Larry Damon

American cross-country skier (1933–2024)
Larry Damon
Damon in 1970
Personal information
Born(1933-12-08)December 8, 1933
Burlington, Vermont, U.S.
DiedMarch 15, 2024(2024-03-15) (aged 90)
Winooski, Vermont, U.S.
OccupationAlpine skier
Height1.8 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Skiing career
DisciplinesCross-country skiing, Biathlon
ClubUVM Outing Club[1]
Retired1970[2]
Olympics
Teams4 – (1956–Cross Country, 1960–Biathlon, 1964–Cross Country, 1968–Cross Country)[1]
Medals0[1]
Medal record
Representing the  United States
US Championships
Gold medal – first place 1961 15 km cross-country ski
Gold medal – first place 1961 30 km cross-country ski

Lawrence Snow Damon (December 8, 1933 – March 15, 2024) was an American cross-country skier and biathlete who competed in the 1956, 1960, 1964 and 1968 Olympics.

Early life

Born on December 8, 1933 in Burlington, Vermont, Damon attended Burlington High School where he was a four event skier.[1][2]

Career

  • 1951 won the State Slalom Championship and placed second in the Cross-country Championship.[2]
  • 1952–1955 won the first NCAA Cross-country Ski Championship for UVM.[2]
  • 1956 placed 51st in the 15 km cross-country ski at the 1956 Olympics[3] and Men's 4x10 km Cross-country Ski Relay, ranked 12th with personal time in the 3rd leg of 0:37:27 and total team time of 2:32:04. Relay teammates were Ted Farwell, Mack Miller and Marvin Crawford.[4]
  • 1958–1959 Competes for the US Military Biathlon teams.[1]
  • 1959 won pre-Olympic North American Biathlon.[2]
  • 1960 placed 24th in the 20 km biathlon at the 1960 Olympics.[5]
  • 1961 won US Championships in 15 km Cross-country Ski and 30 km Cross-country Ski.[1]
  • 1962 finished 10th in the 1962 Boston Marathon with a time of 2:34:05.[1]
  • 1964 placed 46th in the 30 km[6] and 28th in the 50 km cross-country Ski at the 1964 Olympics..[7]
  • 1968 placed 55th in the 15 km[8] and 32nd in the 50 km Cross-country ski[9] at the 1968 Olympics.

Publicity press and promotions

Damon was inducted into the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum Hall of Fame in 2010.[2]

Personal life and death

Damon graduated from the University of Vermont in 1955.[1] After the 1956 Olympics, he joined the U.S. Army where he competed in biathlon.[2] After marrying Norwegian Olympic cross-country skier Babben Enger he briefly lived in Norway, but in 1970 settled in Vermont to work as a ski instructor at the Trapp Family Lodge.[2][1]

Damon died in Winooski, Vermont on March 15, 2024, at the age of 90.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Larry Damon". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Lawrence Snow Damon". Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  3. ^ "Official Olympic Reports" (PDF). 1956. p. 608. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  4. ^ "Official Olympic Reports" (PDF). 1956. p. 615. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  5. ^ "Official Olympic Reports" (PDF). 1960. p. 120. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  6. ^ "Official Olympic Reports" (PDF). 1964. p. 109. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  7. ^ "Official Olympic Reports" (PDF). 1964. p. 108. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  8. ^ "Official Olympic Reports" (PDF). 1968. p. 377. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 February 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  9. ^ "Official Olympic Reports" (PDF). 1968. p. 378. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 February 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
  10. ^ "Lawrence Snow "Larry" Damon". Legacy. Retrieved 9 April 2024.