USASJ Story Project 21-DEC-2014 FRANK PENNEY

COLORADO SKI HALL of FAMER FRANK PENNEY had a storied career as an

 athlete and went on to be a beloved coach in Winter Park.   

FRANK PENNEY, Chief of Story
1925- 2010
Winter Park, CO

Introduction from Dennis McGrane who skied out of Winter Park in the 70's.  To see Dennis's 2013 story click here
Frank coached ski-jumping at Winter Park, Co. from 1965 until it was abolished in 2004 by Interwest Corp. to make room for more beginner terrain.  The following excerpt is from his bio prior to being inducted into the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame.   Frank was always full of passionate stories.  In his later years, Jamie Scholl a Winter Park coaching icon, would joke with Frank when assigning jobs at the hill.  He would assign Frank the job of “Chief of Story” which always raised a chuckle.

Frank Penney Autobiography

My first memory of using skis was in 1930 when I was five years old.  Someone had left a pair of 7 foot pine boards by the house.  It was quite a new sensation to slide 30 or 40 feet on them.  Things went fine until I crossed a ditch and one ski broke at the mortised hole where the toe strap went through.  From this point on things improved.  My dad got me a pair of 5 foot maple skis from Montgomery Ward.  Those were much more modern with leather heel straps with buckle and tow irons belted through a mortised hole.  The toe irons played havoc on the rubber overshoes I wore though. All this was about 1930, taking place on our homesteaded land between Grand Lake and Granby, Colorado.

This equipment lasted until about 1934 when I recall winning a Grand Lake school long distance ski jump.  The two long jumpers went over 50 feet and both fell, but I went 42 feet and rode it.  I didn't get much opportunity to ski frequently with others since we lived on a ranch seven miles from Grand Lake, so my early training was mostly all experimental on my own.  My ski jump designs were copied from the ones my cousins in town used and made by the older ski jumpers.  Those were always a 2 foot donkey jump with a flat landing.  Nevertheless, I built and rebuilt jumps in the middle of a small hill so I could land on the steep part.  This never worked very well because I never had a hill with a natural knoll.

Following the death of my father in 1937 my mom, sister and I moved to Grand Lake in the wintertime. There during my 7th, 8th, and 9th grades I got enough ski jumping on gradually larger hills to learn that I was "hooked" on the sport and that occasional winning was sure fun.  During these years we skied in county school ski meets and Southern Rocky Mountain meets at Steamboat Springs and Hot Sulphur Springs

EVENT: Year, 1934 at a Grand Lake Winter Sports Club meet:  The big guys had finished their competition (jumping 150 to 165 feet) so I went across the outrun from the parked cars so I could listen to the big guys get ready for the long standing jump.  One fellow was particularly loud and brash.  His concern over and over was that the long standing event was a mens' event and we don't want any kids. (I later found out that he was John Steele, a '32 Olympian).  Then more noise.  The "kid" he was concerned about was Gordon Wren from Steamboat Springs!

EVENT: In 1939 the Hot Sulphur Springs Ski Club had the jumps on Mt. Bross across the river from town.  It seemed like a big hill at the time.  I asked my cousin "What do we do on this hill?"  He said "Jus wait a minute" and then "there, do what that guy just did."  That guy was Alf Engen.  After one day of practice I was hitting that take off good.  I was in Class D and beat all in that class plus the Class C and Class B beginners with jumps of 44 meters.  Boy oh boy!  Was I ever happy!  I had visions of what a great prize I would be awarded at the Legion Hall that night, maybe a 1/2 ton of coal or a bushel of assorted groceries.  The big shot handed me an envelope.  Inside it stated "Winner will receive one week at Camp Chief Ouray, the YMCA."!  I survived four days, even after being thoroughly chewed out for putting the bridle and saddle on my assigned numbered horse.

In the fall of 1940 we moved to Fort Collins to attend high school.  To go to an accredited high school in Grand county in those days required living in Kremmling or going outside the county. During the high school years getting to ski meets was a problem.  However, I did get to the Steamboat Springs Winter Carnival in '41, '42 and '43.  Bus fare from Ft. Collins to Denver was about $1.00 and train fare to Granby was about $1.25.  That was home country where I could get a ride.

The Estes Park Ski Club occasionally put on a summer ski jump meet about the first weekend in June after Trail Ridge road was opened.  The snow was trucked in and put on the hill with an old mine car on some track.  The hill was probably good for 150 feet.  I recall the 1940 meet.  After the hill was well packed and the snow cement offered a suitable surface, the meter chain was strung out.  An old timer looked at the situation and advised with authority and a Norwegian accent, "Vell boys, Ve got many tourists here today, Give me about 30 feet of that chain and ve stuff it under ze jump."  That was Alf Engan talking.

