William-George CLARK

A versatile skier, Bud Clark was well-known on the Canadian and international scene by the time he competed in his first edition of the Winter Olympics in 1932. He finished 38th among 42 starters in the 18 km race and was also entered in the individual Nordic combined event, but did not start. He continued to compete, becoming the Canadian Nordic combined champion in 1935, and in 1936 was selected once to represent his country at that year’s Olympic Games, this time in three disciplines. He was most successful in the Nordic combined, placing 39th among 46 finishers in the individual event, and was 47th of 75 starters in the 18 km cross-country ski. He was entered into two other events, combined alpine skiing and the 50 km cross-country ski, but did not complete the slalom portion of the former and failed to start the latter.

Clark earned one more major distinction by becoming the Canadian alpine skiing champion in 1939 and then retired from competition. He remained active in the sport, however, and founded a ski resort in Gatineau, which eventually named a slope in his honor. He was also involved in administrative aspects, serving as Chairman of the technical committee of the Canada Amateur Ski Association from 1950-1951, and then as the body’s president from 1952-1959. Outside of skiing, he also had an interest in canoeing and worked as an official in that sport as well.