Fritz Steuri

Fritz Steuri was a Swiss skier, ski jumper and mountain guide. Steuri’s father, also named Fritz Steuri, was a renowned mountain climber and Nordic and Alpine skier. In the winter of 1931/32 Steuri worked as a ski instructor in the United States. Early in 1932, Steuri competed in two events at the 1932 Lake Placid Olympics. Steuri finished in 18th place in the ski jump and in 26th place in the Nordic combined.

After the Olympics, Steuri spent six months on an expedition of the west coast of Greenland. Steuri also continued to ski competitively, winning the 1935 Swiss Ski Championship, which consisted of four disciplines (cross-county, ski jump, downhill, and slalom). In 1939, Steuri was part of another expedition, this time of the Himalayas with the Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research. While climbing the Chaukhamba mountain in the Garhwal region, the group was hit by an avalanche, which resulted in the deaths of two of the team, although Steuri survived. The expedition was called off once the group found out about the outbreak of World War II.