EVENT:  The meets at Homewood Park (near Tiny Town) were always fun.  They sometimes had as much or more snow than we had at Grand Lake in early January.  In about 1940 we had finished our competition on the hill that was good for distances of 65 to 75 feet.  It was lunch time and three of us went to examine the big-big jump.  It had a real high, shaky scaffold and looked like a hill good for over 200 feet.  (1). If one didn't turn in the air the takeoff would head you for the trees and (2) it looked to be at least 90 to 95 feet to get you over the knoll into the steep landing.  We decided it was not a good risk.  To help us move off the scaffold we got thunderous instructions from the flat, like "get the h--- off there, you idiots"! We went down to the men's 50 meter hill and managed on not an extra wide in-run scaffold to make a nice three abreast jump.

EVENT:  The last ski meet that I went to during the war was in February, 1943 at Steamboat Springs.  It was a fun meet with few competitors because most were in the service.  We had a downhill race off Howelson Hill, with start gate and finish gate.  I took a straight line short-cut.  Never before had I ever gone so fast on alpine skis.  My short-cut didn't work too well.  The winner, Barney McLean beat Walter Prager with a time of 18 seconds.  I was fast at 28 seconds. The jumping was great fun.  The hill was good for around 80 meters distance then.  I made a couple of rides and then went up the boat tow with some Army guy.  He said, "I was watching you, let's watch each other."  Fine with me.  He offered, "After each jump let's take two big steps down and then land in the same spot." (He had a marker at about 250 feet).  On the fourth jump he asked to jump last and would I go back up the jump and report back to him what his tracks looked like.  I did as asked.  To my astonishment I could see his "trademark" two 3 grooved tracks that indented the hard packed snow about 3/8 inch by my guess.  Like he said, it's easier to properly "hit the takeoff" at a slower in run speed.  That was my most fun day of ski jumping.  It was Torger Tokle.  Later I read that in the four years he was with us he jumped in 44 meets, won 39 of them, and established 22 new hill records.

Some six weeks following my high school graduation I was asked by my friends and neighbors to help out with the defeat of Hitler and Tojo.  My skiing efforts were put on hold. I had about six months of Army training, half of infantry and half as an artillery mechanic.  I ended up as a truck driver and squad leader in France, Germany, etc.  After the war in September, 1945, I was injured in a truck accident in Germany.  The repair and healing of the broken femur put me in bed for 13 months.  After my discharge in February, 1947, I gradually got my leg to bend.  Then I was off to the University of Colorado in Boulder to pursue a degree in Engineering.  This turned out to be a Geology degree, a field that occupied me for 33 years.  During my college years I did a little alpine skiing and ski jumped some. In 1949 I jumped both at Steamboat Springs and at Estes Park, where I entered the Southern Rocky Mountain Classic Combined held at Estes Park in 1949.  (The title of the meet was shortly after changed to "Nordic Combined"). My training consisted of about 7 or 8 one hour afternoons trotting around the track at the C.U. stadium.  I borrowed some cross country skis from Ross Chivers and of all things won the cross country event!  A second place in the ski jumping gave me the Class B combined medal.  A close friend said to me , "look at the meet this way: Gordon Wren won Class A but he's a professional (teaching skiing at Steamboat Springs) and Marvin Crawford was second but he's still a junior, so you are the champ! 

Although my injured leg was getting back in shape, in August, 1949, when working at a summer job as a lineman, a rotten pole went over with me near Granby.  This brought 5 weeks of bed duty with a fracture tibia and. cracked pelvis.  Following healing I was ready to ski again in February, 1951.  My training was what one would describe as extremely limited.  I borrowed some standard 8 foot Northland jumping skis from a friend, Ross Chivers, and was able to crowd in four practice rides at Winter Park. Then off to Steamboat Springs.  I was having great fun on the 60 meter hill, going about 170 to 180 feet while preparing for the Class B competition. An older jumper approached me and began a big sales pitch about how well I was Jumping, etc., and "why don't you come with me and try the 90 meter hill?''  I agreed.  I had jumped it before but not since it had been remodeled to go 90 meters.  The first ride was entirely a new experience. My only "concern" while studying the take off of other jumpers was "I've got to hit this take off right at the end with all the spring and force I can muster." My concern was almost excluded from my mind on the inrun about half way to the jump.  The inrun had yet to be designed to allow a gradual increase of speed.  It felt like 90% of your acceleration happened within about 70 to 80 feet. Later, I heard another jumper simply refer to my 70 to 80 feed section as, "Oh, you mean that part where you don't make any tracks". In any event, I can still recall that welcome feeling of having some weight again at the beginning of the table of the jump.  The acquaintance who encouraged me to jump on the 90 meter hill had one last bit of advice: in a mixed American-Austrian accent that I well remember Hans said "You have not trouble, just don’t get rattled."  The next morning I thought I'd get a few more jumps completed but the P.A. system announced "all Class A and B jumpers to the top of the 90 meter hill, it looks like a storm coming in"  What's going on here….No Class B on the 60 meter hill?  Oh well!  It was fun.  A fellow named Aunsten Samuelson had the long jumps.  He went 316 feet, a record that lasted about 12 years.  I had the short jumps.  But just think, if there had been a Winners' Platform, I would have been there.  There were three jumpers in Class B and I got third place!

