A Canadian Miner Strikes Olympic Gold
ALTHOUGH the ALUMNI MAGAZINE'S January preview of Dartmouth men in the Olympics didn't mention Peter Kirby '54 of St. Jovite, he turned out to be Dartmouth's bright star by winning a gold medal as a member of Canada's four-man bobsled champions. Maybe it was because bobsledding is a relatively new winter sport for Kirby that this former Big Green skier and member of the Canadian Olympic and F.I.S. ski squads wasn't looked for in the sledding lists.
Entering Dartmouth as a member of the Class "of 1954, Peter graduated in 1956 after taking several leaves of absence to ski for the national Canadian squad. He first left Hanover, after experiencing freshman-year Carnival, to try out for the 1952 Olympic Alpine team. That year Peter was named an alternate. After competing as a regular on the 1954 F.I.S. team and touring the European circuit, his interest in geology wooed him back to Hanover where he finished up his four years.
Having completed postgraduate work at McGill, he accepted a position with an international mining firm. As a ferrous specialist this miner never struck gold until he ventured to Innsbruck. But, now let's look back to 1962, the year of Peter's first ride on a bobsled.
Several of his friends, seasoned riders on the Canadian team, had dared him to meet them at the 1962 championships for a trial ride. The state of the Canadian teams in 1962 was such that trials like these, although risky, were necessary to uncover new talent. At any rate, Peter took a vacation from the mines and flew to Garmisch, Germany, site of the competitions. First taste of this winter sport, which was to prove more absorbing than competitive skiing, came on the No. 2 two-man sled. Then, during practice, when a spot opened up on the big-brother sled, the green novice broke into fourman competition. But, it was very little more than just breaking into the sport; the four-man sled took 12th place, a cellar position at the Garmisch meet.
Since the 1962 baptism in Germany, Peter (and his teammates) have learned well. Brakeman Kirby readily admits that without the guidance and encouragement of the Italian ex-champions, Zardini and Monti, the Canadians would still be finishing in the cellar. "Not too much training is involved," he says, "but, a good run-and-jump off the line is something you pick up from practicing; then, once the sled starts to plunge toward the bottom, weight-shifting on the small, slinky corners becomes the cruxy issue." We queried about the proper technique for riding the fast, banked chutes. "Well, Emery (il pilota) knows how to steer I just hold on and keep my head down."
Kirby and company have clearly mastered these few rudiments since their dismal showing at Garmisch. They displayed crack form from the very first at Innsbruck. The dangerous 1500-meter course, abnormally treacherous due to the soft and cracking ice, made their first three of four official runs bruising experiences, but the omniscient IBM machine showed them out in front with Austria and Italy close behind. Then Friday, the day of the fourth and final run, dawned with sub-freezing temperatures, making the course faster and, paradoxically, safer. The push-off from the line was executed crisply. The halfton projectile thundered down the mountain in a startling 1:04:01, to take fastest time of the day and fastest total time for the meet. The team also took four gold medals back to Canada.
On locating Peter at Olympic Village, we found him prepared to head for Germany as soon as the games closed. He was to travel as a buyer, but not for his mining outfit which he quit when a new job assignment threatened to maroon him in Australia during the Olympics. His new job - winter sporting goods imports - somehow seems a more appropriate one for an Olympic champion. Peter was scheduled to be back in Canada for the spring at his Northsport, Ltd. firm, a joint undertaking with his brother-in-law.
"Any long-term plans?" we ventured. "I'd like to have enough time for sledding and also for skiing for fun once again. I am looking forward to a Hanover visit sometime soon. You know, it'll be my first time since graduation."
Peter Kirby '54, member of the Canadianfour-man bobsled team that captured goldmedals in the Olympic Games in Austria.
Chris Ryan, son of William J. Ryan'18, is studying abroad this year and islocated in Florence, Italy.
