Charles T. ("Chuck") Ferries (born June 10, 1939) was an American

alpine ski ''Alpine Ski'' (アルパイン・スキ一) is an Alpine skiing arcade game, released by Taito in 1981. The player controls a skier, who can move left, right, or increase forward speed. The aim is to maneuver a skier through a downhill ski course ...

racer, as well as an Olympian in 1960 and 1964. In 1962, Ferries became the first American to win a European classic gate race, the Hahnenkamm

slalom To slalom is to zigzag between obstacles. It may refer to: Sports ;Alpine skiing and/or snowboarding * Slalom skiing, an alpine skiing and alpine snowboarding discipline * Giant slalom, an alpine skiing and alpine snowboarding discipline * Super-G ...

, at

Kitzbühel Kitzbühel (, also: ; ) is a medieval town situated in the Kitzbühel Alps along the river Kitzbüheler Ache in Tyrol, Austria, about east of the state capital Innsbruck and is the administrative centre of the Kitzbühel district (). Kitzbühel ...

. Bob Beattie called Ferries "the most unknown great ski racer in U.S. history." If relatively unknown to later generations, Ferries nonetheless was featured on the March 11, 1963 cover of ''

Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...

''. With Ferries depicted in sketch, the caption reads, "Best U.S. Skier."Sport Illustrated Cover
/ref> Ferries has worked in the ski industry, coached the

United States Ski Team The U.S. Ski Team, operating under the auspices of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, develops and supports men's and women's athletes in the sports of alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, cross-country, ski jumping, and Nordic combined. Since 1974 the team and a ...

and served as Chair of the

U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association U.S. Ski & Snowboard, formerly known as the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, is the national governing body for Olympic skiing and snowboarding. Founded in 1905, the organization provides leadership and direction for skiers and snowboarders fr ...

. In 1989, Ferries was inducted into the

United States National Ski Hall of Fame The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum is located in Ishpeming, Michigan, the birthplace of organized skiing in the United States. Located in the state's Upper Peninsula, the building includes the hall of fame and museum, as well as a t ...

. In 2007, Ferries received the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association's Blegen Award, which is the USSA's most prestigious honor for service to the organization. The following year, Ferries was inducted to the Colorado Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame as part of its Class of 2008.

References

External links

Forty Flashback: Bob Beattie
Skiracing.com article
Skiing History Association
Olympic alpine skiers of the United States Alpine skiers at the 1960 Winter Olympics Alpine skiers at the 1964 Winter Olympics Living people 1939 births American male alpine skiers {{US-alpine-skiing-bio-stub