Whistler Museum and Archives Society

The Big Test: The 1967 du Maurier International Ski RaceThe Big Test: The 1967 du Maurier International Ski Race

March 26, 2024 Whistler Museum 0 Comments

Just over a year after Whistler Mountain opened in 1966, the Garibaldi Olympic Development Association (GODA) hosted the second annual du Maurier International. This race brought in top ski racers from around the world.

This competition was a test to see if Whistler could handle a race of this calibre, in hopes of eventually hosting the Olympics.

So, how did the first international ski race at Whistler go? Thanks to the publication Ski Trails, we have the full coverage of the event.

This advert for the race ran in *Ski Trails* and also promoted the new features found on Whistler Mountain that season.

The du Maurier International was created in partnership with the Canadian Amateur Ski Association (CASA) and du Maurier Cigarettes. The cigarette company saw the potential for advertising and promotion through skiing events. After receiving approval from the International Ski Federation (FIS), the first competition was held in 1966 and was split in two halves at different locations, Mt. Norquay (Alberta) and Mont-Sainte-Anne (Quebec). The race consisted of two disciplines, slalom and giant slalom, in both men’s and women’s categories.

The Whistler event took place January 28-29, 1967. CASA was responsible for organizing the event, while du Maurier Cigarettes sponsored the promotion and transportation for the athletes. Because the resort was fairly new with limited resources, there was a lot of planning and consideration for racers and spectators.

A crowd gathers at the bottom of the slalom course located alongside the Valley T-Bar. The weekend saw a mix of conditions (rain, snow, wind, and fog) that affected visibility for both racers and spectators. MacLaurin Collection

Luckily, it was a big snow year and the courses were well-packed and many racers complimented the construction. Aside from Canadian skiers, the race drew in professional athletes from the United States, Austria, France, Switzerland, Italy, Norway, Sweden, West Germany, and Finland.

Spectators were charged an entry fee of $1 or $2 if they chose to use the gondola to view the race. Transportation options from Vancouver were a train via the Pacific Great Eastern Railway or a bus via Squamish Coachlines, GODA Charters, or Greyhound. Driving was an option but parking at today’s Creekside area was limited. The event organizers had parking available at Brandywine Falls, with a shuttle ready to transport the public to the base of the mountain. Though the organizers ensured there were extra trains and buses, transport did not go as smoothly as expected.

On both days, the giant slalom was scheduled at 9:30am and the slalom at 1:00pm. Some trains arrived halfway through the first race, and some buses did not leave Vancouver to make the two hour journey until 8:00am. As the race started at mid-station, it took about thirty minutes to hike up to the area, and by that time many spectators did not see much. The slalom was at the base of the mountain and easier to view.

It might be a little hard to see in the crowd, but here Nancy Greene is on the podium at the du Maurier race. MacLaurin Collection

The race results were particularly exciting for Canadians. Nancy Greene placed first in both races, beating France’s Christine Goitschel by two seconds in the slalom and Switzerland’s Ruth Adolf by four seconds in the giant slalom. In the men’s category, Norway’s Haakon Mjoen won slalom and Austria’s Werner Bleiner won giant slalom, though Canadian Peter Duncan placed fifth in both races.

Did Whistler pass the test? Yes and no. Hosting Whistler’s first international skiing event proved the mountain terrain was capable of holding Olympic level competitions; however, the resort still did not have enough resources to accommodate the athletes and number of spectators. The success of this event strengthened GODA’s 1976 Olympic bid, but ultimately these Games went to a previous host (Innsbruck, Austria). This was due to a few factors. The summer Olympics was scheduled to be in Montreal, and the International Olympic Committee did not want to have two Olympics in the same country in the same year. After awarding the bid to Denver, Colorado, it was rejected by the state due to environmental concerns. Whistler was reconsidered, but the new NDP provincial government did not support this round. Though disappointing, it gave Whistler more time to develop its resources.