In 1965, I started coaching ski jumping on weekends at Winter Park, where I coached for 37 years. There I made my last ski jump on the 50 meter hill at age 50.  My best memories of ski jumping are always of the joy of progress shown by changes evident as the young jumpers grow from competitors to outstanding citizens.

ALL STAR COACHING STAFF AT WINTER PARK 1972.  A who's who of big names 

from left to right- Dale Thompson, Frank Penney, Bob Scholl, Pete Wither, Pop 

Sorensen, Crosby Smith, Thos Groswold, and Glen Clayton.

Editor's Note-
To see Frank's page in the Colorado Ski & Snowboard Museum Hall of Fame, click here

USASJ Story Project 20-DEC-2014 VESNA DAMLJANOVIC

PASSION RECOGNIZED.  Vesna, far left, no. 176, had a fascination for ski jumping from a young age but didn't get a chance to realize it until later in life thanks to happenstance (and an adventurous soul!).  Shown here at the Andover Outing Club with other members of the 2010 Holderness ski jumping team.

VESNA DAMLJANOVIC
North Conway, NH & Cambridge, MA
damljano@yahoo.com

I was a substitute math teacher for 2 months at Holderness Jan-Feb 2010 and, by the dint of circumstances, I had all but hi-jacked the Holderness Ski Jumping team from its coach Doug Kendall. When we had first met during a school lunch, I was astonished to learn that this sweet and bookish Latin teacher was also a ski jumping coach!  He was delighted with my story of a bed-ridden girl in then-Yugoslavia living for the ski jumping coverage on TV all her childhood.  And thus we struck a friendship that was to bring to pass the events that I describe here.

First time I saw a ski-jumper on TV at the age of 7 or 8, I was mesmerized and never got over it.  Soon I had to watch every competition shown on TV.  As a Serbian in Yugoslavia AND a girl, there was no chance I'd ever even see a ski jumping hill, let alone fly from one.  Slovenians had the ski culture, in Serbia skiing was a rare recreation sport.  I had watched it simply for the pure esthetic pleasure and the glimpse of freedom of flying.   I had a bad case of child asthma with frequent bouts of bronchitis, and my parents kept me in bed, away from 'dangers' of sports and recreation.   But when I had hard time breathing and the panic started to set in, it was thinking of flying off the ski jump that got me to calm down.  When I felt better, I bullied my younger sister into spotting me as I jumped off from the edge of my bed in perfect form.  I studied keenly how the real jumpers did it and had it dialed in to perfection.   But she never took it as serious as I and often botched my perfect take off.  We invariably collapsed in a heap on the floor and my parents rushed in with admonishments. 

My family eventually bought into the beauty of it, and the highlight of our family life was waking up late on New Years Day, piling up in front of the TV still in our PJs, first for the New Year's Concert In Vienna, and following right up, the crown of the day—The Four Hills Tournament!!  As we became professional ski-jumping spectators, we all adopted our favorites.  I loved watching Matti Nykänen fly, although I couldn't fit his his baby-face to his drinking.  My dad and my sister changed camps for each event and my mom adored the blond, smiling Dieter Thoma.  We all, of course, rooted for our boys, the Slovenians, especially Primoz Ulaga and we were shattered when he missed the gold on the ski-flying championship in Oberstdorf in 1988 by few points to a Norwegian!  

I had gone a long way since that little sick-bed spectator....The love for flying got me into parachuting at an early age of 16 (unheard of back home at the time) and studying aerospace engineering at college.  I spent my 20's and 30's running marathons, climbing high-altitude mountains, cycling across Europe and ice climbing some hard New England routes, skiing mostly as a means of approach to climbs, rather than as a sport on itself.  I came to US for grad school in applied physics in '95, took an academic career, eventually getting fed up with it.  I entered a proper mid-life crisis by quitting my faculty position at a big university, learning how to drive, piling up all my climbing, cycling and golf gear into my station wagon, and driving off into the sunset in the direction of Mount Washington Valley.  The plan was to live simply while enjoying the outdoors and trying various professions, from mountain guiding to teaching high school math to consulting, and everything in between.

