Hall of Famer
Harvey Clifford
Affiliated Discipline(s):
Alpine
Date of Birth / Death:
1926 - 1982
Hometown:
Oak Point, NB / Ottawa, ON / Old Chelsea, Que.
Active Career Period:
1944 - 1979
Induction CSHF:
1988
Induction Category:
Alpine: Instructor, Coach
Harvey Clifford was President of the Canadian Ski Instructors’ Alliance for 2-years and its Chief Examiner for 4-years.
He was a member of the Canadian Ski team competing at the 1948 Olympic Winter Games held at St.Moritz Switzerland and coached the Canadian National Ski Team at the 1952 Olympic Winter Games, Oslo, Norway.
In 1950, he was a member and coach of the Canadian Federation Internationale de Ski (FIS) alpine team competing on the world racing circuit.
He was a director of ski schools in St Marguerite, Quebec, Banff, Alberta, Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand, and Mt Snow, Vermont, U.S.A. and was subsequently appointed General Manager and a Vice-President of Mt Snow. Harvey Clifford also achieved a life-long ambition by assuming ownership of a major ski area, Glen Ellen, Vermont, U.S.A.
Racing highlights:
1944
1st place, Class “A” Kandahar event, Mt Tremblant, Quebec
1st place, Slalom event, Lake Placid, New York State. U.S.A.
1st place, Laurentian Zone Championships, Quebec.
1945
1st place National Capital Division Men’s Alpine Championship (Journal trophy)
1946
1st place National Capital Division Men’s Alpine Championship (Journal trophy)
2nd place, Downhill event, Eastern United States Championships, Stowe, Vermont, U.S.A.
2nd place, Slalom event, Eastern United States Championships, Stowe, Vermont, U.S.A.
1948
1st place in Downhill and Slalom events, Central Canada Championships.
Member of the Canadian National Alpine team competing at the winter Olympic Games held at St Moritz, Switzerland, where he placed 21st out of 120 competitors in the Slalom event.
5th place, Combined event, United States Alpine Championships, Sun Valley, Idaho.
1st place in Downhill event, Jim Brewster Memorial Downhill, defeating all competitors on the United States Olympic Team and the legendary Toni Matt of Austria.
Please Note: The ski information gathered here is compiled from a number of sources; it may not be inclusive of all accomplishments. Copyright © 2021, Canadian Ski Museum. For Personal/Educational use only. All Rights Reserved.
J. Kihe, Harvey Clifford, Ted Gordon, and Frank Macintyre at Camp Fortune, QC. Newton Photographic Associates Ltd.
1952 Canadian Olympic Men’s Alpine Ski Team [L to R]: George Merry, Bob Richardson, Harvey Clifford (coach), Bill Robinson (manager), Gordon Morrison, Jack Griffin. Canadian Pacific Railway.
Clifford family – Mr. Clifford, 3 sons and 1 daughter [L to R]: John, Bob, Fred (father), Florence & Harvey. Taken in either Ottawa, Gatineau or at the Ottawa Ski Club c. 1943. CSHFM Collection.
1952 Oslo Olympic Winter Games [L to R]: Franz Gabl (coach), Mrs. Pickering, Harvey Clifford (coach). Trans Canada Airlines.
Harvey Clifford in 1948 Olympic downhill race at Corviglia (St. Moritz, Switzerland). Sport & General Press Agency Limited, London.
Members of Canada’s 1952 Olympic ski team at the Parklane Hotel (London, England) [Back row]: George Merry, Bob Richardson, Gordon Morrison, Jack Griffin, Harvey Clifford (coach) [Front row]: Thorny Pickering, Edith Pickering, Bill Robinson (manager). Graphic Union Photo.
Members of Canada’s 1952 Olympic ski team at Sogn, site of the Olympic village [L to R]: Harvey Clifford (coach), ?, André Bertrand, George Merry, Lucien Laferté, Gordie Morrison, Bob Richardson, Jack Griffin. CSHFM Collection.
Harvey Clifford (2nd from left). CSHFM Collection.
Harvey Clifford. Alpine Canada Alpin.
Harvey Clifford (far right). Alpine Canada Alpin.
The Canadian Olympic ski team in Davos, Switzerland, at 1948 St. Moritz Olympic Winter Games. [L to R]: Harvey Clifford, Laurent Bernier, Hector Sutherland, Thomas Dennie, Rhona Wurtele, Louis Cochand (Manager), Morna Cochand (chaperon), Rhoda Wurtele, Albert “Bert” Irwin, Tom Mobraaten, Lucien Laferté, Pierre Jalbert, Wilber “Bill” Irwin. Alpine Canada Alpin.
Members of Canada’s Olympic ski team at 1948 St. Moritz Olympic Winter Games [L to R]: Pierre Jalbert, Hector Sutherland, Rhoda Wurtele, Rhona Wurtele, Harvey Clifford, Wilber “Bill” Irwin, Albert “Bert” Irwin. Alpine Canada Alpin.
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