Iconic Skiers in Utah
By Carson Keetch
There are lots of people that helped skiing grow and change as a sport in Utah through one means or another. One person who helped skiing grow was Donald James Cannon. Donald James Cannon was a University of Utah alumni who served as a member of the Utah House of Representatives from 1957 to the year 1959. Donald James Cannon also served as the executive director of the Utah Travel Council where he helped create the phrase “the greatest snow on earth” which helped Utah become known for having great snow and is now used on Utah license plates. Donald James Cannon also was a candidate for governor, although he was never elected.
Another skier who helped change the sport of skiing in Utah was Sverre Engen, brother of famous skier Alf Engen. Sverre’s many accomplishments start with being the ski jumping national champion. Sverre also became the first ski school director at Alta resort and acted as the first snow ranger at the resort in 1940. Sverre also participated in building many ski jumps for Alta resort such as Ecker Hill, Parleys Canyon, Becker Hill, Ogden Canyon, and Landes Hill. Many of Sverre’s accomplishments are overshadowed by his brother being one of the biggest skiing icons in Utah history. His other accomplishments include building lodges for Alta, being inducted in the national ski hall of fame, and helping the University of Utah ski team win its first national collegiate championship as their coach.
Skier “Dick” Richard Movitz was born in Utah in 1927 and became a very accomplished skier from Utah. He was one of many young skiers to come from the armed forces after World War ll ended. Following the war Richard Movitz won the National Slalom Championships in New Hampshire in 1946. Richard Movitz enrolled at the University of Utah and while participating won the National Collegiate Athletic Association Slalom Championships in 1947. Richard Movitz went on to participate as one of the youngest alpine officials on the International Competition Committee ever. He participated on the International Competition Committee during 1956, 1957, and 1958. Richard also went on to be a member of the Olympic committee in 1960. Richard was inducted into the US National Ski Hall of Fame in 1970.
I chose to focus on these athletes because they helped the sport grow, helped Utah become what it is today, and have helped Utah become known as a skiing state, I also chose these individuals because they all attended the University of Utah which makes them more relatable and shows how the University became the skiing dynasty it is today. While I only chose to spotlight these few athletes, there are many people who have changed how skiing is viewed in Utah and have helped the sport evolve to what it is in the great state of Utah today.
Carson Keetch
I’m from Pleasant Grove, Utah. My favorite part of this class was learning how to manage stress in my life and how to help others deal with stress. I would like to study psychology.