Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame adds six legends
One of the most decorated classes in U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame history came back to where it all started to be crowned with the sport’s highest honor.
It was a mix of epic proportions as visionaries, instructors, and world champions alike roamed the hallowed grounds that they would soon be immortalized in for generations to come.
There was the storied downhill diva from Sugarloaf Maine, whose four–year streak from junior Olympian to U.S. Champion still stands today. The man credited with launching snowboarding off the beaten path and onto the Olympic main stage. An innovator so handsome and charismatic, that he started his own hot dog movement. A 12–time world cup champion who joined the U.S. Ski Team at age 15, before tearing it up on the college gridiron en route to the NFL. And two Austrian luminaries who unknowingly grew up 40 miles apart before making their way to America where they reinvented how the sport is taught while taking ski hills to new heights along the way.
“I don’t measure our success of ski instructing in terms of how fast we go. We don’t count our performance in terms of seconds. We measure our success in terms of reeling, shining eyes, if that means anything to you,” explained Horst Abraham, the man credited with inventing ATM ski instruction. “Those magical moments when, either for the last run of the day or after a magnificent decent, you just feel superhuman.”
“Skiing and snowboarding are wonderful sports. They are enjoyed by adults, inspiring Olympians, families, and people of all ages,” noted Hans Geier. “During my 40 years, I have strived to provide the best skiing experience for everyone. Again, my heartfelt thank you.”
All six legends received skiing highest praise, the Medal of Honor.