That's how I landed in Holderness in January 2010 as a substitute math teacher and that's where my spectator story turns into a ski-jumper story.  I couldn't believe it when Doug Kendal, once I calmed down about the idea of an Latin teacher and ski jumping coach in one, asked simply "You wanna try?" I was instantly shoved back to Belgrade, to my childhood frame-of-mind, amazed at the idea. "No way!" And Doug said flatly "If you can hold your skis parallel down the hill for a few seconds, you can do it.  I jumped too!"  Well!  If a Latin teacher can ski jump, a math teacher can too!!

Doug outfitted me with some ancient boots and skis and a few technical tips.  When the big day arrived I had, mercifully, only one class in the morning--the kids learned nothing that day!   We drove to Proctor Academy with all of the Holderness team—total of 1 kid at the time—and were welcome by ubiquitous, tireless Tim Norris.  On that first day Doug had me ride the 10K landing hill first, which was no biggie, and then jump, which was no biggie either.  I got bolder and bolder with each jump and was actually able to register with my mind the rush of air, the tightness of my quads on the in-run, and the glorious split second in the air!!  All my childhood practice was finally paying back! 

The evening after my first ski jump, back at Holderness, the poor kids at my table couldn't eat their dinner in peace from my excited recounting of that glorious first flight!  "What?!  You can go ski jumping any time you want, and you haven't tried it yet???"  Talk about pressure... In my remaining time there, each week we were joined by more and more Holderness kids, and even a few teachers, who were infected by my euphoria.  And soon we were joined by the US Olympian, and special adviser to the Holderness team, Walter Malmquist, who fed my enthusiasm into a danger zone!  I would have been happy to just 'fly' off the 10K till the rest of my days, but Walter would hear none of it.  "You are ready for the 18K!  It's just a bigger 10K."

I spent the night before my first 18K flight in turmoil.  This is way more than a mid-life crisis, my mind was screaming.  That's why they start 'em early, it's easy for those kids to have no fear, their prefrontal cortex is not developed yet!  And the math teacher who needed to keep some authority for classroom use was thinking: I'll embarrass myself in front of my students!  And the coughing and wheezing kid was refusing to stay in the past.  Walter and Doug had a good idea of my state of mind on the D-Day, whisking me away from the 10K were I tried to look inconspicuous.  As I carried my skis to the top of the 18K very very slowly, a succession of flying squirrels (8-10 yr olds) whizzed by.  Seeing that there was no backing off now, I got to the start position numb with fear.  I clicked my skis on in slow motion, adjusted my gloves and grabbed the gate.  Walter said “When you take off, make a big grunt, it helps release the energy as you explode!”  Doug was getting the camera ready.  The flying squirrels were cheering.  The whole Andover was looking.  I rocked back and forth.  I looked down the in-run—it fell off at the horizon.   I rocked and rocked...  The flying squirrels were screaming “You can do it Vesna!!!!” I rocked some more.  It went on and on for eons.  I started noticing things.  I noticed I was making little whimpering noises.  I noticed I was tired of not knowing if I was going or staying.  At last, I got tired of being scared and just let go.  

Swoooooooshshshshshsh!  That was me, skis straight on the in-run, mind shocked at the noise and the speed of it, thighs burning, and before I knew it—the lip!  All my expertise in physics was erased by that one moment of pure mortification.  But the instinct kicked in beautifully!  I exploded up, just as I did as a kid, and I let out the grunt à la Malmquist (though a video proves it was a squeak after a wimpy hop) and I was air-born!   “I am flying!!!”  was the first thought, quickly replaced by “This is insane!!!” which quickly deteriorated my posture into that of a person looking left and right for a break handle.  The land arrived before I had the chance to sort it out.  I touched down surprisingly gently, but slid off to my hip, just to be on the safe side.  Wee-ha!  Survived my first Olympic flight!  And all the fear, the mortification—instantly forgotten!!  Just this immeasurable elation...  Even if for a split second, the feeling of air under my feet was glorious!  I was ecstatic, simply couldn't believe it, talked about nothing else for weeks. 

My style improved nicely thanks to Walter and Doug who were super coaches.  They sure made me feel like an Olympian.  Walter never gave up trying to persuade me to try the 30K hill, but one look down from the top of the in-run told me it is better left for my next reincarnation.  But I loved flying off the 18K and even took part in a local meet in Andover, finished mid-crowd of about dozen 18K competitors (aged 8-15 and me, age 40) and won a special mention award (a paper plate plaque) for the most enthusiastic new master.  That paper plate is more precious to me than all my marathon medals together!  I clocked in a total of 40-50 jumps with Holderness in my short but sweet ski jumping career.  

