Harald Riise

A Ski Legend in His Own Time

by Mary Germeau

Winter 2003

I first met Harald Riise in 1981 as adult in my second year of skiing. At the time he had been teaching with Tor and Dorothy Storkerson at Olympic Ski School at Stevens Pass since the school was formed in 1965. I remember his positive attitude and helpful manner when he worked with me, a fairly new skier. I can definitely say that he contributed to my early love of the sport of skiing.

When it came time to nominate instructors for awards this year, Bob Hall and I agreed that we both wanted to nominate Harald for the Larry Linnane Legends Award. I, because I have known and worked with Harald, and Bob because he had coaxed Harald out of retirement in 1997 to teach for the Bob Hall Ski and Snowsports school. Bob’s nomination made reference to Harald’s present level of teaching. Bob said, “Harald teaches 8 year olds to 80 year olds in the bumps, in powder, on the steeps and running slalom gates. He keeps his students returning to him year after year. If only all instructors had his professionalism, skill level and physical fitness after almost 40 years of teaching.” In accepting his award at the Symposium Banquet presented by Bob Hall, Harald displayed his characteristic sense of humor as he told everyone about his inability to turn when he first skied in the United States. The ski patrol eventually forced him to turn left and right and slow down on the slopes!

I imagine that many of you readers would like to know what kind of history produced this legendary ski instructor, and so you shall. I questioned two of Harald’s long time friends for information, his wife Sherry and his friend Tor Storkerson.

Our story begins in 1956 when Harald came to the United States from Norway for a “visit” and stayed for eight years before he made a visit home again. During these eight years he was ski racing the A circuit for the U.S racing, teaching for the Art Audett Ski School and working for his uncle’s construction company; he also found time to meet and marry his wife Sherry. When he first began teaching for Art Audett, he was not yet a member of PSIA. Soon however, he and his friend Tor joined the organization and took the Associate exam together at Mt. Pilchuck in about 1964-65. At the time the head examiner was Glen Young and the two young ski instructors were required to list the type of skiing style that they were planning to demonstrate. They did not want to put down Austrian or French style, so they listed Modified American Style, whether it existed or not. Naturally, both passed their exam. In fact, he and Tor joked that since they both Norwegians and they both had skis that they should both pass without taking an exam.

In 1965 Tor and Harald broke away from the Audett ski school and established Olympic Ski School at Stevens Pass. During the summer, the new group of instructors built the Olympic “shack” and started classes the next winter. Harald taught many clinics and advanced classes for Olympic over the next 20 years. He passed his Full Cert. at Mt. Baker soon after his Associate.

One year there was an event called Indoctrination held at Crystal Mountain. All instructors were invited and Harald was one of the clinicians. At the time, Fred Nelson was the head of PSIA. At the end of the event, there was a GS race for all comers. At the time, Gordy West was the fast skier to beat and Harald succeeded in getting first place in the race. When he received his award, Gordy went outside to Harald’s pure white skis and put huge Mission Ridge stickers on them as a joke since he had been bested. Those stickers never came off.

Recall that Harald did go home for a visit after 8 years in the United States. With his wife Sherry, Harald went home to the area around Hardanger Fjord and worked for the local ski school at Geilo for the winter. He was a four star instructor in Geilo which meant that he was certified in teaching ski jumping, cross country, and two styles of Alpine skiing. It was here that he was photographed flying off of a roof on skis very high in the air. This picture was later used on an SAS Airlines poster.

Harald continued to work for Olympic Ski School when he returned from Norway until Tor and Dorothy sold it to Dominic, Sven and me. Harald then took a short vacation from ski instruction, but was finally tempted to return to ski school by Bob Hall so that he could inspire a whole new group of adults and kids to love the sport of skiing. Harald’s teaching style continues to feature good humor and endless patience with his students. He and his son, Nils Erik, continue to work on the new developments in skiing and have many great discussions on the topic.