Canada's Olympic Ski/Snowboard Memories

1924 CHAMONIX, FRANCE

Originally called Semaine des sports d'hiver ("International Sports Week") by the French Olympic Committee, these winter sports competitions were held in the same year as the Summer Games in the French town of Chamonix, in the Haute-Savoie. One year later, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognized the International Sports Week as the first official Olympic Winter Games.

An impressive number of 16 nations, represented by 258 athletes (11 women, 247 men), competed in 16 events, four of which involved skiing; cross country (18km, 50km); ski jumping; nordic combined (cross country & jumping); military patrol. Canada was represented by one speed skater, two figure skaters, and nine hockey players who won Canada's only medal of the Games, a gold.

The resort remained without snow until December 23rd, when residents awoke to a fall of 1.10m (3' 8".) Olympic officials and town folk shoveled thousands of cubic metres of snow from the skating rink in preparation for the figure skating, speed skating, and hockey competitions. With only a week remaining, a heavy snowstorm and subsequent thaw turned the rink into a lake. Fortunately, the competitions were saved as a hard frost set in on the eve of the Games.

Opening date: January 25, 1924
Closing date: February 5, 1924
Candidate cities: None

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For a brief history of the Olympic Games, please click here.

To learn more about the skiing disciplines at the Olympic Winter Games, please click here.