Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame
Anders Haugen 1888-1984
Inducted into the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame 1978
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Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame Anders Haugen 1888-1984 Inducted into the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame 1978 | Home | Back to Alphabetical List | Year of Induction List | Back to Athlete | Back to Ski Sport Builder | Back to Inspirational | |
Anders Haugen a native of Telemark, Norway, came to America in 1908. While calling Dillon, Colorado his home, he won many ski jumping honors, including two US professional titles and two US amateur titles. In 1919 and 1920 he set successive world ski jumping records at the Dillon ski jump with measures of 213 feet and 214 feet respectively.
Anders was captain of the first US Olympic Ski Team in 1924 and won the nation's first Olympic skiing medal, a bronze, in Chamonix, France that same year. Ironically, a judging error prevented him from receiving his bronze medal for 50 years, but it was finally awarded to him, at the age of 86, in Oslo, Norway in 1974. The medal presentation 50 years late was described as the “greatest ski-sport story to date”.
In 1929, Anders and his brother Lars moved to California, where he was instrumental in organizing and developing California’s Lake Tahoe Ski Club as well as coaching ski programs. He was still directing junior skiing programs well into his 70s. It has been said that his ability "surpassed that of many younger men".