Born: 1939 (Ottawa, Ontario)
Biography:
Anne Heggtveit, CM, born on January 11, 1939, in Ottawa, Ontario, was a former alpine ski racer from Canada. She achieved remarkable success in her career, becoming an Olympic gold medalist and double world champion in 1960.
Heggtveit was raised in New Edinburgh, one of the oldest areas in Ottawa. Her father, Halvor Heggtveit, was a Canadian cross-country champion who had qualified for the Winter Olympics in 1932, although he did not compete. Anne was encouraged by her father to take up alpine skiing, and she quickly displayed a natural talent for the sport.
Her parents had emigrated from Norway to North Dakota before settling in Canada. Anne learned to ski at Camp Fortune ski area, situated in the beautiful Gatineau Hills of Quebec, northwest of Ottawa. She attended Lisgar Collegiate Institute in Ottawa while pursuing her skiing career.
At just seven years old, Heggtveit was invited to serve as a forerunner to a downhill race at Lake Placid in 1946, showcasing her exceptional potential at such a young age. In 1954, at the age of 15, she gained international attention when she became the youngest winner ever of the Holmenkollen giant slalom event in Norway. Her victory in this prestigious race catapulted her into the international skiing scene.
In the same year, Heggtveit achieved more success by winning the slalom and giant slalom at the United States national junior championships. She also had an impressive performance at the World Championships, finishing ninth in the downhill and seventh in the slalom at Åre, Sweden.
Despite suffering several injuries between 1955 and 1957, Heggtveit’s determination drove her to secure a spot on Canada’s Olympic team at the age of 17 in 1956. The Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, marked a turning point for alpine skiing. European skiers had previously dominated the sport, but Heggtveit found inspiration in the breakthrough performance of her teammate, Lucile Wheeler of Quebec. Wheeler won Olympic bronze in the downhill and earned three medals at the 1958 World Championships in Bad Gastein, Austria.
In the Olympics, Heggtveit finished in the top ten in three events, placing eighth in the slalom, seventh in the downhill, and sixth in the combined. Her respectable performance motivated her to continue pushing herself in pursuit of further success.
The 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California, became a defining moment in Heggtveit’s career. There, she made history by winning Canada’s first-ever Olympic skiing gold medal. This victory in the slalom also made her the first non-European to win the world championship in slalom and combined events. Heggtveit’s triumph showcased her exceptional skill and brought recognition to North American skiing on the global stage.
Notably, Heggtveit became the first North American to win the prestigious Arlberg-Kandahar Trophy, one of the most prestigious and classic events in alpine skiing. Her accomplishments further solidified her place as a trailblazer in the sport.
Throughout her skiing career, Heggtveit consistently displayed determination, perseverance, and resilience in the face of challenges and setbacks. She proved that with dedication and hard work, it was possible to excel in a sport historically dominated by European athletes.
Awards:
– Olympic gold medal in slalom (1960)
– World champion in slalom (1960)
– Arlberg-Kandahar Trophy winner (1960)
– Olympic silver medal in giant slalom (1960)