Hall of Famer

Martin Hall

Affiliated Discipline(s): Cross-Country, Jumping
Hometown: Upper Darby, PA, USA
Active Career Period: 1968 - 1992
Induction CSHF: 2018
Induction Category: Cross-Country Coach
Canada's Marty Hall, head coach for the cross country ski team, observes his athletes at the 1988 Calgary Olympic winter Games. Library and Archives Canada/Canadian Olympians (CP PHOTO/COA/ J. Gibson)

Hall coached the U.S. cross-country ski team (1968-1978) and the Canadian team (1982-1992). He elevated both programs to world-class
levels and developed two outstanding skiers, one in each country – American Bill Koch who won a silver medal in the 1976 Olympics and
Canadian Pierre Harvey who scored Canada’s first three (3) World Cup cross-country victories in 1987 and 1988.

Martin Hall stands out through his achievement in progressing our crosscountry Sport and Science program to a higher standard. He definitely
was the right coach for the right time for Canada. Also, noteworthy was his lay-out and design of Thunder Bay’s facilities and trails for the 1995
FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.

Hall was a disciplinarian as a coach and an innovator with waxing techniques. In 1981, he published a book, One Stride Ahead: An Expert Guide to Cross Country Skiing. Opinionated and controversial, he caused an uproar at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary when he accused the Russian team of doping.

Marty Hall - One stride ahead
One Stride Ahead: An Expert Guide to Cross Country Skiing

Hall skied for the University of New Hampshire before turning to coaching. He spent eight years as head coach of the Bowdoin College Nordic
program, 2000-2008 before retiring. Inducted to the US Ski Hall of Fame in 2018.

 

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.

Legendary XC ski coach (and US and Canadian Ski Hall of Fame inductee) Marty Hall first found a passion for skiing on a jump he built off the back porch. USA Nordic.

Marty giving a clinic… do as I do AND as I say. Nordic USA.

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