Nancy Greene
Nancy Greene, born on May 11, 1943, in Ottawa, Canada, is a celebrated Canadian alpine skier and an influential figure in sports and politics. She began skiing at a young age in snow-rich Rossland, British Columbia, and transitioned from a casual skier to a competitive athlete after a surprising performance at the Canadian Junior National Championships in 1958. Greene's dedication led her to represent Canada in the 1960 Olympics and ultimately to win a gold medal in the giant slalom at the 1968 Grenoble Winter Olympics, along with a silver in the slalom. Known for her tenacity and aggressive skiing style, she earned the nickname "tiger" and overcame numerous injuries throughout her career.
Following her retirement from competitive skiing, Greene contributed to the sport by founding The Nancy Greene League, a program designed to nurture young skiers. She also turned to education and politics, serving as chancellor of Thompson Rivers University and later as a Canadian senator from 2009 until 2018. Greene's impact extends beyond athletics, having been named the Canadian Female Athlete of the Century and remaining active in skiing and community engagement. Today, she is revered as one of Canada's top athletes and continues to inspire future generations.
Nancy Greene
Olympic Athlete
- Born: May 11, 1943
- Place of Birth: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
SPORT: Skiing
Early Life
Nancy Catherine Greene was born May 11, 1943, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. During World War II, her family moved to Ottawa for her father’s work. When Nancy was two years old, she and her family moved to Rossland, British Columbia. As Rossland was in snow country, everyone skied, and Nancy was no exception. She started skiing on homemade skis when she was three years old. She and her brothers and sisters learned to ski at nearby Red Mountain. The slope was so steep that Nancy skied with a rope around her waist so her father could reel her in when she fell. Although she participated on the Rossland High School ski team, she was not particularly attracted to competitive skiing.
The Road to Excellence
In 1958, her attitude toward competitive skiing changed when the Canadian Junior National Championships were held at nearby Red Mountain. Nancy’s sister, Elizabeth, was a member of the British Columbia team, but Nancy was not. The night before the meet, the coach of the British Columbia team asked Nancy if she would substitute for an injured skier. Much to everyone’s surprise, Nancy did well, finishing third in the slalom race and second in the downhill race behind her sister. At the age of fourteen, she had become a serious competitor. Over the next two years, Nancy and her sister would become fierce rivals. Nancy made the Canadian team for the 1960 Olympic Games and competed at Squaw Valley, California, finishing twenty-sixth in the giant slalom. At that point in her career, Nancy still lacked the experience and technical skills to be a world-class champion. Still, she received inspiration at the medal ceremonies to continue working. While watching Ann Heggtveitt receive her gold medal for her slalom victory, Nancy resolved to win one for herself and for her country.
To fulfill her quest, Nancy trained hard. The sport of alpine skiing is physically demanding. Racers must have the strength and stamina to negotiate courses on the sides of steep and often icy mountains. During Nancy’s racing era, alpine skiing consisted of three races: slalom, giant slalom, and downhill. Slalom races have two runs on similar courses with forty to fifty gates each racer must pass through. In slalom, the racer going through all the gates and having the lowest combined time for the two runs is the winner. A giant slalom race has fewer gates, set farther apart, allowing the racers to ski faster. In the downhill race, control gates are set only for safety. Competitors ski the straightest line possible, achieving very high speeds and often flying through the air during the race. Most racers finish the courses in from two to four minutes; there is not much room or time for errors.
The Emerging Champion
From 1960 to 1967, Nancy worked to perfect her craft. She participated in her first international tour in 1961, skiing with the Canadian national team at many European meets. At home, she experienced success. She was Canadian National Champion six times. In the 1964 Olympics at Innsbruck, Austria, she showed improvement in finishing seventh in the downhill. Nonetheless, she still lacked the technical skills and experience to be an Olympic champion.
Nancy’s persistence and aggressive style earned her the nickname “tiger.” Her style also led to some rather spectacular falls. This happened in Portillo, Chile, in 1966, when Nancy fell while skiing at 40 miles per hour. Turning cartwheels, losing her helmet, poles, and skis, she tore ligaments and broke her coccyx. During her career, she also suffered a broken leg, a dislocated shoulder, and a sprained ankle. However, the “tiger” always battled back.
