| Famous Alumni |
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Our race programs have a history of developing skiers who reach their individual potential and also win races. While our famous alumni includ Patrick Biggs, Ken Read, Anne Heggtveit and Betsy Clifford, we are just as proud of today's Club skiers representing our region in various elite teams.
The Ottawa Ski Club has produced over 65 competitors who have gone on to represent Canada in alpine and Nordic events. Some of the more famous names include: John and Harvey Clifford, Art and Andy Tommy, Anne Heggtveit (1960 Olympic Gold Medalist and World Champion), Betsy Clifford (1970 GS World Champion), Ken Read (winner of 7 World Cup Downhills) and Horst Bulau (winner of several World Cup Jumping events). Our most current alumnus to represent Canada is Patrick Biggs.
Patrick Biggs - Canadian Alpine Ski Team (2004-present)
Ann Heggtveit
Anne Heggtveit (born January 11, 1939 in Ottawa, ONtario) is a Canadian alpine skier. Her father, Halvor Heggtveit, a Canadian cross-country champion, encouraged her at a young age. A student at Lisgar Collegiate Institute in Ottawa, she learned to ski in the nearby Gatineau Hills in Quebec. In 1954, at the age of 15, she first gained international attention when she became the youngest winner ever of the Holmenkollen Giant Slalom event in Norway. She also won a first in slalom and giant slalom in the United Statess national junior championships. Although she suffered from several injuries between 1955 and 1957, she still earned a spot on Canada's team at age 17 at the 1956 Winder Olympic games in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. At a time when Europeans dominated alpine skiing, Heggtveit was inspired by the breakthrough performance of countrywoman Lucille Wheeler who had won both the downhill and giant slalom events at the 1958 World Championships. At the 1960 Winter Olympic Games in Squaw Valley, California, Heggtveit won Canada's first-ever Olympic skiing gold medal. Her victory in the Olympic slalom event also made her the first non-European to win the International Ski Federation slalom and overall world championship. She was the first North American to win the Arlberg-Kandahar Trophy, the most prestigious and classic event in alpine skiing. In her native Canada, her performance on the world stage was recognized when she was made a member of the Order of Canada. In addition, she was awarded the Lu Marsh Trophy as Canada's outstanding athlete of 1960. Heggtveit was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1960. She was voted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1971 and in 1982 was among the first group inducted into the new Canadian Ski Hall of Fame. Ann Heggtveit has a ski run named after her at the Camp Fortune Ski Resort. BETSY CLIFFORD
Betsy had a phenomenal career. At fourteen she was the youngest competitor at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble where Nancy Greene won gold and silver. At sixteen she was the youngest person ever to capture a World Championship. She was the downhill silver medalist at the 1974 World championships, and placed 12 times in the top tem in World Cup races including two slalom gold medals. In 1970, she was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. In 1971, she was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame. Some famous skiers that have come out of the
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| Last Updated ( Friday, 27 August 2010 ) |