Whistler's Answers

Whistler’s Answers: March 21, 1985Whistler’s Answers: March 21, 1985

March 21, 2024 Whistler Museum 0 Comments

In the 1980s the Whistler Question began posing a question to three to six people and publishing their responses under “Whistler’s Answers” (not to be confused with the Whistler Answer). Each week, we’ll be sharing one question and the answers given back in 1985. Please note, all names/answers/occupations/neighbourhoods represent information given to the Question at the time of publishing and do not necessarily reflect the person today.

Some context for this week’s question: In the early 1980s, a recession prompted the provincial government to bring in deep cuts and wage controls in various public sectors, including education. In 1983, the Social Credit government brought in “restraint bills” that included changes to and new policies in an effort to reduce education expenditures, as well as changing the taxing powers of school districts. Districts were required to present balanced budgets to be approved by the provincial government. Such cuts to the budgets led to reduced programs, larger classes, times of working-to-rule, and greater reliance on fundraising and parent volunteers. In May 1985, the conflicts between school boards and the government resulted in the firing of all elected Vancouver School Board trustees after the board refused to submit a budget that fit within the provincial guidelines, claiming that such cuts would make it impossible to provide quality education. The trustees were replaced by a government appointed trustee.

Question: Do you think school boards should submit budgets in excess of provincial government spending restrictions?

David Jones – Retired – Whistler

I think teachers should curb their wage demands a little. If they did that, then the level of education would be maintained. As far as I know, if the teachers reduced their demands, education would be fine.

Nancy Wauthier – Mortgage Officer – Vancouver

My gut reaction was that, from an arbitration point of view, you always propose a little more than you really want to ensure you come out with what you need. It’s a bargaining tactic. Although I’m in favour of restraint, the question is can those budgets be cut? I don’t think there’s any question that there are certain inefficiencies in school boards, or in large government departments or private companies.

Jill Brand – Consultant – Vancouver

I think it’s one of the only ways that they get the point across. If they submit within the guidelines, the government will believe they can work within them. I think they have to let them know or else the government won’t get the message.

Skiing by the Book with Toni SailerSkiing by the Book with Toni Sailer

March 19, 2024 Whistler Museum 0 Comments

Book learning may not be the first method that comes to mind when teaching someone to ski, but looking through the museum’s reference shelf you’ll find multiple examples of publications aiming to improve skiers’ technique and ability, often attached to at least one notable name. One such book is Ski with Toni Sailer in Flip Vision Photographs from 1964, though the copy at the museum is a reprint from 1967.

The front cover of Ski with Toni Sailer in Flip Vision Photographs.

Toni Sailer, born in Austria in 1935, became the first ski racer to sweep all three disciplines at the Olympic Winter Games in 1956 when we won the downhill, slalom, and giant slalom in Cortina d’Ampezzo (Italy) at the age of 19. Sailer acted (and skied) in films, recorded albums, developed business interests in ski equipment and clothing, worked for the Austrian Skiing Association, was named “Austrian Sportspersonality of the Year” from 1956 to 1958 and “Austrian Sportspersonality of the Century.” He also won four gold medals in world competitions before retiring from ski racing in 1959 and was awarded the Olympic Order in 1985. Around Whistler, however, he might be best known for his work with the summer ski camps on Whistler Mountain beginning in 1967.

Whistler Mountain hosted its first summer ski camp in 1966, the summer after the mountain had opened to skiers. The camp offered coaching to intermediate and advanced skiers, as well as junior racers. From 1967, the Racing Camp was run under the personal direction of Toni Sailer, described by Garibaldi’s Whistler News as “one of the greatest Alpine racers of all time.” Skiers from 9 to 20 came to Whistler Mountain to train with Sailer and the camp became known as the Toni Sailer Summer Ski Camp (the camp’s wooden sign is currently on display at the Whistler Museum). Over the years, other notable names came to coach on Whistler Mountain as well, including Nancy Greene, Wayne Wong, and Crazy Canuck Dave Murray, who took over direction of the camp in 1984.

