Alpine leader Darryl Landstrom honored with Julius Blegen Award

In ski racing, just like in life, friendships and personal relationships go a long way. That’s the key to the success story of Minnesota sport leader Darryl Landstrom, a long time regional and national volunteer. Landstrom was honored by U.S. Ski & Snowboard with its highest honor – the Julius Blegen Award. 

Landstrom grew up as a ski jumper and nordic combined skier in Duluth’s Chester Park Ski Club. He found his pathway as an alpine ski racing leader, first in the Central Division and now chair of the national Alpine Sport Committee.

Longtime U.S. Ski & Snowboard chair Dexter Paine, who earned the Blegen Award a year ago, recalled a phone call he had from Landstrom about eight or nine years ago. “Darryl called me and said, ‘Hey, we have a problem. Eastern wants to secede,’” Paine recalls. “So we brought Darryl in to help solve the situation.” While Landstrom has done his share of work on the hill, his greatest value over decades has been his dedication to governance and bringing people together in a common direction.

Who was Julius Blegen?

Landstrom became the 75th recipient of the Julius Blegen Award dating back to 1946. The award recognizes established history of distinguished service and a lasting contribution to U.S. Ski & Snowboard and its membership. It is named in honor of Julius Blegen, a key past leader of the National Ski Association.

Like Landstrom, Blegen was a resident of the Twin Cities. He emigrated from Oslo, Norway to Minneapolis in 1909, bringing with him his deep passion for nordic sport. He was the national cross country champion in 1911 and ‘12, eventually qualifying for the 1924 Olympic Team but was unable to compete due to work obligations. 

He founded the Central U.S. Ski Association in 1927 and went on to serve as Olympic ski coach for the 1932 Olympics in Lake Placid. He went on to serve in key roles with both FIS and the National Ski Association.

Honored by his peers

“Darryl was always there volunteering from his early days in the Central Division to the national meetings,” said 1996 Blegen recipient Anna McIntyre of Waterville Valley, who is often seen as the matriarch of volunteerism in ski sport. McIntyre nominated him for the honor.

Landstrom was recognized Friday, May 21 during the virtual annual meeting of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard board of directors.

“Darryl has been a powerful and unique leader, volunteering his time for decades to bring people together behind the scenes in our sports,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Chairman Kipp Nelson. “He has been a true governance pioneer for our organization, always able to align everyone around a common direction to move the sport forward.”

From athlete to volunteer

As a youth and teen, Landstrom pursued his athletic passion at Chester Bowl, both as a ski jumper and nordic combined skier. But when an injury sidelined him from competition at the age of 21, he turned his attention to volunteering, primarily in support of junior alpine ski racing in the then U.S. Ski Association’s Central Division. His leadership skills and motivation to help youth ultimately saw him lead alpine sport committees in Central Division, Rocky/Central Region and today as the national Alpine Sport Committee chair and a member of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Board of Directors.

His work in the midwest was pivotal in helping to increase the international ski racing presence in the Central Division. He was instrumental in scheduling the first night FIS slalom at Boyne Mountain, Mich. as well as securing giant slalom course homologation at Lutsen Mountain, Minn., now a perennial stop on the spring FIS racing tour in the USA.

Landstrom has also served an important role within collegiate ski racing. He has served as a board member of the U.S. Collegiate ski Association as well as chair of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Collegiate Subcommittee and as the U.S. representative to the International Ski Federation’s University Racers Subcommittee.

Along with his service to alpine ski racing, Landstrom has also volunteered to help with myriad other sports organizations. Among them are USA Nordic, the national leadership organization for ski jumping and nordic combined, the Minneapolis-based Loppet Foundation, a multi-sport program known for its cross country skiing programs, and the Minneapolis Ski Club, a leading ski jumping club in the Twin Cities.

Bringing people together

Landstrom’s positive impact on the sport has stemmed from his ability to bring people together on issues and create synergies – known as an approachable, transparent and athlete-centric leader. He was instrumental following a 2013 McKinsey study in aligning division, regional and national sport leaders to create affiliation agreements and to update the U.S. Ski & Snowboard bylaws. He continued that work to restructure the governance of the Alpine Sport Committee, creating a more impactful governing body.

Landstrom credits his parents’ support and the friendships he gained with other 10-year-olds as a motivating factor for his initial pathway into the sport. And the ongoing friendships with peers have kept him going over decades. “The friendships during my tenure with U.S. Ski & Snowboard are enormous and invaluable,” he said. “I admire the commitment and transparency of staff, the alpine community and the other disciplines with which I continue to engage.”

In addition to his governance work, Landstrom has spent plenty of time on the snow from packing the landing hill on ski jumps, hauling gunny sacks of snow up scaffolding, working as a gate judge and referee, and even a stint as timer and announcer for divisional alpine races.

