Svend,
You forgot Nancy Greene, Canada's greatest evahh on skis! And probably more of a HH contemporary.
Doh! Of course. How could I forget? BTW, Nancy now owns a fantastic ski resort in the interior of British Columbia called Sun Peaks. It's a few hundred kilometers east of Whistler, in a dry belt. Hence, they get tons of light dry snow of the Utah powder species. I have never been there, but want to go soon. A friend skis there every year, and loves it.
For anyone interested, Ken Read's book "White Circus" describes what it was like for North American skiers to break into the European-dominated World Cup scene in the '70s. The road blocks thrown up by everyone from the officials, European teams, and even the ski manufacturers, were enormous. Basically, until they started doing well, they had to make do with hand-me-down used skis and other gear from friendly and empathetic European racers. It wasn't until Read won at Val d'Isere, and at the Hammenkamm, becoming the first non-European to do so, that North Americans were taken seriously and started getting respect and support. Fascinating book, and very insightful.
As an aside, he talks about the complete absence of ski racing on North American television at the time. This changed when ABC's Wide World of Sports took up the broadcasting, and that really boosted the profile of the sport here. Later came actual FIS races on this continent -- something which had never been done off of the European continent.
As for golf....well, I can't comment much as I don't partake in the sport. But knowing a few avid players, I would say that they buy as much of the "latest and greatest" technology as any ski nut.
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