Rhoda Wurtele Eaves

Rhoda Wurtele together with identical twin, Rhona, were born in St Lambert, Quebec, on January 21, 1922. The initial caption in the May 1944 issue of True Comics described them as “…two of the world’s best women skiers and probably the best all-around athletes Canada has ever produced”. Essentially, their skiing careers were inseparable, as was their ability.

In 1942, they were both asked to participate in try-outs for the international team with Rhona finishing in first place and Rhoda, second. The following week, they competed against the United States Women’s team and again placed first and second in both the Downhill and Combined events. In their first international meet against the United States National Women’s Team at Lake Placid, New York, the positions were reversed, Rhoda in first, Rhona, second. In February 1943, the twins competed for the Kate Smith International Women’s Trophy and again they took two of the first three places, Rhona in first place, Rhoda, third. It was a pattern repeated time and again throughout their competitive careers.

Partial competitive record:

1942
1st place, Downhill event, 2nd place Combined, Ladies International Ski Meet, Mont Tremblant, Quebec.
1st place, Taschereau Downhill, Mont Tremblant, Quebec

1943
1st place, Downhill event, Laurentian Zone Championships, Mt Baldy, Quebec
1st place, Downhill & Slalom events, Mont Tremblant, Quebec
1st place, Taschereau Downhill

1944
1st place, Taschereau Downhill event, Mont Tremblant, Quebec
2nd place, Combined event, Kate Smith International, Lake Placid, NY, USA
1st place, Slalom & Downhill events, Laurentian Zone, Mont Gabriel, Québec

1945
1^st place, combined Alta cup
1^st Downhill, Slalom & Combined events, Ontario Ladies Meet, Collingwood, ON

1946
1^st place, Taschereau Downhill event, Mt Tremblant, Quebec
2^nd place, Combined event, Kate Smith International, Lake Placid, New York
1^st place, Slalom Great Divide, Banff, Alberta
1^st place, Silver Belt trophy, in Sugarbowl
2^nd place, Combined event, Mont Orford, Quebec
1st place, Combined event, Laurentian Zone, Mt Baldy, Quebec
1st place, Great Divide Slalom, Banff, Alberta
1st place, Silver Belt Trophy, Sugar Bowl, California, USA, Winner, Colonial Airways Trophy

1947
1st place, Slalom, 2^nd place Combined event, United States Eastern National Championships, Pico, Peak, Vermont, USA
1st place, Downhill, 2^nd place Combined event, Ladies International Meet, Mont Gabriel, Quebec
1st place, Downhill, 1st place Combined event, United States National Championships, Ogden, Utah
2nd place, Far West Kandahar, Timberline, Oregon
2nd place, Slalom event, Silver Dollar Race, Reno, Nevada
Runner up for the Lou Marsh Trophy awarded to Canada’s Outstanding Athlete

1948
Selected to represent Canada on the women’s alpine team at the V Olympic Winter Games, St Moritz, Switzerland.
Unable to compete because of an injury to her ankle sustained during a training run.
3rd place, Arlberg Kandahar Downhill, Chamonix, France

1949
1^st place, 2-Downhill events, Roach Cup, North American Downhill & Combined, Aspen Colorado, USA.
1st place Slalom, 1st Downhill, 1st Combined, Kate Smith International, Lake Placid, NY, USA
1st place Downhill, 1^st place Slalom, 1^st place Combined (Holt-Wilson Trophy¹), Dominion Championships, Mont Tremblant, Quebec

1951
1st place Slalom, 1^st place Combined, Kate Smith International, Lake Placid, NY, USA
1st place Downhill, 1^st place Slalom, 1^st place Combined, Dominion Championships, Mont Tremblant, Quebec.
1st place Downhill, 1^st place Combined, Harriman Cup, Sun Valley Idaho, USA
1^st place Downhill, 1^st place Slalom, 1^st place Combined, Quebec Kandahar, Quebec

1952
Selected to represent Canada on the women’s alpine team at the VI Olympic Winter Games, Oslo, Norway and finished in 9th place in the Downhill event.
1st place Slalom, 1^st place Combined (Downhill & Giant Slalom), Holmenkollen Races, Norway
1st place, Downhill event, Parsenn, Davos, Switzerland 2nd place, Hannes Schneider Pokal, St Anton, Austria
2nd place, Dorftalli Giant Slalom, Davos, Switzerland

1954
2^nd place, Slalom event, Canadian Senior Championships, Mont Tremblant, Quebec

1959
1st place, Giant Slalom event, Kirchberg, Austria
Manager & Assistant Coach for the Canadian Women’s national team in Europe

Other honors and awards

1945
Federation Rose Bowl for “Canada’s Most Outstanding Woman Athlete” (awarded jointly with twin sister, Rhona)

1946
Colonial Airways Trophy for “…most outstanding skier, Laurentians)

1947
Lou Marsh Trophy as runner-up “Canada’s Most Outstanding Athlete”. (Awarded jointly with twin sister, Rhona)

1948
Member of the Canadian ski team at the V Olympic Winter Games, St Moritz, Switzerland

1952
Member of the Canadian ski team at the VI Olympic Winter Games, Oslo, Norway

1953
Inducted into The Amateur Athletic Union of Canada Hall of Fame Inducted with twin sister, Rhona)

1953
Inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame

1969
Inducted into The United States Ski Hall of Fame (inducted with twin sister, Rhona)

1982
Inducted into The Canadian Ski Hall of Fame (formerly the Canadian Honour Roll of Skiing) (inducted with twin sister, Rhona)

1986
Inducted into The Laurentian Ski Hall of Fame (with twin sister, Rhona)

1998
Honored by the Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance for more than 50-years as a dedicated member of the CSIA since 1943 (awarded also to twin sister, Rhona)

2001
Ski Canada Magazine award for “Canadian Skiers of Distinction” (awarded also to twin sister, Rhona)

¹ H P Douglas, My Skiing Years, Whitcombe & Gilman, Montreal, 1951 (origin of Holt-Wilson Trophy)

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.