John Bower
Encyclopedia
John Bower was an American
nordic combined
skier who competed in the 1960s and later went on to become a coach of the American nordic skiing
team for the 1976
and 1980 Winter Olympic
team. He also became the first non-Europe
an to ever win at the Holmenkollen ski festival
in Norway
with his 1968 victory in the Nordic combined event.
A native of Auburn, Maine
, Bower would attend Middlebury College
in Vermont
where he would win the NCAA national championship in Nordic combined in 1961. After graduating from Middlebury in 1963, he would join the United States Army
and serve during the mid-1960s. Bower also won the national Nordic combined event four times (1963, 1966-8).
Competing in two Winter Olympics, Bower finished 15th in the Nordic combined event at Innsbruck
in 1964
and 13th in the same event at Grenoble
in 1968
. After his retirement from Nordic combined competition, Bower would later go on to coach the Nordic skiing team for both the 1976 and 1980 Winter Olympics.
After retirement, Bower and his wife Bonnie, moved to Park City, Utah
where Bonnie started the Park City Winter School to allow skiers to attend school in the summer while competing in the winter. John Bower meanwhile became the first director of the Utah Olympic Park
when it first opened in 1989. Utah Olympic Park
would later host several competitions during the 2002 Winter Olympics
. Bower's son Ricky (born 1980) would win the Snowboarding
half-pipe
World Championships in Germany
in 1999.
In 1999, Sports Illustrated
magazine ranked him 19th among Maine
's 50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th century.
As of 2007, he is one of only three Americans and one of only four North America
ns to ever win anything at the Holmenkollen ski festival. The other North American winners are fellow Americans Kerry Lynch
(1983 Nordic combined event) and Todd Lodwick
(1998 Nordic combined 7.5 km sprint event), and Canadian
Pierre Harvey
(1988 50 km cross country skiing event).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
nordic combined
Nordic combined
The Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in both cross-country skiing and ski jumping.- History :While Norwegian soldiers are known to have been competing in Nordic skiing since the 19th century, the first major competition in Nordic combined was held in 1892 in Oslo at the...
skier who competed in the 1960s and later went on to become a coach of the American nordic skiing
Nordic skiing
Nordic skiing is a winter sport that encompasses all types of skiing where the heel of the boot cannot be fixed to the ski, as opposed to Alpine skiing....
team for the 1976
1976 Winter Olympics
The 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 4–15, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria...
and 1980 Winter Olympic
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
team. He also became the first non-Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an to ever win at the Holmenkollen ski festival
Holmenkollen ski festival
The Holmenkollen Ski Festival is a traditional annual Nordic skiing event in Holmenkollen, Oslo, Norway. The full official name of the event is Holmenkollen FIS World Cup Nordic. It takes place in March and has been arranged every year since 1892, except for 1898 and during World War II...
in 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...
with his 1968 victory in the Nordic combined event.
A native of Auburn, Maine
Auburn, Maine
Auburn is a city in and the county seat of Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 23,055 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan...
, Bower would attend Middlebury College
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
where he would win the NCAA national championship in Nordic combined in 1961. After graduating from Middlebury in 1963, he would join the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and serve during the mid-1960s. Bower also won the national Nordic combined event four times (1963, 1966-8).
Competing in two Winter Olympics, Bower finished 15th in the Nordic combined event at Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
in 1964
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...
and 13th in the same event at Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
in 1968
1968 Winter Olympics
The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1968 in Grenoble, France and opened on 6 February. Thirty-seven countries participated...
. After his retirement from Nordic combined competition, Bower would later go on to coach the Nordic skiing team for both the 1976 and 1980 Winter Olympics.
After retirement, Bower and his wife Bonnie, moved to Park City, Utah
Park City, Utah
Park City is a town in Summit and Wasatch counties in the U.S. state of Utah. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80. The population was 7,558 at the 2010 census...
where Bonnie started the Park City Winter School to allow skiers to attend school in the summer while competing in the winter. John Bower meanwhile became the first director of the Utah Olympic Park
Utah Olympic Park
The Utah Olympic Park is a winter sports park built for the 2002 Winter Olympics, and is located east of Salt Lake City near Park City, Utah, United States. During the 2002 games the park hosted the bobsleigh, skeleton, luge, ski jumping, and nordic combined events. It still serves a training...
when it first opened in 1989. Utah Olympic Park
Utah Olympic Park
The Utah Olympic Park is a winter sports park built for the 2002 Winter Olympics, and is located east of Salt Lake City near Park City, Utah, United States. During the 2002 games the park hosted the bobsleigh, skeleton, luge, ski jumping, and nordic combined events. It still serves a training...
would later host several competitions during the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
. Bower's son Ricky (born 1980) would win the Snowboarding
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
half-pipe
Half-pipe
A half-pipe is a structure used in gravity extreme sports such as snowboarding, skateboarding, skiing, freestyle BMX, and inline skating. The structure is wood, concrete, metal, earth, or snow. It resembles a cross section of a swimming pool, essentially two concave ramps , topped by copings and...
World Championships in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1999.
In 1999, Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
magazine ranked him 19th among Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
's 50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th century.
As of 2007, he is one of only three Americans and one of only four North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
ns to ever win anything at the Holmenkollen ski festival. The other North American winners are fellow Americans Kerry Lynch
Kerry Lynch
Kerry Joel Lynch was an American nordic combined skier who competed from 1979 to 1987. He is best known for his doping scandal at the 1987 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Oberstdorf, West Germany in which he and his coach Jim Page approved a plan to give Lynch an illegal transfusion to...
(1983 Nordic combined event) and Todd Lodwick
Todd Lodwick
Todd Lodwick is an American nordic combined skier and by several measures the most successful North American in this sport ever...
(1998 Nordic combined 7.5 km sprint event), and Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Pierre Harvey
Pierre Harvey
Pierre Harvey, is a Canadian sports athlete. He was the first Canadian male athlete to compete in both the 1984 Summer Olympics and 1984 Winter Olympics ....
(1988 50 km cross country skiing event).