Christine Smith (skier)
Encyclopedia
Christine Idris Smith was an Australian alpine skier
. She has been described as a "long-haired blonde with an 'all-Australian girl next door' image."
Born in Cooma
, Smith learned to ski at an early age. She was a "stylish and aggressive skier" who competed in the 1962 Commonwealth Winter Games
and won the Thredbo Cup in Australia in 1963–64. At the 1964 Winter Olympics
, Smith came 27th out of 43 in the downhill. She also came 28th and last in the slalom and was disqualified in the giant slalom. Her performances were affected by the death of a fellow competitor Ross Milne
.
In 1965, while recuperating from a ski accident in Europe, she was enlisted to teach The Beatles
to ski for their film Help!
, and performed in the movie in a short skiing sequence. Smith competed in the World Ski Championships in Chile in 1966, and taught skiing at Thredbo
and other venues before establishing an interior design business in 1974. In 1977 she married Wayne Arthur Garland.
In 1979, Smith committed suicide
by swallowing chloral hydrate
and paracetamol
with salicylic acid
.
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...
. She has been described as a "long-haired blonde with an 'all-Australian girl next door' image."
Born in Cooma
Cooma, New South Wales
-Education: is Cooma's only public high school, it serves the town and seven of the neighbouring rural towns and villages such as Berridale, Jindabyne, Nimmitabel, Bredbo and Dalgety....
, Smith learned to ski at an early age. She was a "stylish and aggressive skier" who competed in the 1962 Commonwealth Winter Games
Commonwealth Winter Games
The Commonwealth Winter Games is a multi-sport event comprising winter sports which is designed as a counterbalance of the Commonwealth Games, which focuses on summer sports. This is analogous to the Winter Olympics augmenting the Summer Olympic Games....
and won the Thredbo Cup in Australia in 1963–64. At the 1964 Winter Olympics
1964 Winter Olympics
The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Innsbruck, Austria, from January 29 to February 9, 1964...
, Smith came 27th out of 43 in the downhill. She also came 28th and last in the slalom and was disqualified in the giant slalom. Her performances were affected by the death of a fellow competitor Ross Milne
Ross Milne
Ross Milne was an Australian Olympic downhill skier who died when he struck a tree during a practice run three days before the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria....
.
In 1965, while recuperating from a ski accident in Europe, she was enlisted to teach The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
to ski for their film Help!
Help! (film)
Help! is a 1965 film directed by Richard Lester, starring The Beatles—John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr—and featuring Leo McKern, Eleanor Bron, Victor Spinetti, John Bluthal, Roy Kinnear and Patrick Cargill. Help! was the second feature film made by the Beatles and is a...
, and performed in the movie in a short skiing sequence. Smith competed in the World Ski Championships in Chile in 1966, and taught skiing at Thredbo
Thredbo, New South Wales
Thredbo Village and ski resort is in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, and a part of the Snowy River Shire.Thredbo is about 500 kilometres south of Sydney, accessible by the Alpine Way via Cooma, Berridale and Jindabyne...
and other venues before establishing an interior design business in 1974. In 1977 she married Wayne Arthur Garland.
In 1979, Smith committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by swallowing chloral hydrate
Chloral hydrate
Chloral hydrate is a sedative and hypnotic drug as well as a chemical reagent and precursor. The name chloral hydrate indicates that it is formed from chloral by the addition of one molecule of water. Its chemical formula is C2H3Cl3O2....
and paracetamol
Paracetamol
Paracetamol INN , or acetaminophen USAN , is a widely used over-the-counter analgesic and antipyretic . It is commonly used for the relief of headaches and other minor aches and pains and is a major ingredient in numerous cold and flu remedies...
with salicylic acid
Salicylic acid
Salicylic acid is a monohydroxybenzoic acid, a type of phenolic acid and a beta hydroxy acid. This colorless crystalline organic acid is widely used in organic synthesis and functions as a plant hormone. It is derived from the metabolism of salicin...
.