Betsy Snite

Betsy Baxter Snite (later Riley, December 20, 1938 – June 15, 1984) was an American alpine ski racer[1][2] and Olympic medalist. She competed in the Winter Olympics in 1956 and 1960 and won the silver medal in the slalom in the latter.

Betsy Snite
Alpine skier
Snite at the 1960 Olympics
DisciplinesDownhill, Giant Slalom,
Slalom, Combined
Born(1938-12-20)December 20, 1938
Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
DiedJune 15, 1984(1984-06-15) (aged 45)
Burlington, Vermont, U.S.
Olympics
Teams2 – (1956, 1960)
Medals1 (0 gold)
World Championships
Teams4   includes two Olympics
Medals1 (0 gold)
Medal record
Women's alpine skiing
Representing the
 United States
Olympic Games
1960 Squaw Valley Slalom

Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Snite grew up in Norwich, Vermont, and was U.S. slalom champion in 1955 at age 16, edging Olympic gold medalist Andrea Mead Lawrence.[3] She participated in the giant slalom in 1956 at Cortina d'Ampezzo, but did not finish.

Four years later at Squaw Valley, Snite won the silver medal in the slalom.[4] In the giant slalom she finished fourth, but did not finish the downhill.[5] Shortly before the Olympics, she was on the cover of Sports Illustrated.[6]

According to the Vermont Ski Museum, Betsy learned to ski on Cemetery Hill in Norwich and with the Ford K. Sayre Memorial ski program. When she got too good, she trained with the Dartmouth College ski team.

She married Bill Riley in 1964, and they resided in Vermont at Stowe.[2] She died at age 45 in 1984, after a brief battle with cancer.[7]

Olympic results

  Year   Age  Slalom Giant
 Slalom 		Super-GDownhillCombined
195617—DSQnot run—not run
19602124DNF

References
  1. "Betsy 'swooshed' to a first and a second". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. January 10, 1959. p. 3, part 2.
  2. Wolfe Stead, Nancy (April 22, 2010). "Remembering Riley's legacy". Stowe Reporter. Vermont. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
  3. "Downhill ski title event today". Nashua Telegraph. New Hampshire. March 12, 1955. p. 9.
  4. Sullivan, Jack (February 27, 1960). "Anne Heggtveit wins Olympic slalom". Montreal Gazette. p. 31.
  5. "German takes Ladies' downhill, Canadians trail". Montreal Gazette. Canadian Press. February 22, 1960. p. 17.
  6. Terrell, Roy (February 1, 1960). "Those pretty girls with the killer instinct". Sports Illustrated. p. 34.
  7. "Betsy Snite Riley, 1938–1984". Skiing. September 1984. p. 50.


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