Sweet Success From 1961 through 1967, the annual Bee Hive competition attracted the world’s top professional racers to .

BY CAROLINE FORCIER HOLLOWAY

n March 7, 2014, the derl Molterer. For the next six years, and is now a TV -racing com- Georgian Peaks ski top pro racers from Europe and mentator) and Brian Stemmle (who area in Ontario convened in Canada competed in four Olympics, from hosted its annual to race on the Bee Hive circuit. 1988 through 1998). Super GP Classic, a The event was named after The driving force behind the Oteam giant slalom race on the inter- Bee Hive Golden Corn Syrup, an first Bee Hive was Ian Rogers, a mediate Minute Mile trail. Located energy food manufactured by the St. Toronto lawyer who founded Geor- near the town of Collingwood and Lawrence Starch Company of Port gian Peaks in 1960. A key partner overlooking Lake Huron’s Georgian Credit, Ontario, the event sponsor. was the late Dan Gibson, a portrait Bay, this private alpine club offers 24 A Montreal Gazette article published photographer, budding filmmaker trails with a vertical rise of 820 feet, in February 1962, following the sec- and avid skier, who was keen on the highest in the province. ond annual Bee Hive, reported that promoting in Collingwood Though the GP Classic is an “to those who watched this spectac- and at Georgian Peaks. Sponsorship amateur event, open only to club ular and successful event, it was evi- was easily secured through Gibson’s members, it recalls a little-known dent that professional ski racing had skiing friend Lorne Gray, of the St. but interesting chapter in racing his- arrived to stay.” It also established Lawrence Starch Company. Through tory. On February 26, 1961, Georgian Georgian Peaks as a training ground its signature Bee Hive corn syrup, Peaks hosted the inaugural Bee for Olympic-caliber Canadian alpine the company was already sponsor- Hive giant slalom. It was the first racers, including Judy Crawford ing national and local sports events, professional GS race in Canada and (who placed fourth in women’s including the National Hockey a smashing success, attracting elite slalom at the 1972 Winter Games in League. (At the time, corn syrup racers like , Othmar Sapporo), Todd Brooker (who raced was a regular staple on breakfast Schneider, Ernie McCulloch and An- on the World Cup from 1981 to 1987 tables, to pour on pancakes or add

16 | March-April 2014 SKIING HISTORY < Left to right: A promotional poster for the first Bee Hive professional GS race in 1961; more than 9,000 spectators lined the course to watch the inaugural race; skiers ride the double chair at Georgian Peaks in Ontario on the day of the event; Austrian racer Toni Spiess chugs a can of Bee Hive Golden Syrup, provided by the event’s sponsor.

PHOTO CREDIT: All frame enlargements courtesy Library and Archives Canada, Dan Gibson Fonds, Bee Hive Films No. 1, 4 and 7.

