Born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, he represented Canada at two Winter Olympics and five World Championships.

He was also in the Nations Team Event (NTE), in which Canada won the silver medal.

He graduated from the University of Denver and competed for the Pioneers in alpine skiing.

Read's parents are famous Canadian ski racers Ken and Lynda (Robbins) Read; his father was one of the Crazy Canucks downhill racers of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Younger brother Jeffrey (b.1997) is also a World Cup alpine racer specializing in speed events.