Suzy Chaffee
Encyclopedia
Suzanne "Suzy" Chaffee is a former Olympic
alpine ski racer
and actress. Following her racing career, she modelled in New York with Ford Models
and then became the pre-eminent freestyle
ballet skier of the early 1970s. She is perhaps best known by the sobriquet
, Suzy Chapstick, from the 1970s, when she was a spokesperson for ChapStick
lip balm.
Chaffee's mother, who taught her to ski at the age of 3, would have been an alternate for the US ski team at the 1940 Winter Olympics
. At age 19, Chaffee tried out for, and won a spot on the first US Ski Team while a freshman at the University of Denver
. She finished fifth in the downhill at the 1966 World Championships
. Despite a season-ending crash in 1967 at Vail in the World Cup Series
, she ended the season as the 10th ranked in Women's downhill skier, and the 16th ranked Women's All-Around skier. Chaffee was named captain of the US Women's team and was one of the favorites in the downhill at the 1968 Winter Olympics
in Grenoble
, France. She finished 28th in the downhill, blaming her poor showing on using the wrong wax
, but she made a global impression with her skin-tight silver racing suit. She retired from ski racing after the 1968 Olympics. She was also a three-time world freestyle skiing
champion (1971–73). She was inducted into the National Ski Hall of Fame
in 1988.
As a social activist, Chaffee championed Title IX
legislation (equal opportunity for women in school sports). She was the first woman to serve on the board of the U.S. Olympic Committee
, and has been a member of the President's Council on Physical Fitness under four U.S. presidents. She was a co-founder in 1996 of the Native Voices Foundation, an organization that seeks to develop Olympians from among Native American
tribes.
Chaffee credited rumors that she was having an affair with Ted Kennedy
as helping passage of the Amateur Sports Act of 1978
. "The gossip got the bill through," she told Sports Illustrated
Besides her long-running television ad campaign for ChapStick in the 1970s, she also endorsed Revlon
cosmetics, Dannon yogurt, and Seagram
spirits. She appeared in films such as Ski Lift To Death and Fire and Ice
.
In 2008, she ran for a seat on the Sedona, Arizona
, City Council, but lost.
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...
alpine ski racer
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...
and actress. Following her racing career, she modelled in New York with Ford Models
Ford Models
The Ford Modeling Agency, or as it is known today Ford Models, is a modeling agency in New York City. It was established in 1946 by Eileen and the late Gerard W. Ford.-Company:...
and then became the pre-eminent freestyle
Freestyle skiing
Freestyle skiing is form of skiing which used to encompass two disciplines: aerials, and moguls. Except the two disciplines mentioned earlier Freestyle Skiing now consists of Skicross, Half Pipe and Slope Style...
ballet skier of the early 1970s. She is perhaps best known by the sobriquet
Sobriquet
A sobriquet is a nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another. It is usually a familiar name, distinct from a pseudonym assumed as a disguise, but a nickname which is familiar enough such that it can be used in place of a real name without the need of explanation...
, Suzy Chapstick, from the 1970s, when she was a spokesperson for ChapStick
ChapStick
ChapStick is a brand name for lip balm manufactured by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare and used in Australia, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Colombia, Italy, Chile, Pakistan, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Argentina, the United Kingdom and the United States. It is intended to help treat and prevent chapped...
lip balm.
Chaffee's mother, who taught her to ski at the age of 3, would have been an alternate for the US ski team at the 1940 Winter Olympics
1940 Winter Olympics
The anticipated 1940 Winter Olympics, which would have been officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, were to be celebrated in 1940 in Sapporo, Japan.The games were cancelled due to the onset of World War II...
. At age 19, Chaffee tried out for, and won a spot on the first US Ski Team while a freshman at the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
. She finished fifth in the downhill at the 1966 World Championships
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1966
The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1966 were held in Portillo, Chile, from August 4–14, 1966.To this day, it remains as the only alpine world championship contested in the southern hemisphere...
. Despite a season-ending crash in 1967 at Vail in the World Cup Series
Alpine skiing World Cup
The FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is the top international circuit of alpine skiing competitions, launched in 1966 by a group of ski racing friends and experts which included French journalist Serge Lang and the alpine ski team directors from France and the USA...
, she ended the season as the 10th ranked in Women's downhill skier, and the 16th ranked Women's All-Around skier. Chaffee was named captain of the US Women's team and was one of the favorites in the downhill at the 1968 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1968 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1968 Winter Olympics consisted of six events, held near Grenoble, France. The six events were held at Chamrousse from February 9–17, 1968.Jean-Claude Killy won all three men's events, repeating Toni Sailer's triple-gold of 1956...
in Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
, France. She finished 28th in the downhill, blaming her poor showing on using the wrong wax
Ski wax
Ski wax is a material applied to the bottom of skis or snowboards to improve the ski's performance on snow. It can also be applied to other devices that slide over snow and ice such as toboggans.- Types of ski wax :...
, but she made a global impression with her skin-tight silver racing suit. She retired from ski racing after the 1968 Olympics. She was also a three-time world freestyle skiing
Freestyle skiing
Freestyle skiing is form of skiing which used to encompass two disciplines: aerials, and moguls. Except the two disciplines mentioned earlier Freestyle Skiing now consists of Skicross, Half Pipe and Slope Style...
champion (1971–73). She was inducted into the National Ski Hall of Fame
National Ski Hall of Fame
The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum is located in the City of Ishpeming in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the birthplace of organized skiing in the United States...
in 1988.
As a social activist, Chaffee championed Title IX
Title IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a United States law, enacted on June 23, 1972, that amended Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 2002 it was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, in honor of its principal author Congresswoman Mink, but is most...
legislation (equal opportunity for women in school sports). She was the first woman to serve on the board of the U.S. Olympic Committee
United States Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic Committee is a non-profit organization that serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and coordinates the relationship between the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency and various...
, and has been a member of the President's Council on Physical Fitness under four U.S. presidents. She was a co-founder in 1996 of the Native Voices Foundation, an organization that seeks to develop Olympians from among Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
tribes.
Chaffee credited rumors that she was having an affair with Ted Kennedy
Ted Kennedy
Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...
as helping passage of the Amateur Sports Act of 1978
Amateur Sports Act of 1978
The Amateur Sports Act of 1978, , establishes a United States Olympic Committee and provides for national governing bodies for each Olympic sport...
. "The gossip got the bill through," she told Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
Besides her long-running television ad campaign for ChapStick in the 1970s, she also endorsed Revlon
Revlon
Revlon is an American cosmetics, skin care, fragrance, and personal care company founded in 1932.-History:Revlon was founded in the midst of the Great Depression, 1932, by Charles Revson and his brother Joseph, along with a chemist, Charles Lachman, who contributed the "L" in the Revlon name...
cosmetics, Dannon yogurt, and Seagram
Seagram
The Seagram Company Ltd. was a large corporation headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada that was the largest distiller of alcoholic beverages in the world. Toward the end of its independent existence it also controlled various entertainment and other business ventures...
spirits. She appeared in films such as Ski Lift To Death and Fire and Ice
Fire and Ice (1986 film)
Fire and Ice is a German feature length sports film directed by Willy Bogner in 1986.-Production and Team:...
.
In 2008, she ran for a seat on the Sedona, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, City Council, but lost.
External links
- FIS-ski.com – Suzy Chaffee – top ten results – alpine racing
- Native Voices.org – Suzy Chaffee – biographical information