Ragnar Omtvedt (18 February 1890–31 March 1975) was a Norwegian born, American Olympic skier.

Career

Ragnar Omtvedt was born in

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

, Norway. In 1912, he emigrated to the United States. He was the US Ski Jumping Champion three times (1913, 1914 and 1917), and 1922 Canadian champion. On 16 February 1913, his first year competing in the United States, he set a world record of 51.5 m (169 ft) on

Curry Hill Little India or India Town (less commonly known as Indian Street or India Bazaar) is an Indian or Desi ( South Asian) sociocultural environment outside India or the subcontinent. It especially refers to an area with Indian residences and a div ...

in Ironwood, Michigan, United States. On 18 February 1916, he set another ski jumping world record at 58.5 m (192.9 ft) in

Steamboat Springs, Colorado The City of Steamboat Springs is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Routt County, Colorado, United States. Steamboat Springs is the principal city of the Steamboat Springs, CO Micropolitan Sta ...

, where there is currently a restaurant named after him (Ragnar's). He competed in cross-country skiing and Nordic combined at the

1924 Winter Olympics The 1924 Winter Olympics, officially known as the I Olympic Winter Games (french: Iers Jeux olympiques d'hiver) and commonly known as Chamonix 1924 ( frp, Chamôni 1924), were a winter multi-sport event which was held in 1924 in Chamonix, France ...

Chamonix Chamonix-Mont-Blanc ( frp, Chamôni), more commonly known as Chamonix, is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of southeastern France. It was the site of the first Winter Olympics in 1924. In 2019, it had ...

. Ragnar was denied the opportunity to compete there in ski jumping, because a clerk forgot to submit his name to Olympic authorities. He was injured in 1924 while jumping, which ended his jumping career. He was elected into the U.S.

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 1967. He died in

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

in 1975.

Ski jumping world records

Not recognized! Stood at world record distance, but achieved at professional championships.

References

External links

Ragnar's Steamboat Mountain Dining
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Omtvedt, Ragnar 1890 births 1975 deaths Norwegian emigrants to the United States American male Nordic combined skiers American male ski jumpers American male cross-country skiers Olympic Nordic combined skiers for the United States Olympic cross-country skiers for the United States Nordic combined skiers at the 1924 Winter Olympics Cross-country skiers at the 1924 Winter Olympics