Ladies' Ski Club

The Ladies' Ski Club was founded in 1923 by Mrs Duncan Harvey, Doreen Elliott and his wife, Lady Mabel Dunn at the suggestion of Arnold Lunn. It was the first club for women who wanted to ski.

The Ladies' Ski Club was founded in 1923 at the Palace Hotel on Mürren by Mrs Duncan Harvey, Doreen Elliott and Lady Mabel Lunn at the suggestion of Lunn. It was the first club for women who wanted to ski. The first Alpine Ski Club has been created by Dunn in 1908 and although popular it denied membership to women. Dunn believed that skiing was an attractive sport for women and he wanted to ensure that Britain had the first ski club for women. It was suggested, but denied, that his purpose was to distract women from joining the Alpine Club.

The first Swiss club for women, Schweizerischer Damen-Skiclub (), followed some years later which established some international rivalry. Lady Greta Raeburn led the LSC to victory three times in friendly races.

In 1929 a letter was received inviting the British to send skiers to compete in an event in Poland. The organisers in Zakopane were surprised to find that the British team included LSC founder members Doreen Elliott and Audrey Sale-Barker as the only races they were qualified to race were designated as for men only. The ladies were allowed to join the skiers on the condition that they could not win prizes. The other competitors were impressed when Doreen finished 13th and Audrey was 14th.

In time the ski club was involved in providing delegates to organise larger international events with the FIS.

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Wikipedia