1960

SQUAW VALLEY, U.S.A.

The modest California ski resort required US$80 million — about $820 million Cdn in today’s dollars — to bring it up to snuff, but even at that it was decided not to construct a bobsled track, so that sport was not represented.

The speedskating, figure skating and ice hockey competitions were, for the first time in the Winter Olympics, held on artificial ice.

Exclusive television rights were bought by CBS for $50,000, and their impact was swift. When officials were unsure if a men’s slalom competitor had missed a gate, they asked the network to review its tape. This prompted CBS to invent instant replay.

Canada won two gold medals — Anne Heggtveit in slalom, and Barbara Wagner and Robert Paul in pairs figure skating — a silver in men’s hockey and a bronze for Don Jackson in figure skating.