
Paralympian Lauren Woolstencroft won five gold medals in various alpine events! Check out her favourite places in Vancouver:
Age: 28
Sport: Para-Alpine Skiing
Home Turf: North Vancouver, B.C.
When not carrying the dreams of a nation, what do you do?
“I have a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Victoria, and I work full-time for BC Hydro.”
If you weren’t an Olympian, what would you be?
“I’ve always been involved in sport in some capacity, so I’d like to think if I wasn’t skiing I’d be doing something like cycling. I also used to horseback ride back in my Calgary days.”
How long have you been skiing?
“Since the age of four.”
Who’s your Olympic hero?
“I never really had sports heroes. I grew up with a disability, and the Paralympics weren’t really big then, so I never really looked up to athletes in that way. Now, I guess I’d say I’m a big Lance Armstrong fan.”

“I’m not a huge breakfast person, but I am a coffee person, so I’m a big CaffĂ© Artigiano fan.”
“Umberto’s. It’s a Vancouver institution. I try not to order the same thing, because it’s all so good.”
“The hiking and mountain biking trails in Lynn Valley on the North Shore. It’s such a huge area, and you can go for a while without seeing anyone. It’s 15 minutes from my house, yet you’re right in the wilderness.”
“The lookout at Cypress Mountain on a sunny day, winter or summer. You can see the whole city.”
Want to know more? Check out what other Whistler and Vancouver spots our Olympic athletes recommend
Shelley Arnusch is a born-and-raised Albertan writer who spent three years living and working in Whistler. Her work has appeared in Avenue, Skier and Swerve.
Stephen Wilde is a Vancouver-based, internationally travelled photographer. The regular up! contributor's work has been featured in BIKE, Mountain Bike, Bicycling, Outside and numerous European publications. Check out stephenwilde.com.
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