No. 843 Lindsay Van, 2015

File — Box: 76, Folder: 12

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Women’s ski jumping pioneer Lindsey Van was born in Detroit and moved to Park City in 1989 when her father, who had worked for Ford, was laid off and her parents moved west to ski. She grew up skiing in a family of skiers and athletes, started ski jumping at 7, and was jumping internationally by 1995 with Karla Keck. She describes the changing culture over the years, mentions the sexism in which women were frequently given the more dangerous hills and weather conditions to test for the men, and discusses the documentary Ready to Fly which she did with Bill Kerig. Van talks about equipment, the lawsuit to allow women’s ski jumping in the Olympics, pivotal events in the evolution of women’s ski jumping, and mentions some key players in advancing women’s ski jumping such as Daniela Iraschko, Anette Sagen, Jessica Jerome, and Ulrike Grabler. She loves ski jumping and would like to stay involved in the sport into the far future, whether as an official or otherwise. Van also talks about sponsorship, the reliance on prize money, and her coach Larry Stone.
Project: Outdoor Recreation oral history project.
Interviewer: Erin Halcomb.

Dates

2015

Conditions Governing Access

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.