Christine “Girly” Gessner
Blackhawk Ski Club, Madison WI
Program Director – Ski Jumping
nateandgirly@gmail.com
GENERATIONS
My father, Sig Malvik, moved from Norway to St Paul, MN in 1948 where he began his United States ski jumping career at the St Paul Ski Club. Sig has jumped in 7 different decades and was one of the first jumpers to come off the “new 60” at Iola Winter Sports Club at the age of 63.
In the 70’s my dad taught my siblings, Erik, Lila, Arne and myself, how to ski jump and cross country ski. He even built us our own jump in the backyard.
In 1989 our family had 3 generations of jumpers competing at the Badger State Games in Iola when Sig, Erik and Erik’s son Zach Malvik all jumped at the same tournament.
In 2003 my dad taught my boys, Trygve, Finn and Erik Gessner how to ski jump. As the boys got older my dad began spending his winters in Arizona but he always made sure to come back for the Iola Winter Carnival to watch his grandkids jump. Grandpa Sig also came to watch the boys compete at Junior Nationals in Park City and Minneapolis. Minneapolis was the only Junior Nationals that brothers, Tryg, Finn and Erik, participated in together. Erik was a forerunner for the 70 meter jump.
Last winter my brother Erik taught his grandson Boone how to ski jump. Since some things have changed from the 1970’s, my sons Finn and Erik have also stepped in to help coach their cousin Boone. Grandpa Sig still calls each weekend in the winter to keep informed on all the grandkids and their activities.
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