Canada's Olympic Skiing/Snowboarding Memories
1972 Sapporo, Japan
Canadian Olympic women's ski team [L to R]: Peter Franzen (coach), Judy Crawford, Laurie Kreiner, Dianne Pratte, Kathy Kreiner, [absent]: Carolyn Oughton - CSM# 78.10.1.5
The 1972 Olympic Winter Games were the first to be held outside Europe or the United States. Unfortunately, the issue of professionalism in sport continued. Just three days prior to the Opening Ceremonies, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President, Avery Brundage, threatened to declare a number of top alpine skiers ineligible to compete for non-compliance with amateur ideals. Eventually, only Austrian star Karl Schranz was banned from competition.
The Canadian men's alpine team consisted of Reto Barrington, "Jungle" Jim Hunter, Derek Robbins, coach Gilbert Mollard, and manager Al Raine. The high expectations for alpine skier Betsy Clifford went unrealised when she fell during a training session prior to the Games, fracturing an ankle and damaging her heel.
Canadian Olympic cross country ski team [L to R]: Helen Sander, Roseanne Allen, Sharon Firth, Shirley Firth, Bjorger Pettersen (coach), Roger Allen, Jarl Omholt-Jensen, Malcolm Hunter, Fred Kelly - CSM# x2004.11.2
Of the eight cross country skiers, a record six were from Inuvik, Northwest Territories, including 18-year old twins, Sharon andShirley Firth who became the first aboriginal women to make a Canadian Winter Olympic team. At 21 and 24 years of age respectively, Malcom Hunter and Jarl Omholt-Jensen's lack of experience resulted in poor showings as Hunter placed 43rd, while Omholt-Jensen placed 50th in the 30km event.
Canadian Olympic Pin - CSM#
The women's alpine team had outstanding results in the slalom event with Judy Crawford in 4th, Laurie Kreiner in 12th and Kathy Kreiner in 14th, while in the giant slalom, Laurie Kreiner placed 4th and Diane Pratte 15th. On the men's team, Jim Hunter finished 11th in the giant slalom event. Based on his alpine combined results, Hunter also became the first Canadian male skier to win a World Championship medal, being awarded the bronze medal by the Fédération Internationale de Ski (FIS) shortly after the Games.
Canadian Olympic Men's ski jumping team [L to R]: Peter Franzen (coach), Judy Crawford, Laurie Kreiner, Dianne Pratte, Kathy Kreiner, [absent]: Carolyn Oughton - CSM# 78.10.1.5
Opening date: February 3, 1972
Closing date: February 13, 1972
Candidate cities: Banff (CAN), Lahti/Are (SWE), Salt Lake City (USA)
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