This past year Landstrom took on leadership of U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s COVID Commission, developing policies and principles which helped guide the organization through a challenging season.

Humbled and honored

“I’m both honored and humbled,” said Landstrom on receiving the award. “When I consider past recipients, it is hard to imagine being part of this legacy group.” He cited numerous role models including past Blegen recipients including McIntyre, who nominated him, former board chair Bill Slattery, his longtime friend the late Bob Dart, Tiger Shaw and last year’s recipient Paine. “They have been role models for me and I hope that I can be the same for future Blegen Award recipients.”

Today, the Duluth native lives in Wayzata, where he is a Twin Cities businessman who just passed his business on to his son. He splits time with his mountain home in Winter Park, Colo., and remains a very active skier himself, as well as following the career of his U16 alpine ski racing grandson. 

While being honored for the impact that he had on others, Landstrom reflected back to those who helped him. First and foremost was Walter “Matt” Mattson, the longtime leader of Chester Bowl, who introduced so many kids to skiing and helped make Duluth such a prominent center of ski jumping for so many years.

He acknowledged longtime U.S. Ski Association athletic leader Walt Evans for the help he provided in finding development opportunities outside Central for his son, and Tiger Shaw for his support and friendship.

Among the list of past Blegenites he held a fond spot in his heart for many, including his nominator, McIntyre, and Central native and former U.S. Ski Association chairman Bill “Slatts” Slattery for his mentorship over decades. Foremost on the list was his dear friend, the late Bob Dart. The two met at the 1993 U.S. Alpine Championships at Winter Park and would go on to become best friends, with Landstrom

Landstrom is quick to credit his domestic partner and best friend, Colleen Nelson, for standing at his side. And he speaks with pride about the athletes in the family including son Jason, who earned All America honors at the University of Vermont, grandson JD, a second year FIS athlete and all state member of the Minnetonka High School Ski Team, along with granddaughter Taylor, an accomplished equestrian.

As Landstrom accepted the award in front of his fellow board members, he reminded each of them why they are all there. “I share this Blegen Award with all of you,” he said. “Each of you share the same passion as I do for U.S. Ski & Snowboard and our athletes. Together we will enjoy more podiums, medals and opportunities like this to honor future Blegen recipients. The best is yet to come.”

JULIUS BLEGEN AWARD HONOREES

1946 Roger Langley
1947 Arthur J. Barth
1948 Fred McNeil
1949 John Hostvedt
1950 Fred C. Bellmar
1951 Douglas M. Burckett
1952 F.C. Koziol
1953 Albert E. Sigal
1954 Harold A. Grinden
1955 Burton H. Boyum
1956 John B. Carson
1957 Olav Ulland
1958 T. Lee McCracken
1959 Robert C. Johnstone
1960 Dr. Amos R. ‘Bud’ Little and Malcolm McLane
1961 Sepp Ruschp
1962 J. Stanley Mullin
1963 Ralph A. ‘Doc’ DesRoches
1964 Robert Beattie
1965 Merritt H. Stiles
1966 Evelyn Masbruch
1967 C. Allison Merrill
1968 Willy J. Schaeffler
1969 William Berry
1970 Earl D. Walters
1971 Gustav Raaum
1972 James Balfanz
1973 Charles T. Gibson
1974 Sven Wiik
1975 Byron Nishkian
1976 Dr. J. Leland Sosman
1977 Gloria Chadwick
1978 Richard Goetzman
1979 Graham Anderson
1980 Bill Beck
1981 Not awarded
1982 Hank Tauber
1983 Robert Thomson
1984 Ed Hammerle
1985 Robert Oden
1986 Bill Slattery
1987 Jim Page
1988 Whiting Willauer
1989 James H. “Red” Carruthers
1990 Nelson Bennett
1991 Tom Corcoran
1992 Nick Badami
1993 Serge Lussi
1994 Fraser West
1995 Gerald F. Groswold
1996 Anna McIntyre
1997 Faris Taylor
1998 Irv Kagan
1999 Thom Weisel
2000 Dr. Richard Steadman
2001 Warren Lowry (posthumously)
2002 Not Awarded
2003 Jim McCarthy
2004 Howard Peterson
2005 Michael Berry
2006 Peter Kellogg
2007 Charles Ferries
2008 Gary Black, Jr.
2009 Lee Todd
2010 Tom Winters
2011 Joe Lamb
2012 John Garnsey
2013 Barry ‘Bear’ Bryant
2014 Bill Marolt
2015 Allen Church
2016 Bob Dart (posthumously)
2017 Ted Sutton
2018 Bruce Crane (posthumously)
2019 Thelma Hoessler
2020 Dexter Paine
2021 Darryl Landstrom