Back in Belgrade, friends were excited, did some checking, and it turned out I was the first Serbian ever, male or female, to have ski jumped in the history of our nation!  That sure is something, but what made it such a grand experience for me was the community and spirit I was a part of in that brief time.  I loved hanging out with everybody.  Kids, parents, coaches—everybody cheering....  Parents, staff and coaches just tireless in keeping the hills in good shape.  I know you all would love to see this sport raised to the level of financial support some other sports have in US, but I think this kind of camaraderie and home-made atmosphere is only possible in a non-mainstream sport.  I would much rather have hundreds of kids experience this atmosphere all through their childhood, than things getting more competitive and more selective, for that one single kid to make it to the Olympic podium!!

After Holderness, I had many adventures including a solo ice climbing expedition in Norwegian Arctic in 2013 and even lived for a while in a tiny fjord even further north.  I now spend my time between Cambridge, MA where I do a bit of teaching and consulting, and my beloved Mt Washington Valley, where I roam the mountains and climb cliffs in all weather.   And every now and then I run into someone who was a part of this ski-jumping culture in Northern New England.  I am so glad I was a part of it too!

Editor's Note-

Vesna's story is longer than most which she attributes to her Serbian roots.  She says there is no term for "elevator pitch" in the Serbian language!  Vesna is also a born adventurer... to see information and video trailer of her 2013 expedition to Arctic Norway click here

USASJ Story Project 19-DEC-2014 JERRY BORGEN

ALL ROADS LEAD TO RED WING! (ON THE SNUS BOX TRAIL)- Harris Anderson and Bill Ward concocted a great marketing campaign that used 2,500 Copenhagen tobacco tins to lure 25,000 spectators to the 1928 National Ski Jumping Tournament, hosted on Charlson Hill in Red Wing, MN.

JERRY BORGEN
Age 85
Red Wing, MN
Aurora Ski Club 1935-1950. President of Friends of American Ski Jumping and the American Ski Hall of Fame

jerryborgen1@gmail.com

A Story About Harris F. Andersen- My Grandfather, My Mentor, My Friend

Harris F. Andersen, was one of the All American ski jumpers in the late 1800's and early 1900's.  The All Americans were a group of 10 young men, all born in America, but all with Norwegian blood, except one with German ancestry.   They were taught to ski jump by the Hemmestvedt brothers and were the premier jumpers in that era.  They would go to tournaments and come back with 5 out of the top 10 trophies time and time again.

Harris was the instigator that got the Kiwanis Club to build a toboggan slide down College Hill and build cement steps up Barn Bluff in Red Wing, Minnesota.   He was also the President of the National Ski Association in 1927 and with his influence, got the National Ski Jumping tournament to come to Red Wing in 1928 and again in 1936. 

He promoted the National with the Snus Box Trail.  He and Bill Ward contacted the Copenhagen Tobacco Co. and got them to send 2500 empty boxes of Snus, a chewing tobacco.   They attached them to a 4 foot lathe and got the Red Wing Shoe Salesman to put them on telephone poles, snow banks, and bulletin boards all over the 5 state area.  The marketing scheme worked as there were 25,000 people in attendance in a town of 6,000.   Marketing 101!

He sold real estate, but was a great public speaker and kept audiences in stiches with his jokes.

A great golfer, several times club champion at the Red Wing Golf Club.   He was a hunter and fisherman.   A baseball player that played for the Red Wing Pickets in the late 1800's.

My brother Tom and I learned to ski jump because of Grandpa.   Our first tournament was in his backyard, and after the tourney we all headed for my parents grocery and restaurant for hot dogs and cocoa, followed by awards from Grandpa Harris.  It was like getting an Oscar from Bob Hope.    He had several neighborhood tournaments while Tom and I grew up, but it got bigger than our neighborhood.  He went to the City Council and got them to build two scaffolds at the Athletic Field and from then on it was a City Wide Pee Wee tournament. 

He died in 1940 from a massive heart attack and the city wept.  He died before seeing his two grandsons jump at Coon Hill, Theodore Wirth, Winona, or Duluth.   Our scaffold blew down in 1950, but to preserve the history of the wonderful sport of ski jumping Bryan Sanders and I started the All American Ski Jumping Museum and Hall of Fame located in the St. James Hotel and Grandpa Harris was inducted into our Hall of Fame in 2008.  Red Wing staged one of the first tournaments in the nation and claims to be the birthplace of ski jumping in the USA.

There is movement for a feasibility study to build another Olympic size ski jump in Red Wing.  There are plenty of hills and the history of the sport is fabulous, thanks to Grandpa.

Editor's Note-

To learn more about the American Ski Jumping Hall of Fame and Museum founded by Jerry Borgen and Bryan Sanders, click here

For more information on Charlson Hill, click here

Grandpa Harris was natural leader and quick with a joke.  He started and promoted 

just about everything good that happened in Red Wing from 1900 to 1940.

The poster advertising the National Ski Jumping Tournament hosted by the Aurora 

Ski Club in Red Wing in 1928.   Note that in 1928 skiing was ski jumping!

