When determining how Banff’s Leo Berchtold won a silver medal at the 48th annual Bruno Engler Memorial Race on Saturday (March 29) at Mount Norquay, the roots stretch back 77 years over two continents.
When Berchtold was a boy growing up in rural Switzerland, he and his friends would fashion their own wooden skis and spy upon affluent ski schools to learn the latest techniques. The Second World War wiped out any thought of ski team dreams for the young Berchtold, who snuck onto the slopes after the ski schools had left to practice his turns.
No parabolic ski, no built-in rocker …
“It was just a wooden ski. No steel edges. Just a leather strap. We’d take wrapping cords from the metal and put them on the skis. That was our skins,” Berchtold said.
His school would host several races, which Berchtold would win, but he knew he had to go elsewhere to pursue his dreams.
At 22, he moved to Ottawa and worked as a painter. In his spare time, he’d climb, swim and explore as much as possible, until he met the superintendent of Banff National Park, who told him he had to move to Banff.
“He told me I was in the wrong spot and offered me a job as a lifeguard at the Cave and Basin,” said Berchtold, now 84.
He got a job at Monod’s, began coaching some of the top Canadian and U.S. ski racers, taught lessons above Maligne Lake in Jasper and eventually helped with the creation of the Bruno Engler Cup. For the next 48 years, he would ski. Even into his 80s, he skis 170 days a year at Mount Norquay and is often the first man up the lift.
Two years ago, he thought his skiing days were over. A nasty fall left him with a broken back and an urgent trip to Calgary’s Rockyview Hospital.
“They had to call STARS, but they couldn’t make it because of the weather. They put me on a transport to see if I make it or I don’t. Then I had a kidney stone and caught pneumonia in the hospital,” Berchtold said.
He did recover and kept his Norquay string alive, buying season passes for the past 44 years and watching the next generation of skiers emerge.
“Being here and seeing the children, this is what we like. It brings them out to the ski hill rather than sitting at home. This is what makes me happy. I don’t care how I ski,” Berchtold said.
He wasn’t alone in the 80+ category at the Engler race, which celebrates the local ski community with yodlers and Swiss cooking.
As well, 89-year-old Eddie Hunter won his age category again this year and was the oldest competitor on the day. Margaret Bosinger had that honour for the women, as she won the 80-84 year old category, while Berchtold finished behind his friend George Raham and ahead of Bruce McGavin. Other winners include Anne Evely, Fred Bosinger, Margaret Bruin and Jim Griffin.
The race was smaller than in years past, but organizers are already preparing for the 50th anniversary in 2016.
If Berchtold has anything to say about it, he’ll be there again. First one up the lift.
