Downhill, Women

After snow postponed the men’s downhill, the women’s downhill was the first Alpine event of the 1960 Winter Olympics. The favorite should have been Canada’s Lucille Wheeler, bronze medalist in 1956, who had won the downhill and giant slalom at the 1958 World Championships, but she was injured and could not compete in Squaw. The first skier to come down Little Papoose Peak was American Penny Pitou, who had competed at the 1956 Winter Olympics. As six further skiers finished, Pitou’s time of 1:38.6 was obviously an impressive one, and held the lead until Germany’s Heidi Biebl finished in 1:37.6. Biebl’s time was never challenged, earning her the gold medal. Pitou would later win another silver in the giant slalom. Returning to her native New Hampshire she later became director of the largest travel agency in the state.