 

Construction of the Charlson Hill around 1925.  Before OSHA.  Anyone want to set tracks?

 

  

USASJ Story Project 18-DEC-2014 CHARLES BRAINARD

THE FIRST EVER BIATHLON EVENT IN THE USA WAS HELD AT CAMP HALE, CO in FEBRUARY 1957.
Charlie Brainard, pictured, shooting prone on the first biathlon course ever built in the USA at Camp Hale.
Charlie won the A class made up of fellow troopers.

CHARLIE BRAINARD

Age 77

Hartford, CT

Kent School & Yale- Captain '55 & '62. U.S Army 10th 56 -58 Colorado/Alaska

cbrainardjr@comcast.net

I call the event "FIRE & ICE"... conventional XC race interspersed with a "centering down" akin to watch repair of your Rolex in the snow 4x's. Some contrast.  I didn't have any input into designing the course in the fall of '56 other than as an observer..20K, as I recall, with 4 rifle ranges spread out. 30-06 rifle safety, much bridging of creeks with Aspen trees, some grading/clearing etc. The design was done by our Finnish contingent, U S officers & survivors of the Russo/Finnish War. Majors. Lahdenpera, Aculqla, Pettijari & other unpronounceables. By snowfall the course was ready.

Mountain & Cold Weather Training Command, the link between the two 10th' s (Camp Hale & Ft Drum) first "ran the course" in our Ski Championships of '57. We had our own downhill & slalom events, but invited the local college XC teams to the biathlon.  DU with Willy Schaeffler; CU with Tom Jacobs (later Reliable Racing founder); Western State w/ Sven Wik.  Wyoming U. brought their own hunting rifles mostly mod #70 Winchesters 30-06 cal; XC racing gear and skis.  They raced as Open Class while we "The Troops" , raced in Class "A"  with vastly inferior stuff: M-1 rifles, all 9 1/2 lbs, "Mickey Mouse" boots (rubber with no support) but good for -50F. Our skis solid hickory, no edges; pine tar bottoms, and a "leather thing" called a balata binding. Leather laced heel & toe, connected by a piece of flat fire hose.. Climbing & downhill control was extremely difficult..."Live - it- up"... many crashes.

The 4 ranges were between 50 and 150 meters, standing, kneeling, sitting & prone..5 shots @ 12 inch bulleyes with one minute added for each miss. They were grouped in sets of 5, so careful counting was important if you were bib #23.

On the day of the 1st ever biathlon in USA- February 17, 1957- I guess about 40 of us "troopers" raced together (voluntary) with 25 college boys, them first at 1 minute intervals. I ran 17th, a minute behind Sgt. Marvin Crawford from Steamboat and an Olympic Nordic combined racer. I figured he might be P.O.ed having to run in such lousy gear, so if I could keep him in contact, I might have a shot. I hung on to Marv, came in 2nd on time and won the class on better riflery. The trophy hangs on my cabin wall in Bondville, Vt.

Only 57 years ago..  Not "yumping " but SKIING & FUN

Nordic combined skier Marvin Crawford, pictured above, helped pace Brainard to his biathlon victory in 1957.  Crawford was a 14 time US national champion and member of the 1956 Olympic team,

Editor's Note-

Follow-up from Charlie, setting the scene- 

A little background: The USA, was hosting the' 60 Olympics @ Squaw Valley, CA. where biathlon was to be introduced as a medal event at the Games; sponsored by the European nations, but almost unknown here.  Facing the Olympic Committee in the fall of '57, no squad from which to build a team nor any facilities. The question was " HOW " & "WHO"?  Suddenly, a light bulb.  Don't we have some mountain troops at Camp Hale with bulldozers & time on their hands? This was the first 20K biathlon course in  USA.with/ 4 ranges scattered along every 3 or 4K's. Only there because the government owned the land, dependable winter snow, no complaining civilians, 150 troopers with bulldozers and time to construct in 6 -8 weeks from mid-October until real winter came in December. It was a "practice run" etc for the Olympic course at Squaw 3 years down the road.  I believe our Olympic squad of "hopefuls" relocated and trained there prior to the Games. All college types.  I was out of the Army & skiing for "The Eli's" by winter '60. 

Chalie, pictured above, skied four events at Yale and was captain of the ski team as a senior in 1962.

USASJ Story Project 17-DEC-2014 TOM RICCHIO

Tom Ricchio showing some classic style on a bluebird day in Coleraine, MN.

