Over the past thirty years, Karin Larsen has built a reputation as one of the most versatile, knowledgeable, and respected members of BC’s sports media. Few have covered more varied sports in more varied locations in more varied roles and done so with such “grace, integrity, and aplomb” as fellow BC Sports Hall of Fame media inductee Wendy Long put it.

And how many people can claim to have dual hall of fame careers? Before getting her start in the media, Karin was one of Canada’s top synchronized swimmers during the 1980s, helping Canada to the world championship in the team routine event at the 1986 World Aquatics Championships and serving as the alternate for Canada’s gold medal-winning pairs team at the 1988 Olympics.

Raised in Coquitlam and residing in Vancouver today, Karin got her start as a part-time weekend sports researcher at CBC Vancouver in 1988. She worked in various roles on shows like the CBC’s NHL Breakaway and BCTV’s Down the Stretch. Later she co-hosted CBC Vancouver’s Seeking Stanley.

Since 1993 Karin has worked CBC network broadcasts of major sports events around the world, covering 11 Olympics, five Paralympics, several Grey Cups, the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs, and countless Vancouver Canucks and BC Lions games. In 2006, Karin co-hosted CBC’s coverage of the Closing Ceremony of the Torino Winter Olympics. She has since served as CBC’s lead announcer for Olympic sports such as triathlon and wrestling.

Career highlights have included covering Carol Huynh’s 2008 Olympic gold medal in wrestling, calling Simon Whitfield’s dramatic come-from-behind 2008 silver medal, and commentating on sister Christine Larsen and Canadian teammates winning silver in synchronized swimming at the 1996 Olympics.

Written and researched by Jason Beck, Curator of the BC Sports Hall of Fame. 

To read more on the career of Karin Larsen, please see the April 2022 Curator’s Corner article here: https://bcsportshall.com/curator-corner/karin-larsen-athlete-broadcaster-the-best-of-both-worlds-2021-inductee-spotlight/