TORMOD “TOM” MOBRAATEN
Olympian
By Philip Collings

Tom Mobraaten, as he was known in Canada, was an all-round Olympic skier, best known for ski jumping.

He was born in 1910 in Kongsberg, Norway, a silver mining town that doubled as a ski resort. Tom was involved in competitive skiing from the age of six, and when he immigrated to Canada at the age of twenty, he came to the west coast in search of skiing. With two Norwegian friends, Henry Sotvedt and Nordahl Kahldahl (jointly known as “the Three Musketeers”), he joined the Hollyburn Ridge Ski Club and built a cabin on the mountain.

In those days, if you wanted to ski Hollyburn, you had to be a man or woman of iron. After crossing from Vancouver on the West Vancouver ferry, you rode the bus to the end of the line, reportedly where Ottawa Avenue is now. From there, you had to carry your skis, gear and food to the top of the hill and open up your cabin for the weekend. Then you could ski, at least until Sunday afternoon when you had to do the whole thing in reverse.

Tom Mobraaten and his ski jumping friends filled in this regime by preparing and grooming their own ski jump, a major feat of construction in itself. You might be pardoned for thinking someone this home-grown wouldn’t produce the most sophisticated of ski-jumping techniques, but they were strict perfectionists at Kongsberg where Tom learned his skills, and throughout his ski-jumping career he was known for his graceful and classic form. He won several competitions on form even though others had jumped further...