Skinner, Julie

Year Inducted / Année Intronisé:

2020

Province / Province:

British Columbia

Category / Catégorie:

Curler

Biography / Biographie:

Skinner made her first impact on the national stage in 1987 when she skipped her B.C. team to a gold medal at the Canadian Junior Women’s Championship in Prince Albert, Sask. (an event in which Middaugh was skipping Team Ontario). A year later, in 1988 at Chamonix, France, at the inaugural World Junior Women’s Championship, Skinner and her Canadian championship team (vice-skip Judy Wood, second Susan Auty, lead Marla Geiger) claimed gold.

That started Skinner down the road on a brilliant career that would see her win two Scotties Tournament of Hearts (as a skip in 1991 with her B.C. team of vice-skip/sister Jodi Sutton, second Melissa Soligo and lead Karri Willms; and as a vice-skip with skip Kelley Law, second Georgina Wheatcroft and lead Diane Nelson), a world championship silver medal in 1991, a gold medal in 2000, and play in two Winter Olympics.

At the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, where curling was a demonstration sport, Skinner skipped the 1991 Scotties champs to a bronze medal. Ten years later at Salt Lake City, Skinner won another bronze medal with Team Canada (with Law at skip, Wheatcroft at second and Nelson at lead), with curling having ascended to full medal status four years previously.

Skinner played in six Scotties Tournament of Hearts — four times representing B.C. and twice as Team Canada — and finished her career with two Scotties golds and two silvers.

“I’m beyond humbled and incredibly honoured to be selected as a 2020 Hall of Fame Inductee and to join so many legendary Canadian curlers,” said Skinner. “Curling is a team sport so credit and heartfelt thanks to all my former teammates, coaches and my family who share in this recognition and achievement.”