Dave Murray (skier)
Encyclopedia
Dave Murray was an alpine ski racer
. He was noted for being a member of the Crazy Canucks
, the Canadian downhill racers of the late 1970s and early 1980s known for their fearless (and sometimes reckless) racing style. His teammates in the group were Ken Read
, Dave Irwin
, and Steve Podborski
.
As part of the Crazy Canucks, Murray was considered the team mediator. He earned three podium finishes including two second place finishes behind fellow Crazy Canuck Ken Read. In 1979
, he was ranked third in the world in downhill, but he never won a World Cup event. At the 1980 Winter Olympics
in Lake Placid
, he finished 10th in the downhill.
Murray retired from competitive skiing following the 1982
season. After retiring, he returned to British Columbia
and founded the Dave Murray Ski School in 1988. It has since become one of the most renowned ski schools in Canada, attracting visitors from across the nation. The downhill course at Whistler
has been named the "Dave Murray course." It hosted World Cup
Downhill and Super-G races from 1993
-95
and will be used again at the 2010 Winter Olympics
; it has been noted as being among the best in the world.
After a battle with skin cancer
, Dave Murray died on October 23, 1990; he was 37 years old.
Murray's daughter, Julia Murray
, who was only 22 months old when he died, is a member of Canada's Ski Cross Team, and Olympian for the 2010 Winter Olympics to be held in February 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia. His wife, Stephanie Sloan, was a pioneer in freestyle skiing and a world champion.
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...
. He was noted for being a member of the Crazy Canucks
Crazy Canucks
The Crazy Canucks was a group of Canadian alpine ski racers who rose to prominence in the World Cup during the 1970s and 80s. Dave Irwin, Dave Murray, Steve Podborski, Jim Hunter and Ken Read earned themselves a reputation for fast and seemingly reckless skiing....
, the Canadian downhill racers of the late 1970s and early 1980s known for their fearless (and sometimes reckless) racing style. His teammates in the group were Ken Read
Ken Read
Ken Read, CM is a retired Canadian Olympic alpine ski racer, Corporate Director, sport advocate and international sports leader....
, Dave Irwin
Dave Irwin
Dave Irwin is a former alpine ski racer who represented Canada at two Winter Olympic Games and won a World Cup. He was one of the "Crazy Canucks", a group of Canadian downhill racers who rose to prominence on the World Cup circuit in the late 1970s...
, and Steve Podborski
Steve Podborski
Stephen Gregory Podborski, is a Canadian former World Cup and Olympic downhill ski racer with Ukrainian ancestry.-Racing career:...
.
As part of the Crazy Canucks, Murray was considered the team mediator. He earned three podium finishes including two second place finishes behind fellow Crazy Canuck Ken Read. In 1979
1979 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 13th World Cup season began in December 1978 in Austria and concluded in March 1979 in Japan.The overall winners were Peter Lüscher of Switzerland and Annemarie Moser-Pröll of Austria.-Calendar:- Men's Overall Results:...
, he was ranked third in the world in downhill, but he never won a World Cup event. At the 1980 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1980 Winter Olympics
Alpine skiing at the 1980 Winter Olympics consisted of six events, held near Lake Placid, New York, U.S.A.. The races were held at Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington from February 14–23, 1980....
in Lake Placid
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
, he finished 10th in the downhill.
Murray retired from competitive skiing following the 1982
1982 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 16th World Cup season began in December 1981 in France and concluded in March 1982, also in France. Phil Mahre of the U.S. repeated as overall champion, the second of his three consecutive titles. Erika Hess of Switzerland won the women's overall title....
season. After retiring, he returned to British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
and founded the Dave Murray Ski School in 1988. It has since become one of the most renowned ski schools in Canada, attracting visitors from across the nation. The downhill course at Whistler
Whistler-Blackcomb
Whistler Blackcomb is a major ski resort located 125 km north of Vancouver, in British Columbia, Canada. By many measures it is the largest ski resort in North America; it is 50% larger than its nearest competitor in terms of size, has the greatest uphill lift capacity, and until 2009, had...
has been named the "Dave Murray course." It hosted World Cup
Alpine skiing World Cup
The FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is the top international circuit of alpine skiing competitions, launched in 1966 by a group of ski racing friends and experts which included French journalist Serge Lang and the alpine ski team directors from France and the USA...
Downhill and Super-G races from 1993
1993 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 27th World Cup season began in November 1992 in Sestriere, Italy, and concluded in March 1993 in Åre, Sweden. Marc Girardelli of Luxembourg won his fifth overall title, which still stands as the most in World Cup history...
-95
1995 Alpine Skiing World Cup
The 29th World Cup season began in December 1994 at Tignes, France, and concluded in March 1995 at the World Cup finals in Bormio, Italy. The overall champions were Alberto Tomba of Italy and Vreni Schneider of Switzerland...
and will be used again at the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
; it has been noted as being among the best in the world.
After a battle with skin cancer
Skin cancer
Skin neoplasms are skin growths with differing causes and varying degrees of malignancy. The three most common malignant skin cancers are basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer, and melanoma, each of which is named after the type of skin cell from which it arises...
, Dave Murray died on October 23, 1990; he was 37 years old.
Murray's daughter, Julia Murray
Julia Murray
Julia Murray is a Canadian freestyle skier and resides in Whistler, British Columbia. Murray is a member of the Canadian national ski cross team and was a FIS World Championships silver medalist in 2011....
, who was only 22 months old when he died, is a member of Canada's Ski Cross Team, and Olympian for the 2010 Winter Olympics to be held in February 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia. His wife, Stephanie Sloan, was a pioneer in freestyle skiing and a world champion.
External links
- FIS-ski.com - race results - Dave Murray
- FIS-ski.com - World Cup season standings - Dave Murray - 1975-82
- Ski-db.com - results - Dave Murray
- Dave Murray dies CBC archives
- Crazy Canucks profile at Canada's Walk of FameCanada's Walk of FameCanada's Walk of Fame , located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is a walk of fame that acknowledges the achievements and accomplishments of successful Canadians...
.