Remembering Scott Zahn: A Coach Who Made Skiers Faster

Longtime alpine coach Scott Zahn died Aug. 19 after a battle with cancer. His knowledge, intensity and commitment to the sport influenced generations of athletes and coaches across North America.

Scott Zahn spent his life helping skiers find more speed. The longtime alpine coach, mentor and technical expert died Aug. 19, 2026, in Calgary, Alberta, after a battle with cancer. He was 61.

His influence reached far beyond results sheets. During a coaching career that took him across Canada, the United States and overseas, Zahn developed athletes, strengthened programs and challenged coaches to see the sport differently. His greatest impact, however, came one skier at a time.

A life dedicated to ski racing

A native of Riverton, Wyoming, Zahn grew up in Red Lodge, Montana, where he developed an early love for the mountains and the outdoors. He began his coaching career in Red Lodge before working with programs in Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Zealand and Alaska.

For nearly three decades, Zahn played an important role in the Alberta ski racing community. Athletes and coaches knew him not only for his experience but also for the time and energy he invested in them and their programs.

Zahn was a builder, a mentor and one of the sport’s great technical minds. His exceptional eye allowed him to identify the small adjustments that could unlock more speed. He could spend hours discussing turns, technique, line and the details that separated a good run from a great one. Always eager to improve, he continued learning, asking questions and searching for better ways to help athletes develop.

An impact beyond the racecourse

Zahn saw potential in athletes and expected them to recognize it in themselves. He challenged and pushed the skiers he coached because he cared deeply about helping each one improve. His commitment extended beyond the racecourse. Zahn wanted athletes to grow into confident, capable people who understood the value of hard work and doing things the right way.

Those who knew him also understood his intensity, directness and stubborn determination. Beneath those qualities was someone who cared deeply about his athletes, friends, family and the sport of ski racing.

That passion extended beyond skiing. Zahn loved the outdoors and pursued hunting, fishing, flying and his many other interests with the same energy he brought to coaching.

Above all, Zahn was a devoted husband, father, son and brother. He took immense pride in his son, Hunter, and valued his family more than anything. His wife, Catherine Christoffersen; his son, Hunter; his mother, Carol; his sisters, Lori and Leann; and his nieces and nephews carry on his memory. His father, Leo, died before him.

A legacy that will continue

Ski racing passes from one generation to the next. Coaches share knowledge on cold mornings, during long lift rides, through video sessions and in conversations that continue long after training ends.

Zahn gave a lifetime of knowledge to the sport. His influence will remain whenever a coach sees something differently, an athlete makes a long-awaited adjustment or a skier finds a little more speed because of something Zahn taught them.

The alpine community has lost a great coach, mentor and friend. His legacy lives in the athletes he believed in, the coaches he influenced and the programs he helped strengthen. Zahn spent his life making skiers faster. His knowledge, passion and influence will continue doing the same for generations to come.

Rest easy, Zahn. Your turns are done, but your tracks remain.

In lieu of flowers, Zahn’s family asks those wishing to honor his memory to consider donating to the Alberta Cancer Foundation. The family will announce details of a celebration of life at a later date.