Jon Engen
American skier (1957–2018)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jon Engen (March 9, 1957 – April 26, 2018) was an American skier.[1] He competed at the 1988 Winter Olympics, the 1992 Winter Olympics, and the 1994 Winter Olympics,[2] taking part in both biathlon, and cross-country skiing.[3]
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Born | March 9, 1957 Oslo, Norway |
| Died | April 26, 2018 (aged 61) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Biathlon, cross-country skiing |
Biography
Engen was born in Oslo, Norway in 1957,[1] and learned to ski from the age of four.[4] While in Norway, he won junior competition titles and achieved success at a national level.[4] After attending the University of Oslo and serving in the Norwegian Army, he moved to America in 1980.[1] Three years later, he graduated from the Montana State University,[1][3] where he had to study English as a foreign language.[4]
In the mid 1980s, Engen began training in an attempt to be selected for the American Olympic team for cross-country skiing, including roller skiing at night.[4] Engen eventually qualified for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada.[4] He then competed at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, before returning to the country of his birth for the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer.[4] At the masters level, Engen won more than twenty World Cup medals, including twelve golds.[4]
After competing at three Winter Olympics,[5] Engen coached cross-country skiing in Sun Valley,[6] where he started a Nordic skiing programme.[1] Engen was also on the board of the US Ski & Snowboard Association, working for the association for a decade.[1][4] He was inducted into the Sun Valley Ski Hall of Fame,[3] and just prior to his death, he was awarded with the Al Merrill Nordic Award for services to Nordic skiing.[1]
Engen died in April 2018 from pancreatic cancer,[4] after being diagnosed with the illness in August 2017.[4] In 2019, the Boulder Mountain Tour was held in his memory.[4][7]