In 1967, the World Cup competitions first began. Competitors would participate in a series of races, leading to the crowning of a World Cup champion at the end of the season. Nancy was ready. After the first three European meets, she had collected five wins and was in the lead, but the Canadian team had to return home, forcing her to miss three meets. When the Canadians returned to the competition in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Nancy was in third place. She would need eighteen points to win the World Cup title. She accomplished this feat and won the final race by .07 seconds.
By 1968, Nancy had become the skier to beat. That year, the Olympics were held in Grenoble, France. Nancy was leading the World Cup by 30 points—having won the first two events—when disaster struck at Badgastein, Austria. She slipped during a training run and ended up hanging from a tree by her skis. There were no fractures, but Nancy had severely injured the ligaments of her right ankle. She could not practice, let alone race until the injury healed.
By the time Nancy arrived in Grenoble, she could ski and do light exercise—but it was unknown whether she would be able to race. The first event was the downhill and proved to be a big disappointment. Her coach had predicted great things, proclaiming it the “perfect” course for her, but her ski wax picked up some dirt, slowing her down, and she finished a disappointing tenth. Nancy handled this situation by avoiding the crowds and concentrating on the next race—the slalom. The course was difficult, with fifty-six gates. By concentrating hard, Nancy won her first Olympic medal—a silver—after putting together two good runs. The final race, the giant slalom, was a very technical course, dropping 450 meters over a 1,610-meter course with sixty-eight gates. Nancy drew a good start number after her archrival, Marielle Goitschell. Nancy pushed the entire course and won the gold medal by 2.64 seconds, an almost unheard-of margin in world-class skiing.
Continuing the Story
The Canadian “tiger” finished the 1968 ski season at a torrid pace, posting nine straight victories, including one at Red Mountain, British Columbia, her home area. She captured the World Cup title for the second straight year. Just as important, Nancy also passed her final exams at the University of Notre Dame at Nelson, British Columbia, and earned her bachelor’s degree. Nancy retired from competitive skiing after the 1968 season but stayed involved in skiing. She helped to found The Nancy Greene League, a developmental ski program for Canadian children. Nancy also had success as a ski resort developer. In 1996, she published a guide for beginning skiers. In 1999, she was named the Canadian Female Athlete of the Century.
Greene took on many new ventures, including in education and politics. From 2005 to 2011, she served as the chancellor of Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia. She was named Olympic Ambassador in 2010 when the Olympics were held in Vancouver. In 2009, was elected to the Canadian Senate. She served in that position until her retirement at age seventy-five in 2018. In 2023, Greene remained an active skier, leading night-time skiing expeditions at Canadian ski resorts. Greene remains one of the most revered and accomplished athletes in Canadian history.
Summary
Nancy Greene battled to be world champion two years in a row. Once she retired, she took steps to help others to follow in her footsteps. She is considered one of the greatest skiers of all time.
Bibliography
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Esrock, Robin. “Alpine Night Skiing by Torchlight: A New Year's Moment in Sun Peaks.” Canadian Geographic, 5 Jan. 2023, canadiangeographic.ca/articles/alpine-night-skiing-by-torchlight-a-new-years-moment-in-sun-peaks. Accessed 23 Apr. 2023.
Fry, John. The Story of Modern Skiing. University Press of New England, Lebanon, NH, 2006.
Greene, Nancy. "Meet Senator Nancy Greene Raine." Senate of Canada, 16 Aug. 2016, sencanada.ca/en/sencaplus/people/meet-senator-nancy-greene-raine. Accessed 30 Apr. 2021.
Levinson, David, and Karen Christensen, eds. Encyclopedia of World Sport: From Ancient to Present. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1996.
Wallechinsky, David, and Jaime Loucky. The Complete Book of the Winter Olympics. Sports Media, Wilmington, 2005.
Wiegand, Jenny. "Meet Nancy Greene, Canada’s Female Athlete of the 20th Century." Ski, 1 Feb. 2021, www.skimag.com/athletes/nancy-greene-profile. Accessed 24 June 2024.