Strong Showing from Dartmouth at Winter Olympics

This year eight individuals affiliated with Dartmouth will be competing in the XXIII Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, which will be held from the 9th to 25th of February. Seven of these eight Olympians are competing for the United States and one for Canada. Three of those competing are cross-country skiers, two are in the biathlon, two are Alpine skiers, and one is on the Canadian National Hockey Team. Additionally, the coach of the Canadian Women’s Hockey Team coach is none other than Dartmouth’s current coach Laura Schuler. Dartmouth has not only found success in qualifying individuals to compete on national teams, over the years Dartmouth alumni have achieved a total of 13 gold medals in the Winter Olympics.

Dartmouth College has played a vital role in the development, proliferation, and popularization of winter sports. In 1927, the first recorded organized ski race in the United States was hosted by the Dartmouth Outing Club and held on our very own Mt. Moosilauke. A year later, Dartmouth staged the first FIS slalom course in the united states, bringing a level of professionalism and precision to the sport that was then unprecedented in the United States. In 1930, Otto Schniebs, one of the most famous exponents of early downhill ski racing technique, was made Dartmouth’s coach, propelling Dartmouth’s consistent dominance in the sport.

As both Winter Carnival and Pyeongchang’s Winter Olympics approach, it is important to remember not only how winter sports have served as a stage to highlight Dartmouth’s athletic prowess, but also the role winter activities play in uniting and bringing happiness to Dartmouth students.