The most prolific and progressive female skier of all time—her legend was cemented when Powder magazine proclaimed Sarah one of the most influential skiers of the last 35 years. Coming up in Ontario, Canada with lackluster vertical at her disposal, she was hyper-technical from the start. By the time Sarah moved to Mammoth, breaking new ground for female skiers was a daily event. Competing against men until a female division in free ski came about only foreshadowed her domination of coming female only events.
With an awesome armament of technical park skills the women’s competition scene was her playground. The first girl to throw sevens, nines, and 1080’s in competition, Burke has owned winter X Games Superpipe with gold and silver annually. Early questions and criticisms of Sarah’s jib specific skills and lack of big mountain credentials were answered with a move to Whistler and her park maneuvers seamlessly integrated into the backcountry. Featured in the crème of the crème ski productions Burke blossomed into a film star in her own right.
As the first skier, man or women to receive an ESPY award, Female Action Sports Athlete Of The Year—she’s taken her career next level. Constant overachievement coupled with natural beauty equals mainstream awareness, and the rest of the world took note: Sarah was voted number 91 on FHM’s 100 Sexiest Women list, and regularly featured in non-endemic magazines. Burke continues to explore and redefine the limits of women’s skiing both in the park, pipe, and the backcountry.