 2007 Announced". International Paralympic Committee. 15 October 2007.
  5. Vancouver Sun, "Woolstencroft wins fifth gold medal", CanWest News Service, 21 March 2010 (accessed 21 March 2010)
  6. The Province, "Nation thrills at triple gold win", Ian Austin, 19 March 2010 (accessed 19 March 2010)
  7. Canadian Paralympic Committee, "Woolstencroft lifts Canada to record winter paralympic performance", CPC, 19 March 2010 (accessed 19 March 2010)
  8. CTV News Channel, "News Weekend", 10:15am broadcast, airdate 21 March 2010
  9. The Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons, Hall of Fame Inductees (accessed March 2010)
  10. General, The Office of the Secretary to the Governor. "The Governor General of Canada". gg.ca. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  11. "Inductees". Canadian Paralympic Committee. Archived from the original on 6 January 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
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