Dominance in the trick skiing event for a considerable period of time is not unusual among the elite members of the Hall of Fame. At least six of the 32 individuals so far inducted as competitors began their careers as trick specialists, and some of those used trick skiing dominance as a road to overall fame. Even the inclusion of sisters is not unique, with Ana Maria and Maria Victoria Carrasco falling squarely in that category.

 

But the Larsen twins—Britt Larsen-Kovak and Tawn Larsen- Hahn—will probably remain unique in being inducted jointly as a single entry in the records of the Hall of Fame. The committee felt this was appropriate, not only because they are identical twins, but also because they so often used the same trick run with the winner of the event depending on who was a bit faster or more accurate or managed to avoid—Heaven forbid!—a fall. Indeed there are those who have uncharitably concluded that there was only one Larsen twin skiing, giving herself a second chance at a win or record by changing bathing suits in mid-event.

 

The Larsen twins competed in seven World Championships, and while neither won a medal in their first Worlds in London in 1987, one or the other won the title for the next six. Tawn won five trick event medals—four of them gold—and Britt won six—two of them gold. Their trick skiing also dominated the U.S. Masters during the same period, and Tawn held the World trick record from 1988 to 1999.

 

I am pleased to announce the induction into the International Hall of Fame of a matched pair of the dominant women’s trick skiers of the closing years of the twentieth century: Britt and Tawn Larsen