Marie-Michèle Gagnon

Biography

Marie-Michèle Gagnon earned her first World Cup victory in January 2014 when she finished first in the super combined in Altenmarkt, Austria. It was the first victory by a Canadian in a combined race since 1984. Just a few weeks later she was on Olympic snow in Sochi but dislocated her left shoulder when she fell during the slalom portion of the combined event, her first event of the Games. It was determined that she didn’t need immediate surgery and she went on to compete in the super-G, giant slalom and slalom.  

Gagnon had made her Olympic debut at Vancouver 2010 where she competed in the technical events of slalom and giant slalom. After a gradual switch to focus more on the speed events, Gagnon was planning on competing at a third straight Games at PyeongChang 2018. But during a downhill training run at the World Cup in Lake Louise in late November 2017, she tore the ACL In her right knee and dislocated her left shoulder, ending her season.  

Gagnon returned to the World Cup circuit in the fall of 2018. Though it was mentally tough to push her limits in the speed events, in December she matched her then-career best result in the super-G, finishing sixth in St. Moritz. In January 2021, she earned her first World Cup podium since returning from her missed year of competition, taking bronze in the super-G in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. It was her first career World Cup podium in a speed event. She had previously won slalom bronzes in March 2012 in Are, Sweden and in February 2016 in Crans Montana, Switzerland. Less than two weeks after that second bronze, she earned her second career World Cup victory in a combined event in Soldeu-El Tarter, Andorra.  

Gagnon has represented Canada at all seven FIS World Championships dating back to 2009. She earned her first top-10 when she placed eighth in giant slalom in 2013. She improved her career-best result to sixth place in the alpine combined in 2017. She matched that sixth-place finish in the super-G in 2021. She has made more than 250 World Cup starts since her debut on the circuit in December 2009. 

In her third Olympic appearance at Beijing 2022, Gagnon tied for eighth in the women’s downhill, making her the top non-European finisher. She placed 14th in the super-G.

A Little More About Marie-Michèle

Getting into the Sport: Was first on skis at age two… Began competing at age seven; her younger brother joined the ski team first, but she liked to race him so she also joined… While growing up her idol was Mélanie Turgeon and she had a signed poster over her bed… Outside Interests: Loves outdoor activities such as mountain biking, hiking, powder skiing, paddle boarding, adventure trips and tennis… Also enjoys cooking, photography and a good book… Created the Omnium Marie-Michèle Gagnon golf tournament to raise funds for athletes in her hometown… Would like to start her own Nordic spa… Curates ski fitness programs for all levels of skiers through her business, Alpine Strength… Odds and Ends: Nickname: Mitch… Good luck charm is a guardian angel necklace given by her grandmother after she broke her leg in 2007… Collects old style posters and rocks… Favourite motto: “If you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much room”…