The
Ottawa Ski Club has produced over 65 competitors who have gone on to represent Canada in alpine and Nordic
events. Some of the more famous names include: John and Harvey Clifford, Art and Andy Tommy, Anne Heggtveit
(1960 Olympic Gold Medalist and World Champion), Betsy Clifford (1970 GS World Champion), Ken Read (winner of 7
World Cup Downhills) and Horst Bulau (winner of several World Cup Jumping events).
Our most current OSC alumnus to
represent Canada is Patrick Biggs.
OSC's Patrick Biggs
Canadian Alpine Ski Team (2004-present)
 
Patrick Biggs who has been a member of the Canadian Alpine Ski Team
since 2004, he will be part of the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy.
Patrick started with the OSC when he was 6 years old, went through the
program, won the Skimeister and had decided, then and now, that
he wanted to be the best in the world, he is on his way to fulfill his
dream.
On February 4th, 2006, OSC hosted a 'Good
luck' party where current and alumni members of the Club, joined by Nancy and David Biggs, showed how proud we all are of him.
Members of the Club wrote their best wishes on a
banner which his parents will bring to him in Torino.
Excerpts from KEN READ'S WHITE CIRCUS
 'As I learned at Camp Fortune
the size of the hill is not the most important element in the development of a racer. What is important? Skiing
must be enjoyed for what it is. An enthusiastic program in which participants enjoy lots of camaraderie and
bonhomie, can go a long way towards making up any shortcomings in vertical drop.'
'They may not have had the mountains of Europe or the North American West, but Camp Fortune and the
Ottawa Ski Club had a structured racing organization which involved hundreds of kids ...... the kids at Fortune
were divided so that no child ever felt at a disadvantage because of his weight. Best of all I got to know a
bunch of kids who loved to bomb down the hill. We built bumps and executed spread-eagles in masses of 10 to 15
kids. We chased one another everywhere. To test our mettle, we'd schuss slalom, ..... out of such foolishness
are formed the skiers, who become racers and the racers who become champions.'
'The Fortune program was varied. We were not obliged to concentrate solely on Alpine skiing, but we were
involved in a regime which also included ski jumping, slalom, downhill and cross-country.'
'For a time this small club in the Gatineau Hills may have run the best racing system in Canada. It
turned out racers such as Currie Chapman, who now coaches the women's team, and the Clifford sisters, world
champion Betsy, and former national team member, Susan.'
'Mr. Graves* and Mr. Livingstone* (Fred and Doug were always "Mister" to this 10 year old) were my first
real coaches. They encouraged me alot about the rudiments of the sport, but most of all they made skiing fun.
The gratitude of a 10 yr old is fleeting. Their reward for so many weekends with frozen hands and feet was to
see my beaming face and then my back as I took off down the hill.'
*parent volunteers with the OSC
BETSY CLIFFORD
Betsy Clifford followed in the trail of great champion skiers like Nancy Greene, Anne Heggtveit and
Lucille Wheeler.
Betsy had a phenomenal career. At fourteen she was the youngest competitor at the 1968 Winter Olympics in
Grenoble where Nancy Greene won gold and silver. At sixteen she was the youngest person ever to capture a World
Championship. She was the downhill silver medalist at the 1974 World championships, and placed 12 times in the
top tem in World Cup races including two slalom gold medals.
IMPORTANT DATES
1910 - Ottawa Ski Club (OSC) formed
1920 - Acquisition of Camp Fortune
1947 - Skimeister Championship
1955 - Midget program starts
1961 - Juvenile division begins
1969 - Nancy Greene Ski League (NGSL)
1991 - Fortune Ski Club (FSC) formed
1994 - Ski Fortune commences operation
2000 - Fortune Ski Club returns to Ottawa Ski Club name
Some
famous skiers that have come out of the
Ottawa Ski Club / Fortune Ski Club
- Patrick Biggs (2004- ), member of the Canadian Alpine Ski Team
- 2002-03 Eastern Pontiac Ski Cup Overall Winner
- Jean-Pierre Picher - National Ski Team
Coach
- Don Lyon - National Ski Team Coach
- Gillian McFetridge, 1996-98, member of the Junior Canadian Alpine Ski Team
- Paul Kristofic, 1996-present, Coach - Men SG & GS Canadian Alpine Ski Team
- raced for NCD from 1985-1988 , coached from 1988-1993
- Mary White, member of the Canadian Alpine Ski Team (late 70's)
- Ken Read
- 1975 - 1980 Winner of 7 World Cup races (5 DH's)
- 1965 - Midget Boys' Skimeister Champion
- Betsy Clifford
- 1964 - Midget Skimeister Champion
- 1970 - World Champion, Giant Slalom
- 1973 - Winner World Cup Slalom, Schruns, Austria
- Jim Johnson, Canadian Ski Team Member - 1963-66
- Anne Heggtveit, 1960 winner of 2 Olympic gold medals
- John Clifford, 1946 Chilean Ski Champion, 1949 Central Canada Slalom Champion
- Harvey Clifford, Member of the Canadian Ski Team, 1948 Olympic Team
-
 John Fripp, 1953 Canadian Champion, 1957 FIS World Championship
- Alex McDougall, 1950 World Championship
- Art Tommy, 1956 Olympic Team
- Andy Tommy, 1956 Olympic Team
- Audrey Dunn, 1948 Central Canada Alpine Combined Champion
- Budd Clark, 1936 Olympics
- Amby Quinn, 1950 FIS World Championship
- Shawn Fripp, 1957 World Championship
- Fred Tommy, 1960 Canadian GS Champion
- Trevor Klotz, 1957 FIS World Championship
- Arnold Midgley, 1960 Canadian Slalom Champion
- Vicki Rutledge, 1961 Canadian Combined Champion
- Bob Swan, 1962 Canadian Slalom Champion
- Anne Parsons, 1962 Canadian Ski Team
- Currie Chapman, 1967 Canadian Ski Team , Coach Canadian Ski Team
- Heather Quipp, Canadian Ski Team Member
- Anne Rowley, 1967 Canadian Ski Team Member
- Susan Graves, 1968 Canadian Alpine Champion, 1969 Can. GS Champ
- Pam McCormick, 1967 Jr. Canadian Alpine Champion
- Kim Rawley, Canadian Ski Team Coach
- Rick Hunter, 1970 Canadian Ski Team Member
- Steve Shaver, 1971 Canadian Ski Team Member
- Phillip Graves, Canadian Ski Team Member
- Nancy McDougall, 1971 Canadian Ski Team Member
- Mary White, Canadian Ski Team Member
- Scott Shaver, Canadian Ski Team Member
- Scott Finlay, Canadian Ski Team Member
- Susan Clifford, Canadian Ski Team Member
- Joanne Clifford, Canadian Ski Team Member
- Bob Donneley, Canadian Ski Team Coach
- Joey Lavigne, Canadian Ski Team Coach
- Val Watson, Canadian Ski Team Member
- Robin McLeish, Canadian Downhill Champion
- Gabby Bulau, Canadian Ski Team Member
- Sonja Rusch, Canadian Ski Team Member
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