Dick Durrance, Jr.

Dick Durrance was the first great American alpine skier, and was responsible for the development of several major Western ski resorts. Durrance grew up in Tarpon Springs, Florida, but his family moved to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, when he was 13, where he learned to ski. In 1932, Durrance won the German Junior Alpine Championship. The family returned to Florida shortly thereafter, but Durrance went to Dartmouth College, where he continued his ski career. In 1936, he became the first American to win a major European race, winning at Sestriere, Italy. He also won 17 U.S. Championships, and the medal given to U.S. champions was later re-cast in his image. After the Olympics, Durrance helped Averill Harriman develop the Sun Valley resort. During World War II, Durrance was used to train ski troops of the 10th Mountain Division. After the war, he and his wife moved to Denver and he was asked to manage a new ski resort in Aspen. He brought Aspen to prominence by bringing the 1950 FIS World Championships to Aspen. Durrance later became a key developer of the Alta, Utah ski resort. Durrance also pioneered the making of ski films in the United States, with his first films, "Sun Valley Ski Chase", and "Sun Valley Holiday", being released in 1940.