Hall of Famer
Shaun Fripp
Affiliated Discipline(s):
Alpine
Hometown:
Ottawa, ON
Active Career Period:
1950 - 2009
Induction CSHF:
2009
Induction Category:
Athlete
In his 60-year involvement with alpine skiing, Shaun Fripp has been involved in every aspect of the sport, as a competitor, coach, official, and the ski industry as a director of marketing for a local ski area. He has continued to work to ensure the rich national history of skiing and snowboarding is preserved.
Fripp was an all-around skier – downhill, slalom, giant slalom, jumping and cross-country – and also had roles as a coach, an official and a volunteer. “I did a little bit of everything and it was enough,″ said Fripp.
As a junior, he won the Canadian ski jumping title in 1952 and was the alpine downhill bronze medallist in 1953. Fripp won the men’s senior slalom title in 1956.
He was named to the Canadian team for the 1958 World Alpine Ski Championships in Austria, but never raced because he fell during a training session, crashed into a tree and injured a leg.
At the 1960 Olympic trials, he placed eighth, narrowly missing out on qualifying for the national team (only the top seven qualified for the Olympic Games in Squaw Valley, California.
“I just enjoyed skiing and got to put a little bit back″ said Fripp. The Ottawa Ski Club member also won three Quebec and two Canadian junior four-way (jumping, cross-country, downhill and slalom) titles.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- 1952: Gold medal, Canadian Ski Jumping Championships.
- 1953: Bronze medal, Canadian Alpine Championships.
- 1956: Gold medal, slalom, Canadian Alpine Championships.
Note: The information gathered in this biography was compiled from a number of sources; it may not be inclusive of all accomplishments. Copyright © Canadian Ski Hall of Fame & Museum. For personal and/or educational use only. All rights reserved.
Photograph of Canadian men’s national team (1958) at the Kneissl factory in Kufstein, Austria. [L to R]: Bob Stevenson, John Platt, John Fripp, Franz Kneissl, Shaun Fripp, Trevor Klotz, Fred Tommy, and Lorne O’Connor.
The national team arrives at the Zurich airport. [L to R]: Kastle Translator, John Fripp, Fred Tommy, Jean-Marc Leonard, John Semmelink, Peter Ryan, Lorne O’Connor ( behind Peter Ryan), John Platt, Bill Stevens, Anne Heggtveit, Lucile Wheeler. Front row [L to R]: Jim Quarles, Dave Jacobs, Shaun Fripp (list not inclusive).
Canadian team photo taken at the front door of the Hotel Weissmayr where the team resided during the 1958 world championships in Bad Gastein, Austria. L to R: Trevor Klotz, Jim Quarles, Shaun Fripp, John Fripp, John Semmelink, Bill Stevens, Jean-Marc Leonard, Hotel manager (Hotel Weissmayr), Pat Ramage, Mochi Klaussing (Mens Coach of Garmisch, BRD), John Platt, Lorne O’Connor, Fred Tommy, Peter Ryan. CSHFM Collection.
A news clipping titled ”Canada’s Future Olympic Hopefuls in Training” in advance of the 1960 Olympic Winter Games. [L to R]: Othmar Schneider, Phil Beaulieu, Anne Heggtveit, Mrs. Paul Ramage, Bob Gratton, Shaun Fripp, Faye Pitt, Darcy Marsh, John Sommerlink, John Todd, Glen Fraser, Mervin O’Neill, Peter Ryan, Reg Lefebvre and Ray Hamelin. Published on January 10, 1957 in the Montreal Star. CSHFM Collection.
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