Allen Church

Allen Church attended Colorado State University, where he initially studied veterinary medicine before moving to Hollywood to become an actor. For Church, however, his Hollywood dream was brief, with his sole acting credit being in a low-budget Western where he rode a horse. He was then drafted to serve in the Korean War, attending radar school at Fort Sill in Oklahoma. Following his military service Church moved to Palo Alto with his wife before later working at a laboratory in Albuquerque until his retirement.

In the meantime, Church’s daughters began to take up competitive skiing, with him volunteering as a race official. From there he worked on the timing working group with both the International Ski Federation (FIS) and the United States Ski and Snowboarding Association (USSA). Church then officiated at the Olympics in Lake Placid in 1980 and in Calgary in 1988. At the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City, he was the chief timer for men’s and women’s downhill, super G, and Alpine combined events. The highlight of the Games for Church came when he was chosen to recite the Official’s Oath at the Opening Ceremony.