to your coffee.) The company’s role Ernie McCulloch of Mont Trem- in the annual GS event included blant, Québec. covering the competitors’ expenses, A newspaper headline of the day putting up the prize money, and reads: “The real heroes of the race, advertising and promoting the race. however, didn’t wear .” This is And every year, a comely “Miss Bee a nod to the race organizers and Hive” was on hand to award med- volunteers, who ensured that the als and give each competitor a free race would happen despite poor can of corn syrup, which the racers conditions that almost caused its drank (as seen in the films). Gibson cancellation. For a week before the documented the races and distrib- race, unusually mild temperatures, uted his films for free, to promote mixed with rain and a lack of snow, the event and the sport of alpine made for almost non-existent skiing racing—and skiing—across Canada at Georgian Peaks. Officials refused (see “To Learn More”). to give in, spending upwards of $3,000 hauling snow by the truck- THE FIRST BEE HIVE: load in the days before the race. On STEIN ERIKSEN WINS THE PRIZE the night before the event, chemical The 1961 inaugural Bee Hive attract- snow cement was used to harden ed some of the biggest names in ski the snow around the slalom gates, racing. Stein Eriksen, the Norwe- and snow was funnelled onto the gian superstar who had won a gold course through coal chutes. Skiers, medal in GS and silver in slalom at local workers, high school students the 1952 Winter Games, took first and residents of Collingwood, place. Anderl Molterer of , Thornbury and Clarksburg pitched also known as the “Blitz from Kitz,” in to help pack and shovel snow. took second. Fellow Austrian rac- The racers were discouraged by ers and Othmar the condition of the trail, but on Schneider came in third and fourth, race day, the overnight rain had respectively. According to Red Mc- turned into freezing sleet and the Conville, the former president of the course was lightning fast. By noon, Canadian Ski Association who raced the sun had melted some of the ice in the 1964 Bee Hive, , and turned the surrounding dirt the world champion racer from into mud, making it difficult for ski- Austria, was present for the first Bee ers and spectators to maneuver. Hive, but didn’t compete due to his First-person recollections recount Top to bottom: Stein Eriksen won the first new career as an actor. In Gibson’s the challenges faced by the first Bee Bee Hive in 1961. After racing the GS course film, he is seen congratulating the Hive race organizers. In particu- wearing bib 5, he was met at the finish by Bee Hive winners. In total, 23 com- lar, Helen Gibson of Toronto, Dan Miss Bee Hive and world champion racer petitors raced in the inaugural Bee Gibson’s widow, recalls: “The day Toni Sailer (left), who foreran the course but Hive, including Canadian champion before the race there was a disas- didn’t compete. www.skiinghistory.org March-April 2014 | 17 trous thaw to bare grass. Snow was Collingwood, on February 10, 1963. trucked in, and many helpers shov- Twenty-five pros raced on a course eled it onto the mountain to make a set by Red McConville, the Devil’s single track down the course, which Glen co-founder. The champion froze overnight so the race could that year was of be held. (What) a miracle!” She was Austria, who had won slalom gold one of more than 9,000 enthusiastic and GS bronze at the 1960 Olym- spectators who lined the course to pics. Hinterseer returned to Devil’s watch the event. Glen in 1964 to win the fourth Bee Many others recall vivid memo- Hive. This race included three of ries of the first Bee Hive: the the world’s leading skiers: Egon “February Thaw” and the difficult Zimmermann, François Bonlieu and course conditions, the excitement of Pepi Stiegler, who won GS bronze the race, billeting the racers, and the and slalom gold that year at the fine reception at the end of the day Innsbruck Olympics. Other veteran at a private home in Collingwood, professionals competing at Devil’s where a select few had the rare op- Glen included Anderl Molterer, portunity to meet and mingle with Adrien Duvillard, Pepi Gramsham- the world’s skiing greats, including mer, Christian Pravda and Heli Eriksen, the star of the day. Schaller. The following year, the Bee SIX MORE YEARS ON THE CIRCUIT Hive headed west for the fifth an- The Second Annual Professional In- nual race held on March 13, 1965 at vitation Bee Hive Giant Slalom was Mount Whitehorn in Lake Louise, held at Mont Gabriel, in Québec`s Alberta. Twenty skiers competed for Laurentian Mountains, on February the trophy including five talented 25, 1962. With the sponsor offering Canadians (Jean Carpentier, Bob a larger total cash purse of $5,000, Gilmour, Jim McConkey, Al Men- the event attracted even more pros. zies and Lorne O’Connor). They By changing the location, organiz- competed against other world-class ers hoped to promote professional racers, including Mike Wiegele, Toni ski racing across Canada and allow Spiess, Christian Pravda, Pepi Gram- greater exposure for the sponsor. shammer, Marvin Moriarty and that The race was held on O’Connell’s year’s Bee Hive champion, Adrien Slip (Scott’s Slip), a 4,000-foot-long Duvillard from . trail that was reconstructed to make The Sixth Bee Hive was set in it steeper and tougher, and the Eastern Canada, at Lac- Beauport, resort used the event to promote Québec, on February 13, 1966, with its state-of-the-art grooming and Ernst Hinterseer capturing first place ability. Heli Schaller of for the third time. He completed the Austria was the 1962 champion. two-run race with a total time of The Third Bee Hive challenge 2:34.366, and Gramshammer placed was held at Devil’s Glen, near second with a time of 2:34.735. The

TO LEARN MORE Many of the Bee Hive promotional materials, such as posters, flyers, adver- tisements, programs, and newspaper and magazine articles, are stored in the Canadian Ski Museum collection; most of the materials can be viewed online at www.skimuseum.ca. Another resource is the St. Lawrence Starch Company collection at the Archives of Ontario in Toronto (www.archives. Top to bottom: The first Bee Hive GS gov.on.ca). These records document the development of Bee Hive racing and attracted some of the world’s top ski report historical facts about the races and the racers, including photographs racers, including and trophies. Dan Gibson’s films provide a fascinating record of the Bee Hive (blue hat and jacket) and Christian Pravda races. Three of the seven films have survived (documenting the first, fourth (white hat and goggles); Ernst Hinterseer and seventh years of the race series) and are preserved at a third resource, (with trophy and corn syrup) won the the Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa. To order copies or learn more, fourth Bee Hive in 1964. consult the Website: www.collectionscanada.gc.ca.

