The Canadian Origins of Skiing and Snowboarding

Cross Country Skiing

The sport of cross-country skiing has Scandinavian roots dating back over 5,000 years. It has come a long way since arriving in Canada in 1890 by Scandinavian immigrants, when most skiers would only carry a single pole. The heavy unlaminated wooden skis also used to be up to four metres long and about 80 millimetres wide.

Staying Power     

Herman “Jackrabbit” Smith Johannsen played a significant role in the development of cross-country skiing in Canada. A passionate and enthusiastic man with an uncanny ability to move around quickly in deep snow and the ability to travel long distances that earned him the nickname “Jackrabbit”.

Considered one of the great ski pioneers, Johannsen helped popularize the sport across North America. In the 1920s and 30s, he significantly improved on the existing cross-country ski trails in the Laurentians, including the famous Maple Leaf Trail. He organized races, instructed and coached skiers, officiated at competitions and was a tireless champion of physical fitness throughout his long life.

In 1972, Jackrabbit was awarded the Order of Canada and in 1982, at the age of 107, he was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. Jackrabbit Johannsen passed away in 1987 at the incredible age of 111 (he was the oldest man in the world for that last 22 days of his life). A true Canadian skiing legend, icon and pioneer!

Telemark

Telemark is named after a region in Norway known for its world-renowned ski competitions. Some innovative technologies well beyond their time were developed in that location, including a new technique to climb mountains, which was founded in 1868 by Sondre Norheim. For the first time, skiers were able to turn while descending. This turning technique proved tricky to master with an unattached free heel.     

Taking Off in North America

Telemark skiing spread across Europe, arriving shortly after in the United States and Canada. The Telemark Ski Club (later to become the Toronto Ski Club) was founded in 1908, initially composed of six members who had never skied before. Although its popularity quickly waned with the beginning of alpine skiing, adventurous Canadians continue to practice telemark nationwide to this day.

Ski Jumping

The adrenaline-rushing art of propelling oneself down a steep ramp, leaping off the end, “flying” as far as possible is unlike any other sport. Though it was first done in Norway as far back as 1808, Norwegian immigrants brought it over to Canada early in the 20th century. Norwegian Nels Nelsen was one of the driving forces behind the excitement spreading across the nation, starting in Revelstoke, B.C. during the 1910s.   

East and West

While Nelsen was leading the development of ski jumping on the West Coast, it was simultaneously gaining momentum in the east. Canada’s first ski clubs reportedly developed as a result of the need for organization and infrastructure required to safely execute these jumps.

Nordic Combined

Nordic Combined includes cross-country skiing and ski jumping disciplines. With its first known competition taking place back in 1892, it was the hottest snowsport of that time. Even the King of Norway was a competitor in a 1920s Nordic Combined event! Canada’s first official foray into the Olympic sport took place shortly after in 1928.

Canada’s Highest Finish

Even though Scandinavia was well-known for top finishes in Olympic Nordic Combined, Canada still had some very respectable athletes and event performances. A champion in various tournaments, Jostein Nordmoe was recognized as Canada’s best Olympic finisher when he earned a 10th place finish at the 1932 Lake Placid Olympic Games.

Alpine Skiing

Switzerland awarded the first trophy for downhill skiing in 1924, with the club named after an illustrious British Field Marshal named Lord Roberts of Kandahar. This marked the beginning of the tradition of the Kandahar Cup, a classic race that made its way to Canada in 1932, with the first event hosted at Mont Tremblant.

The Year Alpine Skiing Made its Mark

It was in 1932 that alpine skiing arrived in Canada. The first major Canadian slalom race took place in Ste-Marguerite, Quebec, hosted by the McGill Redbirds Club. Around the same time, in Shawbridge, Quebec, the first rope tow was installed by Alex Foster. This made it much easier to master technique, as skiers could get to the top of the hill over and over, without the tiresome efforts of climbing on their own. A huge development for alpine skiing!

Biathlon

The unique origins of the biathlon date back to 400 B.C. from the Roman poet Virgil. Researchers have discovered evidence found in petroglyphs and cave drawings that predate the written record by thousands of years. These petroglyphs were apparently inspired by the combination of skiing and shooting. The first official biathlon race was held near the border between Norway and Sweden in 1767.

Surprising Origins in Canada

Rather than a ski association, the first genuine Canadian biathlon competitions were organized by the Armed Forces. Our nation’s first team competed in the Olympic Games in 1968 in Grenoble, France, and was comprised mostly of military members.

Snowboarding

While it’s hard to pinpoint when snowboarding was invented, it is said to have taken inspiration from the surfboard in the 1960s in the United States. In 1965, Michigan engineer Sherman Poppet is credited with one of the first versions of the snowboard, then called a “Snurfer.” This ushered in an innovative period of many different creators who tried their hand at it, including some memorable Canadians, such as Willi Winkels (see below).

Made in Canada

Willi Winkels was an inventor, an athlete and an innovator amongst snowboard aficionados. While he originally made skateboards in Brampton, Ontario, throughout the 1970s and 80s, he switched his focus to winter sports during the colder months. When it snowed, he would test out various snowboard prototypes, initially made from skateboards.

Freestyle Skiing

Welcome to the world of freestyle skiing, where athletes combine acrobatics and gymnastics with a graceful skiing style. Although the very first recorded flip on skis happened in 1907, it was not until 1950 that it became mainstream with Norwegian Stein Eriksen’s jaw-dropping aerial somersaults during professional ski shows. While the sport has evolved over time, moguls and aerials have remained a constant.

Officially Canadian

John Johnston took it upon himself to head a group which founded the Canadian Freestyle Association in 1974, when freestyle was officially recognized as an official discipline. With this status and recognition, Johnston and others went across the country, hosting competitive freestyle events for amateur skiers, which laid the groundwork future Canadian successes in the sport.