Freestyle skiing has come a long way since its early days, but one New Hampshire ski resort played an important role in getting the sport off the ground. In 1971, Waterville Valley Resort hosted the first professional freestyle skiing competition, bringing adventurous skiers from across the United States and Canada together for a groundbreaking event.
Held on the resort’s True Grit Trail, the competition was officially called the National Championship of Exhibition Skiing. Chevrolet sponsored the event, offering cash prizes and a Chevrolet Corvette to the winner. Although organizers avoided using the term freestyle, the competition helped establish the foundation for what would become one of skiing’s most popular disciplines.
Swiss skier Herman Goellner won the professional competition’s overall title, earning himself a new Corvette. The event attracted considerable attention, thanks in part to its built-in spectator appeal and the opportunity to see some of North America’s most creative skiers competing against one another.
The Waterville Valley Historical Society recently shared footage from the historic competition. The video was originally shared with the organization by Larry Holmes, a longtime Waterville Valley and BBTS skier, who obtained it from Waterville Valley Hall of Fame legend Jack Sanders.
The competition’s success quickly sparked similar events throughout North America. Chevrolet and Skiing Magazine organized another competition in Vail later that winter, while contests also emerged in Steamboat Springs, Aspen, Stratton, and Mount Snow. Waterville Valley’s annual event eventually established itself as the sport’s premier competition, featuring $10,000 in prize money and another Chevrolet automobile.
Following serious accidents at competitions in 1973, the International Freestyle Skiers Association was formed to take responsibility for organizing events and developing rules and judging criteria, putting the athletes themselves more in charge of their emerging sport.