Australia at the 1952 Winter Olympics
Encyclopedia
Australia
's second Winter Olympic Games
appearance was at the 1952 Winter Olympics
in Oslo
, Norway
. It was 16 years since Australia's last Winter Games, as the 1940
and 1944 Winter Olympics
were cancelled, and Australia did not compete in the 1948 Winter Olympics
. Australia sent nine athletes and competed in alpine skiing
, cross-country skiing
, figure skating
and speed skating
. Nancy Hallam and Gweneth Molony
were Australia's first women athletes at the Winter Olympics.
Along with Karl Schüssler
of West Germany
, Bruce and Cedric gave up between the 30.5 km mark and 42 km mark in the 50 km race.
The winner of the 18 km won in a time of 1:01:34, whereas Bruce Haslingden took 1:29:58 and Cedric Sloane timed 1:32:39. The third-last competitor, John H. Caldwell
(USA) took 1:25:42, and a total of five competitors retired during the race.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's second Winter Olympic Games
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...
appearance was at the 1952 Winter Olympics
1952 Winter Olympics
The 1952 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VI Olympic Winter Games, took place in Oslo, Norway, from 14 to 25 February 1952. Discussions about Oslo hosting the Winter Olympic Games began as early as 1935; the city wanted to host the 1948 Games, but World War II made that impossible...
in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It was 16 years since Australia's last Winter Games, as the 1940
1940 Winter Olympics
The anticipated 1940 Winter Olympics, which would have been officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, were to be celebrated in 1940 in Sapporo, Japan.The games were cancelled due to the onset of World War II...
and 1944 Winter Olympics
1944 Winter Olympics
The anticipated 1944 Winter Olympics, which would have been officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games , were to be celebrated in February 1944 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
were cancelled, and Australia did not compete in the 1948 Winter Olympics
1948 Winter Olympics
The 1948 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated in 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The Games were the first to be celebrated after World War II; it had been twelve years since the last Winter Games in 1936...
. Australia sent nine athletes and competed in alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
, cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
, figure skating
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
and speed skating
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
. Nancy Hallam and Gweneth Molony
Gweneth Molony
Gweneth Molony is an Australian figure skater. She is the 1949-1951 Australian national champion. She represented Australia at the 1952 Winter Olympics, where she placed 21st. She and Nancy Burley were the first ladies singles skaters to represent Australia at the Olympics...
were Australia's first women athletes at the Winter Olympics.
Alpine skiing
- Downhill: Bill Day (60th/72), Barry PattenBarry PattenBarry Beauchamp Patten was an Australian architect and Olympic alpine skier.He was born in McKinnon, Victoria....
(67th), William "Bob" Arnott (71st) - Slalom: Bill Day (50th), William "Bob" Arnott (61st), Barry Patten (71st) (all three were only allowed one run)
- Giant slalom: Bill Day (67th/82), William "Bob" Arnott (78th), Barry Patten (80th)
Cross-country skiing
- 18 km: Bruce HaslingdenBruce HaslingdenEdward Bruce Haslingden was an Australian cross country skier who competed in the 1950s. He finished 74th in the 18 km event at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo...
(74th/75), Cedric SloaneCedric SloaneCedric Sloane was an Australian cross country skier who competed in the 1950s. At the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo, he finished 75th in the 18 km event and competed in the 50 km event, but did not finish.-See also:* Australia at the 1952 Winter Olympics...
(75th) - 50 km: Bruce Haslingden (DNF), Cedric Sloane(DNF)
Along with Karl Schüssler
Karl Schüssler
Karl Schüssler was a West German cross country skier who competed in the 1950s. He competed in the 50 km event at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo, but did not finish.-External links:*...
of West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, Bruce and Cedric gave up between the 30.5 km mark and 42 km mark in the 50 km race.
The winner of the 18 km won in a time of 1:01:34, whereas Bruce Haslingden took 1:29:58 and Cedric Sloane timed 1:32:39. The third-last competitor, John H. Caldwell
John H. Caldwell
John Homer Caldwell was an American nordic skier who competed in the 1950s and later wrote a series of books in the United States that popularized cross-country skiing in that country....
(USA) took 1:25:42, and a total of five competitors retired during the race.
Figure skating
- Men: Adrian SwanAdrian SwanAdrian Swan is an Australian figure skater. He represented Australia at the 1952 Winter Olympics, where he placed 10th. He was the first men's singles skater to represent Australia at the Olympics. In 1951, he also competed at the British Figure Skating Championships...
(10th/14) - Women: Nancy Hallam (married name Nancy Burley) (14th/25), Gweneth MolonyGweneth MolonyGweneth Molony is an Australian figure skater. She is the 1949-1951 Australian national champion. She represented Australia at the 1952 Winter Olympics, where she placed 21st. She and Nancy Burley were the first ladies singles skaters to represent Australia at the Olympics...
(also spelled Gwenneth) (21st)
Speed skating
- 500 m: Colin HickeyColin HickeyColin Edward Hickey was an Australian speed skater. He represented Australia at the 1952, 1956 and 1960 Winter Olympics. His seventh place in the 1956 Winter Olympics was Australia's best result until 1976....
(29th/39) - 1500 m: Colin Hickey (30th/39)
- 5000 m: Colin Hickey (28th/35)