About Bill Irwin
Lived 1920 – 2013 (aged 92). Bill Irwin was a Canadian ski jumper, alpine skier, cross-country skier and nordic combined skier.
William Archibald Irwin (March 24, 1920 – February 9, 2013) was a Canadian competitive skier who competed in six events across four disciplines at the 1948 Winter Olympics. In St. Moritz he competed in the downhill, slalom, combined, 18 km, Nordic combined, and ski jumping events, placing 60th (tied with Donald Garrow of Great Britain), 50th, 36th, 81st, 37th, and 39th respectively. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, he won his first race at the age of nine in 1930 and his last in 1983. He served with the Canadian Army during World War II from 1943 through 1945 and taught Scottish Commandos how to ski after the conflict.
In 1956, he founded a ski area and club at Loch Lomond near Thunder Bay, Ontario, owning and operating it for 23 years. In 1975, he was awarded the Ontario Tourism Award for "...dedication to the tourist industry of Ontario through the development and promotion of skiing" and in 2000, he was inducted into the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame in the jumping, Nordic, and builder categories.
Over the course of his career as a competitor, he acquired more than 200 trophies at both the national and international levels and won numerous Central Canadian championships. His brother Bert also competed at the 1948 Games and his son Dave attended the 1976 and 1980 Winter Olympics, becoming known nationally as one of the "Crazy Canucks".
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Bill Irwin's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Bill Irwin's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Bill Irwin?
Canadian skier
When was Bill Irwin born?
Bill Irwin was born on 24 March 1920 in Winnipeg.
When did Bill Irwin die?
Bill Irwin died on 9 February 2013.
What was Bill Irwin's occupation?
Bill Irwin was a ski jumper, alpine skier, cross-country skier and nordic combined skier.
What nationality was Bill Irwin?
Bill Irwin was Canadian.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Bill Irwin. https://biography.guide/bill-irwin-ski-jumper/
MLA: "Bill Irwin." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/bill-irwin-ski-jumper/.
Chicago: "Bill Irwin." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/bill-irwin-ski-jumper/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:32 UTC