Anne Heggtveit
Encyclopedia
Anne Heggtveit, CM
(born January 11, 1939) is a Canadian
alpine skier
born in Ottawa, Ontario.
in Ottawa, she learned to ski in the nearby Gatineau Hills
of 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 States
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 Winter 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
, her country's highest civilian honor. In addition, she was awarded the Lou 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
.
Heggtveit has a ski run named after her at the Camp Fortune Ski Resort just outside of Ottawa.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(born January 11, 1939) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
alpine skier
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
born in Ottawa, Ontario.
Biography
Her father, Halvor Heggtveit, a Canadian cross-country champion, encouraged her at a young age. A student at Lisgar Collegiate InstituteLisgar Collegiate Institute
Lisgar Collegiate Institute is an Ottawa-Carleton District School Board secondary school in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.Lisgar Collegiate Institute, one of the country's best regarded public schools, is located in downtown Ottawa by the Rideau Canal and is only a few blocks from Canada's Parliament Hill...
in Ottawa, she learned to ski in the nearby Gatineau Hills
Gatineau Hills
The Gatineau Hills are a geological formation in Canada that makes up part of the southern tip of the Canadian Shield, and acts as the northern shoulder of the Ottawa Valley...
of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. In 1954, at the age of 15, she first gained international attention when she became the youngest winner ever of the Holmenkollen
Holmenkollen ski festival
The Holmenkollen Ski Festival is a traditional annual Nordic skiing event in Holmenkollen, Oslo, Norway. The full official name of the event is Holmenkollen FIS World Cup Nordic. It takes place in March and has been arranged every year since 1892, except for 1898 and during World War II...
Giant Slalom event in Norway. She also won a first in slalom and giant slalom in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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 Winter Olympic Games
1956 Winter Olympics
The 1956 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. This celebration of the Games was held from 26 January to 5 February 1956. Cortina, which had originally been awarded the 1944 Winter Olympics, beat out...
in Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo is a town and comune in the southern Alps located in Veneto, a region in Northern Italy. Located in the heart of the Dolomites in an alpine valley, it is a popular winter sport resort known for its ski-ranges, scenery, accommodations, shops and après-ski scene...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
At a time when Europeans dominated alpine skiing, Heggtveit was inspired by the breakthrough performance of countrywoman Lucille Wheeler
Lucille Wheeler
Lucille Wheeler, CM is a Canadian former Alpine skiing world champion. She was born in Montreal, Quebec.-Biography:Wheeler grew up in the village of Sainte-Jovite, Quebec, in the Laurentian mountains...
who had won both the downhill and giant slalom events at the 1958 World Championships. At the 1960 Winter Olympic Games
1960 Winter Olympics
The 1960 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VIII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event held between February 18 and 28, 1960 in Squaw Valley, California, United States. In 1955 at the 50th IOC meeting, the organizing committee made the surprise choice to award Squaw Valley as...
in Squaw Valley, California
Squaw Valley Ski Resort
Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley, California, is one of the largest ski areas in the United States, and was the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics. It is the second-largest ski area at Lake Tahoe , with 33 chairlifts, and has the only funitel lift in the U.S...
, 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
International Ski Federation
The International Ski Federation, known by its name in French, Fédération Internationale de Ski is the main international organisation for ski sports...
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
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
, her country's highest civilian honor. In addition, she was awarded the Lou Marsh Trophy
Lou Marsh Trophy
The Lou Marsh Trophy, also known as the Lou Marsh Memorial Trophy and Lou Marsh Award, is a trophy that is awarded annually to Canada's top athlete, professional or amateur. It is awarded by a panel of journalists, with the vote taking place in December. It was first awarded in 1936...
as Canada's outstanding athlete of 1960.
Heggtveit was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame established in 1955 to "preserve the record of Canadian sports achievements and to promote a greater awareness of Canada's heritage of sport." It is located at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alberta...
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
Canadian Ski Hall of Fame
The Canadian Ski Hall of Fame was created by the Canadian Ski Museum in 1982 to honour skiing pioneers, competitors, coaches, officials, and builders.-A:*Dennis Adkin, 1983**Pierre Alain, 1984*Verne Anderson, 1990**Peter Andrews, 1994...
.
Heggtveit has a ski run named after her at the Camp Fortune Ski Resort just outside of Ottawa.