Winners: Anne Heggtveit, Alpine Skiing

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Anne Heggtveit skiing down a hill

Anne Heggtveit during her 1960 Olympic Gold medal slalom ski run.
Date: 1960
Collection:Canada's Sports Hall of Fame

1959 - Feature Story

After Lucile Wheeler’s podium breakthrough in 1958, the Canadian Ski Association decided to send a team to Europe for the first time and Anne Heggtveit would lead the Canadian charge. She would win the slalom and combined titles at St. Moritz, then the combined crown at Garmisch. “We knew we had to be on the European circuit (in 1959) to compete for Gold,’’ she said and she would be proved correct.

1960 - Feature Story

Anne Heggtveit became the first Canadian to win Olympic Gold in alpine skiing. At the 1960 Olympic Winter Games in Squaw Valley, Heggtveit won the women’s slalom by the monumental margin of 3.3 seconds – and a full seven seconds over the Bronze medal winner. She did this despite passing up the inspection run of the course, in favour of a few more hours sleep. In winning Olympic Gold, Heggtveit would become the first non-European to win the Federation Internationale de Ski’s Gold medal in alpine combined, impressing everyone in the sport, including a young teammate named Nancy Greene.

Career Highlights

  • 1976 Appointed a member of the Order of Canada
  • 1960 Gold medal, slalom, Winter Olympic Games in Squaw Valley
  • 1960 World Champion - combined alpine and slalom
  • 1960 Lou Marsh Memorial Award
  • 1959, 1960 Bobbie Rosenfeld Award (Canada’s female athlete of the year)
Anne Heggtveit’s ski boots

Ski boots worn by Anne Heggtveit when she won the Gold medal in the Giant Slalom at the 1960 Olympic Winter Games in Squaw Valley.
Date: 1960
Collection: Canada's Sports Hall of Fame

Anne Heggtveit’s blue ski sweater

Ski sweater worn by Anne Heggtveit at the 1960 Olympic Winter Games in Squaw Valley.
Date: 1960
Collection: Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame

Anne Heggtveit’s slalom skis

Olympic slalom skis worn by Anne Heggtveit.
Date: 1958
Collection: Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame

Anne Heggtveit looks down while skiing

Anne Heggtveit skiing.
Date: 1960’s
Collection: Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame

Trophy won by Anne Heggtveit

Trophy awarded to Anne Heggtveit by the City of Ottawa in appreciation of her accomplishments.
Date: 1960
Collection: Canada's Sports Hall of Fame

Anne Heggtveit a number three ski bib

Anne Heggtveit at a skiing competition.
Date: 1960
Collection: Canada's Sports Hall of Fame

Anne Heggtveit standing with her skis

Anne Heggtveit posing with her skis.
Date: c. 1960
Collection: Canada's Sports Hall of Fame

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