2008 spring program revisits ski jumping in the Chippewa Valley

Eyvind and Inga Ager, son and daughter-in-law of Waldemar and Gurolle Ager, watching the Flying Eagles ski jumping at Mount Washington Hill during the 1940s. The spring program on April 11th, 2008, will explore the history of ski jumping in the Chippewa Valley.

"I remember going to these ski tournaments that they had there down in Mount Washington. And of course we'd walk all the way down there. Of course nobody minded walking in those days. It was all foot traffic. And you'd walk down there to take in, you see, on a Sunday afternoon a ski tournament when they had it in Eau Claire. And I went with him—my father would write up a story about the tournament for the newspaper, the Norwegian newspaper. And so I enjoyed that kind of activity, going down and watching the skiers. And most of them seemed to be Norwegians; some of them had come from Norway and others were, most of all them, all of those that took part in them, men that had immigrated from Norway and were pretty good skiers." —Eyvind Ager, in an interview, spring, 1998.

Spring program, April 11th

Jumping Back in History

Ski jumping has been a part of the Chippewa Valley since 1888, when the Eau Claire Ski Club, one of the oldest clubs in the United States, began its annual invitational meets in the city. Forty-three years later, in 1931, the Flying Eagles Ski Club was founded for the youth of the area and helps children up to age eighteen learn how to ski jump at Mount Washington Hill in Eau Claire. As a result of these programs, many of the jumpers from Eau Claire have competed internationally, and some have been part of the United States Olympic Teams.

To explain the history of skiing in the Chippewa Valley from its beginning, through the years at Hendrickson Hill, to the present location at Silver Mine Hill, Dr. Paul Loomis, a family medicine physician with Luther Midelfort/Mayo and President of the Flying Eagles, will be the featured speaker at the Spring Program of the Ager Association. Dr. Loomis is a member of the Eau Claire Ski Club, coaches ski jumping for the Flying Eagles, and coaches youth cross-country for the Eau Claire Ski Striders program, “Kickin Kids.” He and his wife, Karyl, are very active in all aspects of the various programs. They have a daughter who has moved to Florida for college – as far away from snow as she can get – and two sons, ages 9 and 15, who love snow and all types of skiing.

Anyone who has wondered about the importance of ski jumping and its history in the Eau Claire area will enjoy this program! There will be a dessert/coffee reception before the presentation at the Ager House from 6 p.m. until 6:45 p.m., so people can meet and talk with Dr. Loomis preceding the program. This will be followed by the presentation, which will take place at the Chippewa Valley Montessori School, 400 Cameron Street (formerly Lincoln School), at 7 p.m., on Friday, April 11, 2008.

There is no charge for the program, and the public is welcome to attend the reception and the presentation.