Canadian ski jumper Abi Strate manages sky-high expectations in Olympic year without her injured teammate

Ski jumpers, by the very nature of their sport, are accustomed to ups and downs. Even so, Canada’s Abi Strate had a summer where she experienced some of the highest highs of her career, as well as a heartbreaking low.

The 24-year-old ski jumper from Calgary was a force on the 2025 Summer Grand Prix circuit, scoring five podium appearances – including a win on the hill that will host the upcoming Milano-Cortina Olympic Winter Games.

But that success was tempered when she lost friend and teammate Alex Loutitt to injury during September's Olympic test event in Predazzo, Italy.

“I think the whole team was in shock. I mean, I was at the top of the hill when she crashed and I saw her get up and walk away so I was like, ‘hey we're all good, we're clear. Maybe she is slightly injured but …it won't end her season,’” Strate said. “Then at the bottom [of the hill] they told me it was probably her knee and I was just shocked.

“So sad. Horrible, horrible timing for an injury, right before the Games. It was heavy. I was heartbroken for her.”

Strate and Louititt, along with Mackenzie Boyd-Clowes and Matthew Soukup, were part of Canada’s historic Olympic bronze-medal winning foursome in the mixed team event in Beijing in 2022. 

That surprise medal seemed to be a sign of things to come as both women routinely landed on World Cup podiums in the lead-up to Milano-Cortina. Strate attributed that success to how she and Loutitt lifted each other up at every competition.

“We kind of always bounced off each other,” Strate said. “If I was doing well and she was maybe not having a good day…it makes it easier to handle. If I had an off day, but Allie went and did really well, then my off day doesn't feel so off because the team still has something