18 | March-April 2014 SKIING HISTORY race comprised 42 gates and covered Dan Gibson offers a record of the 2,200 feet over a vertical drop of 700 racers in action—some in slow mo- BEE HIVE feet. Altogether, the race included 23 tion to showcase their technique and racers with 10 racers from Austria, ability—including Herman Goellner, CHRONOLOGY 10 from Canada, two racers from Toni Spiess, , First Professional Invitation France and one from the United Anderl Molterer and others. Bee Hive Giant Slalom States (Moriarty). No one can say for certain why February 26, 1961 According to Canadian Sport the Bee Hive series ended after a Georgian Peaks, Ontario Monthly, much attention was placed successful seven-year run. Some First place: Stein Eriksen on the timing mechanism used to believe that competitors were asking () clock the Sixth Bee Hive race: a new for more than the sponsor could Top prize: $2,000 Heuer timer from Switzerland. “The provide in an overall purse of device is so revolutionary that on $5,000, with $2,000 going to the race Second Annual Professional the day before the race our officials champion each year. Others say the Invitation Bee Hive Giant Slalom were still trying to figure it out,” Bee Hive had a good run and sim- February 25, 1962 said sponsor Lorne Gray. It offered ply died a natural death. Regardless Mont Gabriel Lodge, Québec reliability and accuracy down to of the speculations, most agree that First place: Heli Schaller (Austria) one-thousandth of a second. after Lorne Gray’s untimely death in Top prize: $2,000 The seventh and final Bee Hive 1969, the momentum was impossible was moved to Mont Tremblant, to regain. Third Annual Professional Québec, and held on March 12, 1967. Invitation Bee Hive Giant Slalom Hias Leitner from Austria, silver Caroline Forcier Holloway is an archivist, a February 10, 1963 medalist in the 1960 Winter Olym- former CSIA instructor and an avid skier. Devil’s Glen, Ontario pics, took first place. The film by She lives in Ottawa, Ontario. First place: Ernst Hinterseer (Austria) Top prize: $2,000

HISTORY RECORDS THAT. . . Fourth Annual Professional Invitation Bee Hive Giant Slalom The February 26, 1961 competition at more races—at Aspen; Boyne Moun- February 23, 1964 Georgian Peaks, Ontario was the first tain, Michigan; Sugar Bowl, California; Devil’s Glen, Ontario pro race in Canada involving Friedl Loveland Basin, Colorado; and Stevens First place: Ernst Hinterseer Pfeifer’s newly formed International Pass, Washington. By season’s end in (Austria) Professional Ski Racing Association April, Pfeifer’s pro group had drawn Top prize: $2,000 (IPSRA). One month earlier, in January more than 25,000 spectators, and 1961, Pfeifer and his Aspen sidekick, Fred paid out $15,500 in prizes.” (Equal to Fifth Annual Professional Iselin, had run a race-for-money giant $118,000 today, adjusted for inflation.) Invitation Bee Hive Giant Slalom slalom on Buttermilk at Aspen. The win- The top money winner in pro rac- March 13, 1965 ner was Anderl Molterer, the Blitz from ing’s first season was Molterer, with Mount Whitehorn, Lake Kitz, who took home $1,450, arguably $5,000. Other committed IPSRA racers Louise, Alberta the first major cash prize for ski racing were Stein Eriksen of Aspen Highlands First place: Adrien Duvillard since 19th-century gold miners on long and Boyne; Christian Pravda and Pepi (France) boards raced for money in California. Gramshammer of Sun Valley; Toni Top prize: $2,000 Following the Buttermilk race, IP- Spiess of Aspen; and Othmar Schnei- SRA was formed as a nonprofit corpo- der of Stowe. Sixth Annual Professional ration, according to an account in the For IPSRA’s second season in 1962, Invitation Bee Hive Giant Slalom October 1961 issue of Skiing Magazine. Pfeifer stipulated that racers would February 13, 1966 One of the new organization’s first have to be 24 years of age or older. He Lac Beauport, Québec acts was to accept an invitation from wanted to avoid attracting younger rac- First place: Ernst Hinterseer Canada for its members to compete in ers, as a concession to the FIS (Interna- (Austria) the previously planned Bee Hive race. tional Ski Federation), which opposed Top prize: $2,000 Because of a winter drought, snow money competitions of any kind. had to be shoveled onto the course on Pfeifer, his eyes twinkling, sardoni- Seventh Annual Professional the steep escarpment that is Georgian cally told Skiing of his worry that IPSRA Invitation Bee Hive Giant Slalom Peaks. More than 9,000 eager specta- might have difficulty recruiting more March 12, 1967 tors showed up. IPSRA racers took the good skiers. “Some top Europeans,” Mont Tremblant, Québec first six places. he said, “are making so much money First place: Hias Leitner (Austria) “In quick succession that winter,” as amateurs they can’t afford to turn Top prize: $2000 reported Skiing, “IPSRA staged five pro!” —John Fry www.skiinghistory.org March-April 2014 | 19