Gerald Gannon
| Gerald Gannon | |
|---|---|
| Years in Thunder Bay | by 1955–at least 1958; 1960–1961 |
Gerald Gannon was a competitive skier and coach who represented Canada on the national team and competed for the University of Colorado. Gerald Gannon was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1984 as an athlete.[1]
Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
Gerald Gannon was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame on 29 September 1984 in the athlete category for skiing, representing Port Arthur.[1]
Career
Born in Portage LaPrairie, Manitoba, Gannon moved to the Lakehead as an infant. He took up skiing at age eleven with the Port Arthur Ski Club. By 1955, he was a prominent figure in local competitions across Port Arthur and Fort William. During the Port Arthur Ski Club championships that year, he secured victories in the junior men's downhill, slalom, ski jumping, and combined categories. He followed these performances by winning gold at the Central division championships hosted by the Fort William Ski Club.[1]
Gannon transitioned to national success in 1956 at Mt. Ste. Anne, Quebec, where he earned silver medals in the overall standings for both the Canadian Junior Men’s Jumping and Downhill Championships. In 1957, he placed second in the Canadian Men’s Jumping and Alpine Combined events and won the gold medal in the Canadian Junior Men’s Slalom. His success continued into 1958 when he captured the gold medal in the Canadian Senior Men’s Alpine Combined and a silver medal in the Senior Men’s downhill. During the 1957-58 season, he was ranked as one of the top ten alpine skiers in Canada.[1]
In 1959, Gannon was selected for the Canada’s National Ski Team. He moved to the United States after receiving a scholarship to attend the University of Colorado, where he competed for the Colorado Buffaloes from 1959 to 1960. He was a member of the squad that won the 1960 NCAA Championships and received an All-American honourable mention for his performance. Following his collegiate career, he served as a coach for the Central Division Junior Men and Women’s ski team during the 1960-61 Canadian Championships.[1]
Outside of competitive athletics, Gannon established a career as a teacher in Dryden, Ontario. He continued his involvement in skiing as a coach in the Dryden area, where his contributions to school sports were recognized with the Pete Beach Award.[1]
Residence in the Thunder Bay area (by 1955–at least 1958; 1960–1961) rests on the following dated evidence. He was competing for Port Arthur and Fort William clubs from 1955 to 1958 and coached the Central Division team in 1960-61 before moving to Dryden.[1]
Honours and achievements
- Won the junior men’s downhill, slalom, ski jumping and combined events at the 1955 Port Arthur Ski Club championships
- Won gold at the Central division championships in 1955
- Earned silver overall in Canadian Junior Men’s Jumping and Downhill Championships in 1956
- Won gold in the Canadian Junior Men’s Slalom in 1957
- Won gold in the Canadian Senior Men’s Alpine Combined in 1958
- Ranked among the top ten alpine skiers in Canada for 1957-58
- Named to the Canadian National Ski Team in 1959
- Member of the 1960 NCAA Championship winning team with the University of Colorado Buffaloes
- Received All-American honourable mention in 1960
- Recipient of the Pete Beach Award for coaching[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "Gerald Gannon", athlete profile, Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, https://www.nwosportshalloffame.com/athlete-profile/4bce8d4f-5de3-457a-a737-71fcd49f8979 (accessed 31 October 2026). Archived copy on datum.locker.