USANS Story Project 20-DEC-2015 CYNTHIA KLING

EDITOR’S NOTE- I try to avoid being preachy, especially this time of year, but I can’t read this story without being struck by the fact that we all stand on the shoulders of those who preceded us, many times with no recognition of the fact, at all. Cynthia got her start on the shoulders of Gary Allen and I have to think that in some small (big?) way the success of the US women ski jumpers can be traced back to Cynthia’s shoulders. For the record, Gary Allen was inducted into the US Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in 1992. He died at age 90 in 2007. CLICK HERE to see obit.

CARRYING THE FLAG FOR SKI JUMPING & WOMEN- Cythia Kling, the first woman to become a FIS certified international ski jumping judge. Shown here in Sarjevo, 1984.

CYNTHIA GUILD KLING
Gunstock Nordic Association (Gilford, NH)

Starksboro, VT
guildkling@gmail.com

Back in the 60’s, the Kling boys and their parents realized that alpine competition was too expensive for us. Gary Allen, our friend, said that he had a barn full of jumping skis and boots. He would be willing to organize a group of youngsters with us and coach jumping at the Gunstock Ski Area jumps. He quickly had a “team” of eager boys, outfitted and on the “hill”; the 14 meter.

I was the designated driver and Gary said that instead of sitting in the car, I could work the small hill, as he had boys ready to move over to the 20 meter. And I did. Bill Trudgeon, an old jumper from Laconia joined us along with Claude Riche, a cross country coach and we had ourselves a coordinated team.

Gary was in touch through E.S.A. (Eastern Ski Association) with others who had jumpers on their hills: Brattleboro, Hanover, Lyndonville, Rumford, etc. From these groups the Torger Tokle league was started. Later it became the Bill Koch League when he medaled in the Olympic Games and cross country along with the Nordic combined events were added to jumping.

Gunstock Nordic Association developed out of the parent club: Gilford Outing Club and went to work to add lights on the two small hills and got monies for the 40 meter lights as well. Through their organization, work on bringing the 65 meter up to an Olympic-sized 70 began.

We had up to 25 youngsters jumping twice a week and tourneys around New England on the weekends. My coaching continued and with encouragement from Bill T. I began to work as a judge. Gary took a sabbatical to Alaska and left me to rent out equipment with GNA help and organize use of the complex with high schools and colleges. In the early 70’s, we held a couple of girls’ tourneys using the high school boys’ equipment. And the young men acted as cheerleaders for their team.

We had great dedicated youngsters and their families. Many went on to high school, college and National teams. Some came back to their home areas and took up coaching as well. I went on with my judging: Eastern, National, and finally the first woman FIS International Jump Judge.

FAMILY KLING- Both Chase and Kurt were jumpers and gave back as coaches, too.

Cynthia today.

USANS Story Project 20-DEC-2015 CYNTHIA KLING

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