Join along in our 1960 Winter Games historical trivia series. Each day is an anniversary celebration with historical look backs and a chance to win an Adult Midweek 2020-2021 Ticket to Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows and an entry into the Grand Prize of a 3-Night Stay at a Resort of Your Choice. Plus, Grand Pacific Resorts is making a $10 donation in your name to The SNOW Sports Museum as a commitment to preserving the legacy of the valley.
French alpine skier and Olympic Gold Medalist Jean Vuarnet broke the mold from the start.
He was the first competitor to pioneer the “tuck” position to increase his speed, a technique he unveiled at the Olympic Winter Games Squaw Valley 1960 and one that has been adopted by nearly every downhill skier since.
Jean Vuarnet’s innovativeness didn’t stop there: That same Olympic year, the French ski manufacturer, Rossignol, supplied the national team with wooden skis that Vuarnet found to be far too flexible. So he traveled to their factory and looked around before coming across a pair of discarded skis made from a metal composite. He decided they were perfect for him, started competing with them, and then went on to become the first skier in Olympic history to take home gold on metal composite skis.
Vuarnet’s unconventional approach to skiing and his stunning victory at Squaw Valley brought him international fame. Upon returning to France, he launched a successful line of sunglasses and founded two major ski resorts in the French Alps, continuing to take on endeavors that reflected his fearless approach to life.
Know more 1960 Olympics Trivia? Click below for the chance to win:
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Thank you from the S.N.O.W. Museum Team!
The S.N.O.W. Sports Museum (dba Squaw Valley Ski Museum Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. The Foundation mission and objectives are to build a world class museum to offer cultural, historical and educational opportunities for people of all ages and abilities, especially youth. All purchases and donations support these efforts. Rights Reserved, Squaw Valley Ski Museum Foundation.