Toni Sailer and Nancy Green on the 1979 Molson World Cup Downhill course on Whistler Mountain. Whistler Question Collection, 1979

While not as hands-on as coaching at the summer ski camps, Ski with Toni Sailer is an interesting (and often entertaining) look at Sailer’s approach to skiing. Costing only $1 in 1967 (adjusted for today, that would be just under $9), the book is meant to supplement rather than replace formal instruction and readers are encouraged also to visit a “reputable certified ski school.”

Ski with Toni Sailer opens with the statement “Skiing is the superlative of all sports” and goes on to say the “Skiing is more than just a sport. It is a way of life, an addiction that becomes a part of you.” After making it clear that there is no minimum or maximum age required to ski (Sailer describes his father introducing him to the sport at the age of two), the book moves to practical matters such as picking the right equipment and clothing. Though much of this advice has changed over the past sixty years as skis have gotten shorter and clothing designs have evolved, some advice, such as how to grip your ski pole, appears to be timeless.

Flipping through the book shows Toni Sailer move through four different techniques at once.

After stretching and strengthening exercises, the skier is led onto the hill and instructed on how to walk and turn on their skis. This is followed by chapters dedicated to specific techniques such as snow-plow turns, sideslipping, and slalom. Perhaps the best part of the book are the Flip Vision photographs that accompany these chapters. Skiers can watch Toni Sailer demonstrate twelve different techniques “as you would view a motion picture” simply by flipping the pages before trying them out themselves.

While this is not the only flip book produced to teach skiing, today the ease of making, viewing, and sharing videos means that books are an uncommon method of teaching the sport. If, however, you’re interested in perfecting your technique be seeing how Toni Sailer did it, come by and check out the museum’s reference section.

Whistler's Answers

Whistler’s Answers: March 14, 1985Whistler’s Answers: March 14, 1985

March 14, 2024 Whistler Museum 0 Comments

In the 1980s the Whistler Question began posing a question to three to six people and publishing their responses under “Whistler’s Answers” (not to be confused with the Whistler Answer). Each week, we’ll be sharing one question and the answers given back in 1985. Please note, all names/answers/occupations/neighbourhoods represent information given to the Question at the time of publishing and do not necessarily reflect the person today.

Some context for this week’s question: In the early 1980s, a recession prompted the provincial government to bring in deep cuts and wage controls in various public sectors, including education. In 1983, the Social Credit government brought in “restraint bills” that included changes to and new policies in an effort to reduce education expenditures, as well as changing the taxing powers of school districts. Districts were required to present balanced budgets to be approved by the provincial government. Such cuts to the budgets led to reduced programs, larger classes, times of working-to-rule, and greater reliance on fundraising and parent volunteers. In May 1985, the conflicts between school boards and the government resulted in the firing of all elected Vancouver School Board trustees after the board refused to submit a budget that fit within the provincial guidelines, claiming that such cuts would make it impossible to provide quality education. The trustees were replaced by a government appointed trustee.

Question: What do you think of the Social Credit government’s handling of education?

Basil Lukson – City Planner – Vancouver

I guess the quick answer is that I don’t think restraint should be applied to education the way that it has. With the rate of unemployment in BC compared to the rest of the country, obviously restraint hasn’t been working as it should. I don’t disagree with the concept of restraint, but it hasn’t worked with the schools.

Dr Dale Forsythe – Chiropractor – Kelowna

There’s no question there’s been the need for an overhaul in the BC education system for the past few years. In my own office I see the abuse of the English Language when people are filling out questionaires, for instance, but when it comes to current budges, they can’t give you what they don’t have. My patients require more care too, but the same applies.

Mike Price – Salesman – Vancouver

I would say they are cutting budgets and handling it in an ad hoc way. I’m an ex-University student and I think what George Pederson (UBC president who resigned last week) was saying when he stepped down was that it is being done like that. If they spent half as much on education as they do on highways it wouldn’t be so bad.