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Stein Eriksen

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Stein Eriksen
Eriksen in 1960
Personal information
Full nameStein Eriksen
Born(1927-12-11)11 December 1927
Oslo, Norway
Died27 December 2015(2015-12-27) (aged 88)
Park City, Utah, United States
OccupationAlpine skier
Weight[convert: invalid number]
Sport
Country Norway
Skiing career
DisciplinesDownhill, Giant Slalom,
Slalom, Combined
Retired1954 (age 26)
Olympics
Teams2 – (1948, 1952)
Medals2 (1 gold)
World Championships
Teams4 – (1948, 1950, 1952, 1954)
    includes Olympics
Medals6 (4 gold)
Medal record
Men’s alpine skiing
Representing  Norway
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1952 Oslo Giant Slalom
Silver medal – second place 1952 Oslo Slalom
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1954 Åre Slalom
Gold medal – first place 1954 Åre Giant Slalom
Gold medal – first place 1954 Åre Combined
Bronze medal – third place 1950 Aspen Slalom

Stein Eriksen (11 December 1927 – 27 December 2015) was an alpine ski racer and Olympic gold medalist from Norway.[1] Following his racing career, he was a ski school director and ambassador at various resorts in the United States.

Background

Eriksen was born 11 December 1927, in Oslo.[2] His parents were Marius Eriksen (1886–1950) and Birgit Heien (1900–1996). Marius Eriksen competed in the 1912 Olympic Games as a gymnast. His brother, Marius Eriksen, Jr. (1922–2009), was an alpine skier and during World War II became a fighter ace in the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Stein Eriksen was the top slalom racer in Norway in 1949 and took bronze in the slalom at the 1950 World Championships in Aspen, Colorado.

Sports career

Eriksen won the gold medal in the giant slalom at the 1952 Winter Olympics, which were held in Oslo, Norway. He also won a silver medal in the slalom. Eriksen was the first male alpine ski racer from outside the Alps to win an Olympic gold medal. He also won three gold medals at the 1954 World Championships in Åre, Sweden.[3]

Some of his other accomplishments include the fact that he is credited with devising "aerials", a freestyle skiing event, and he helped revolutionize the world of alpine skiing, especially in the United States, where he served as a ski instructor at many different ski schools. At Sugarbush Resort in Vermont, each Sunday afternoon, combining his gymnast background and his skiing, Stein would demonstrate a flip on skis. For his Olympic medals, Eriksen earned the Holmenkollen Medal in 1952.[4]

It is said that Eriksen was skiing's "first superstar", since he was handsome, stylish and charismatic. Despite his fame, he maintained a very down-to-Earth personality. For example, he is quoted as saying, "Be tough, be confident. But you will never be a whole and happy person if you aren't humble".[5]

Life in the United States

Shortly after his success in the 1952 Olympics, Eriksen moved to the United States where he lived until his death. While ski racing for Norway, he was a ski instructor at Sun Valley in Idaho.[6] Following his racing career, he was the ski school director at various resorts, such as Boyne Mountain and Pine Knob,[7] both in Michigan,[8] Sugarbush in Vermont, Heavenly Valley in California, Snowmass and Aspen in Colorado, and Park City in Utah.[9] At the time of his death he was the director of skiing at the Deer Valley Resort in Utah, and also served as host of the Stein Eriksen Lodge, a ski lodge in Deer Valley (not owned by Eriksen, but named in his honor). Eriksen was married to Françoise and had five children: Julianna Eriksen, Ava, Stein Jr., Anja and Bjørn. He called both Utah and Montana home.

In 1997, Eriksen was honored by the King of Norway. He was knighted with the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit for his contribution to Norway, the highest honor that the Norwegian government can give to people living outside Norway.

Eriksen celebrated his 80th birthday December 2007 in Deer Valley.[10]

Eriksen died on 27 December 2015 at the age of 88 in his Park City, Utah home.[11]

World championship results

  Year    Age   Slalom  Giant
 Slalom 		 Super-G Downhill Combined
1948 20 29 not run not run 31 46
1950 22 3 - DNF not run
1952 24 2 1 6
1954 26 1 1 8 1

From 1948 through 1980, the Winter Olympics were also the World Championships for alpine skiing.

Olympic results

  Year    Age   Slalom  Giant
 Slalom 		 Super-G Downhill Combined
1948 20 29 not run not run 31 46
1952 24 2 1 6 not run

References

  1. ^ Stein Eriksen Per Jorsett. Norsk biografisk leksikon
  2. ^ Schudel, Matt (1 January 2016). "Stein Eriksen, Olympic champion who helped popularize skiing, dies at 88". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  3. ^ Skiing Icon honored by the New England Ski Museum (Snow East Magazine)
  4. ^ Holmenkollen medalists
  5. ^ Stein Eriksen (Rolf Bryhn. Store norske leksikon)
  6. ^ "Red Dog Reddish hired as Sun Valley mentor". Deseret News. United Press. 25 September 1952. p. 19A.
  7. ^ https://milsap.wordpress.com/
  8. ^ "Eriksen given AT&T award". Deseret News. 21 December 1989. p. 4D.
  9. ^ "Stein Eriksen on for Park City ski". Deseret News. 27 August 1971. p. 4D.
  10. ^ Stein Eriksen the Olympic Gold Medalist from Norway (Stein Eriksen Lodge)
  11. ^ https://www.ksl.com/?sid=37920431&nid=148&title=stein-eriksen-skiing-pioneer-dies-at-88-in-park-city-home
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stein Eriksen.
Awards
Preceded by Norwegian Sportsperson of the Year
1951 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Norwegian Sportsperson of the Year
1954 		Succeeded by
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