Karl Hovelsen

Carl Howelsen ( born March 23, 1872 in Kristiana as Karl Hovelsen, † 1955 ) was an American nordic skier who was active in all Nordic disciplines.

Career

Howelsen, who was born in 1872 in Norway as Charles Hovelsen, began early with the Nordic skiing. As a member of Bærums SK 1903 he won the competition in the Nordic combined at the Holmenkollen Ski Festival. He also won the 1902 and 1903 competitions in cross-country skiing. In 1903 he was awarded for its successes, the Holmenkollen medal. Howelsen emigrated in 1905 with his family to the United States, changed his name to Carl Howelsen and began with the construction of ski sport in Colorado. He was active for many years for the Ringling Brothers Circus as a ski jumper and was instrumental in the construction of the Norge Ski Club in Chicago. In 1921, he won with 49 years national championship title in Steamboat Springs. In 1922 he visited his parents in Norway and learned during the visit to know his future wife, for he remained in Norway until his death in 1955.

Howelsen in 1969 was inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. In 1977, its inclusion in the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.

In the city of his title win Steamboat Springs, the hill was named after him and is now called Howelsen Hill. Howelsens son Leif Hovelsen published in 1983 in cooperation with the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame a biography entitled The Flying Norseman.