TOM RICCHIO

Age 67

Iola Winter Sports Club

Iola, WI

ricchiotj@tds.net

My jumping career started I would have to say maybe somewhat differently than most.  I was eight years old living in Racine, Wisconsin and had no idea of what ski jumping even was.  I was literally dragged by my dad to join a friend of his along with his friend's son on a downhill ski trip.  That trip as it turned out was to Iron Mt., Michigan.  Wouldn't you know that it was the same weekend that the jumping tournament was going on at Pine Mt.  I saw that hill and the jumpers flying off of that thing, and I was hooked.  I went back to the downhill area to try and find some bump on the hill that I could try and jump off of.  Before we left I remember telling my dad that someday I was going to jump off of that giant hill.  I'm not sure what he said back then, but I doubt if he took me seriously.  Well fast forwarding ten years and he and I were back in Iron Mt.  This time I had my blue 8 foot Northlands with me, and I was there to take my first jumps off the first ski jump we had ever seen.  I remember that first jump like it happened today.  No track, some light snow falling, and for the first time in my skiing career I remember thinking that I was not completely sure I should be doing this.  Doug Kopelke, Mike Probst and I headed up.  Doug was first.  He jumped there the year before and most can remember that famous photo of him with his tips against his chest going over the knoll.  He was nuts, and Mike and I were much more concerned as I remember.  All went well for the three of us as we ran up to take another ride.  A month later I was on my way to the military, and nine months later my dad passed away.  The last jump he saw of mine was on the first ski jump either of us had ever seen.  I never jumped the hill after that, but it will always have a special place in my heart.  Thanks for bringing up to Iron Mt.,dad.

Editor's note-

Some more background from Tom- 

I jumped for the Racine Ski Club from 1958 thru 1970 when I returned from the military. The club folded while I was away because of a liability law suit. I then joined Norge, and jumped for them until I purchased land in Iola, Wisconsin in the mid 90's. I moved to Iola in 2003 and am still taking a few jumps at age 67. I spend a lot of time at the hill on projects, and coaching the local kids. Like most of us, ski jumping is a huge part of my life, and always will be. 

USASJ Story Project 16-DEC-2014 HANS BEREND

SETTING THE BAR HIGH.  The ski jumps at Villach with burgers and brats grilling, an Austrian Band playing, and Villacher beer on tap!  This was the scene that set HANS BEREND on a mission!  Join him this year in Steamboat for a great 4th of July event that sprang from visiting Villach!  Or better yet, let Steamboat's event inspire your club to create your own event. 

HANS BEREND

Steamboat Springs, CO

hansheid@comcast.net

I am not a ski jumper, or Nordic combined athlete; I am a diehard fan.  I am involved in fund raising for USA Ski Jumping Nordic Combined.  My son is a Nordic combined athlete and I have become an avid follower of the jumping sports.  In an effort to spread the word and to help fund the European base camp for our Nordic combined athletes for the 2013 season, I organized a trip for a group of enthusiasts to watch our NC Development Team compete at the Grand Prix events at Villach, Austria.

Our group enjoyed the food and spirits of Slovenia, Austria, Italy and Germany as we toured the marvelous jump complex at Planica, and watched training and comps in Villach, and Kranj, Slovenia.  It was awesome to see our US athletes improve as they became accustomed to the high pressure, lower altitude jumps.  In between jumping sessions there was a 100 kilometer bike path to cycle (we brought bikes on the plane)…..in just a short ride from our quarters in Slovenia we could ride into Italy or Austria.

I can not begin to describe the experience of viewing ski jumping in Europe, where the events are huge festivals with hundreds, even thousands of fans, music, food and local beers.  It was exciting to see our athletes compete against the European's on their home turf….the level of competition was exceptional.  I had never experienced anything like it in our country and returned with a mission to carry this spirit with me back to Steamboat Springs.

The following summer we put on a Fourth of July Jump Festival in our Colorado Ski Town to rival the celebration in Villach, pictured above.  We hired a fantastic alphorn band, served craft beers and watched some spectacular ski jumping.  We hope to build on this event in the future and welcome all of you to come join us in celebrating the jumping sports on the4th of July in Steamboat Springs.  I also challenge you to plan a vacation to Europe and attend a ski jumping or Nordic combined event to see our US athletes competing against their overseas rivals.  If you do, you may see me there!

The victory party with the development athletes and their enthusiastic fans in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia after the Grand Prix event at Villach.

USASJ Story Project 15-DEC-2014 MARTIN JONES

KING OF THE HILL- Gary George (left) is a constant presence at the Blackwater ski area, home to the Andover (NH) Outing Club and Proctor Academy ski team.  Gary is standing with Mike Henriques, the Proctor Head of School.

MARTIN JONES

Andover Outing Club

Sutton Mills, N.H.

jonesfamily@mcttelecom.com

The Blackwater Man- GARY GEORGE

Every jumping facility has one.  The person who makes things go at the hill.  They  can be very much a behind the scenes person or team, but without them you aren't going to jump very much.  Some of the ones I know are, Jay Hudson and John Farnham at Lebanon.  Hanover's, Harry Roberts and Tom Dodds, the Howe family at Gunstock, Jay Rand, Larry Stone and Mouse at Lake Placid.  Lots more I'm missing, but this is a tribute to them all, especially the main man at the Andover Outing Club, Gary George .

