St. Moritz 1948

“Games of Renewal”

After a 12-year break, caused by World War II, these Games were named the "Games of Renewal”.

Evenly contested

Medal success was evenly divided. Although 22 events were contested, only French Alpine skier Henri Oreiller and Nordic skier Martin Lundström from Sweden won more than one gold medal each. The US won its first gold medals in figure skating.

Skeleton returns

As with the 1928 Games, which had also taken place in St Moritz, the discipline of skeleton was once again included on the programme. It would not reappear again until 54 years later at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

French first

Henri Oreiller won two Olympic titles. The skier from Val d'Isère won both the downhill and the combined, becoming the first Frenchman to win Olympic Winter titles.

NOCs: 28
Athletes: 669 (77 women, 592 men)
Events: 22
Volunteers: n/a
Media: n/a

First gold medal for an American skier

Competing in the slalom, Gretchen Fraser (USA-Alpine skiing) recorded the fastest time in the first round. As she prepared to lead off the second round, a problem developed in the telephone timing system. Despite a 17-minute delay at such a critical time, she skied fast enough to earn the gold medal: the first ever by an American skier.

Downhill and combined double for Oreiller

Henri Oreiller (FRA-Alpine skiing) won two Olympic titles. The skier from Val d'Isère won both the downhill and the combined, becoming the first Frenchman to win an Olympic Winter title.

Barbara Scott succeeds Sonja Henie

Barbara Ann Scott (CAN-figure skating), 19, won the gold medal after a performance full of grace and technical skill. The little ice fairy thus succeeded Norway's Sonja Henie, winner at the previous three editions of the Olympic Winter Games. Scott turned professional just after the Games.

Ceremonies

St. Moritz, 30 January 1948. The flag bearers of the Nations.

Official opening of the Games by:
President of the Helvetic Confederation Enrico Celio

Lighting the Olympic Flame by:
A symbolic fire at an Olympic Winter Games was first lit in 1936 in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Olympic Oath by:
Riccardo "Bibi" Torriani (ice hockey)

Officials' Oath by:
The officials' oath at an Olympic Winter Games was first sworn in 1972 at Sapporo.

On the obverse, in between two snow crystals, the inscription "Vmes JEUX OLYMPIQUES D'HIVER ST.-MORITZ 1948".

On the reverse, a hand holding a lit torch with the Olympic Rings in the background. Six snow crystals decorate the empty space right and left. At the top, curving round, the motto "Citius Altius Fortius".

The medals were made by Huguenin Frères from Le Locle.

15,000 copies were produced.

As for the first St Moritz Games in 1928, the “Rapport général sur les Ves Jeux Olympiques d'hiver, St-Moritz 1948” is very brief official report and was published in French only. The Games report contains fewer than 20 pages; the rest of the work is devoted entirely to the results of the Games.