Dave Duncan

Biography

Dave Duncan’s first Olympic experience at Vancouver 2010 was short-lived when he was injured during the first day of training at the Games and was unable to compete. Duncan had earned his spot on the 2010 Olympic Team with his bronze medal at the World Cup in Lake Placid in late January. He followed that up with a silver medal at the Winter X Games in Aspen, where he was part of a Canadian podium sweep, creating high expectations for the team at Vancouver 2010. But two days before he was scheduled to compete in ski cross’ Olympic debut, Duncan’s ski tip got caught on a course feature during training and he broke his right collarbone. He was ready to have a pity party, but after speaking to Rick Hansen, he decided to look forward and started thinking about what was still to come in his career, including competing at Sochi 2014.

In 2011-12 he won his second Winter X Games medal, taking bronze in Aspen. He also had his best World Cup season, finishing sixth in the ski cross rankings thanks to two podium finishes. He matched that sixth-place overall ranking in 2014 on the strength of three podium finishes, including his first two career victories on back-to-back days in Innichen/San Candido, Italy. At PyeongChang 2018, he advanced to the Small Final, finishing eighth overall. From 2012 to 2015, Duncan served as a skier representative on a safety panel recognized by FIS with the goal that no more skiers would be fatally injured as his teammate and often roommate Nik Zoricic was in March 2012.

A little more about Dave…

Getting into the Sport: Has been skiing since he was three… After his first day on the slopes, his mother bought him new equipment and he was so excited he jumped up and down on the couch before falling off and breaking his arm… Got serious about skiing at age 14… Switched to ski cross from alpine after graduating from university and was named to the inaugural Canadian ski cross team… Outside Interests: Hobbies include biking, hiking, cross-country skiing, rock and ice climbing, kayaking… Also enjoys politics, improving his investment knowledge and playing squash… In 2002 accepted a ski scholarship to the University of Alaska, Anchorage where he was a three-time Academic All-American… In 2006 earned his Bachelor of Science in Aviation Technology… Working towards inclusion in a CPA program… Would like to one day get his pilots’ license and fly helicopters… Ambassador for Wounded Warriors Canada since just before Sochi 2014 and has participated in cycling trips to European battlefields such as Vimy Ridge and Juno Beach… Odds and Ends: Had his Olympic dream sparked by watching Edi Podivinsky win downhill bronze at Lillehammer 1994… Favourite quote: “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary are the little things.” – Dale Hunter…