     

It’s a Monday in January, 3:45 PM and you have just pulled into the Blackwater parking lot.  A cold afternoon, but perfect for jumping.  You’re really ready to have a good day.  All the jumps are covered and tracked out.  The ski hill is busy with racers practicing, XC skiers are headed in every direction, and both lifts are turning, taking skiers of all varieties to their respective practice areas.  Do you ever think to ask yourself,” How does this all happen?”  It’s a pretty simple answer in Andover when you break it all down.  Gary George.  His hand and efforts are behind everything you see at the Blackwater, and even more that you don’t see.  He makes the snow, grooms it, hauls material to build or repair the jumps, grades the hill, cuts the brush and grass, services the lifts, and gets them inspected.  He maintains the snow machines, and cleans the lodge; he’ll even cook you a hot dog and sell you an Snapple.  No facet of the operation doesn’t have Gary involved at some level.  It’s possible though you might not be sure who Gary is.  He probably knows who you are though. He knows most every Proctor, local high school, USSA, or AOC kid who uses the facility, and how well they are skiing.  In his quiet way he moves about the Blackwater doing varied job after job all day long, taking time to engage in small conversations with the young skiers, coaches, and parents waiting in the lodge.   He gathers information and dispenses it.   Want to know what the weather coming up is?  Ask Gary.  Want to know who’s really skiing well in N.H.?  Ask Gary.  Want to know who’s practicing on Thursday 4-6?  Ask Gary.  He has his finger on the pulse of all things skiing; particularly at the Blackwater ski area.  

     

Skiing in Gary’s family was a part of the natural progression of growing up.  In addition to being the grounds and buildings superintendent at Proctor Academy, his father Howard, owned the Blackwater ski shop.   He was also an accomplished ski coach for Proctor’s  women's ski team.   Gary’s mother Ellie ran the Blackwater shop, and was a ski instructor at Ragged Mt., and then King Ridge.   Gary began his skiing career initially at Ragged Mountain, (the first one) learning to ski there.  He of course  gravitated to racing at an early age and by 10 years old was a very active participant in the N.H. division of the Buddy Werner league.  Gary enrolled  at Proctor when it was time for high school,l and ski raced all 4 years there, graduating in 1978.  His coach while at  Proctor was present day A.O.C. legend Bert Hinkley.  While skiing for Proctor Gary won both New England Prep School Championships (N.E.P.S.A.C.) in slalom and Giant slalom.  When I asked Howard if Gary ever jumped or participated in X-C for Proctor he said, “No, I don't believe he ever crossed over to that side.”  After graduation Gary spent another year polishing his racing skills at the then Pat’s Peak Academy.   This was a local ski academy which served many area and N.H. advanced racers.  During this year Gary raced all over the U.S., and even in the remote nation of Iceland.  Among his notable feats during this period was a win in a Giant Slalom race at Attitash over Franz Webber; who at that time held the world’s speed skiing record of over 100 MPH.  Franz apparently couldn’t turn them as well as Gary could, but Gary obviously could go fast.   For the next year Gary worked on the construction of Interstate 393 in Manchester N.H., and then returned to Proctor to become the Grounds Superintendent and ski team coach.  

In 1982 Gary was appointed the Manager of the Blackwater ski area. It has been during his tenure as manager that all the improvements which we take for granted today at the Blackwater have occurred.  Through Gary's efforts it was decided that snowmaking should be put in at the area.  He was able to sell this critical improvement by utilizing the system during the summer as an irrigation system for the Athletic fields at Proctor.  That is why Carr field on Rt.11 always looks in such magnificent shape.  The handle tow to the top of coaches knoll was another great Gary idea.  Ask Nick Fairall what practice used to be like before the tow was put in.  4 rides off the 38 was a good practice session.  The Base Lodge?  It’s hard to describe how much of an upgrade the present Yarrows Lodge is over the hut we used to have.  With the new ski lift, improved illumination, widening, and lengthening of the ski trails, it's impossible to identify any aspect of the Blackwater facility that hasn’t greatly improved since Gary was named Blackwater Manager.  So the next time you have a good day at the Blackwater as either a regular or a guest at one of the meets, tell Gary thanks; you appreciate all he’s doing to keep the skiing great.  He’ll probably tell you he thought you looked real good on that 28 meter ride you took in practice.

The lodge at the Blackwater ski area has the best cheeseburgers in NH and has seen many improvements under Gary's tenure.  Note the iconic railing made up of old skis.