Bill "Willi" Reynolds

Won the first race on the Funnel, then cleared it as club president, 1951

Legend of Showdown

Born
First skied at Showdown: 1947, entered in the club's downhill at Kings Hill
First worked here: 1950, on the Great Falls Ski Patrol
Years at Showdown
Positions: Great Falls Ski Patrol and the National Ski Patrol, by November 1950
Course-setting crew, club championship, 1951
President, Great Falls Ski Club, 1951-52
Starter, Great Falls High School ski races, 1952
Club ski instructor, winter 1953-54

What they did

19 entries

22 March 1946Sports chairman of the 18-30 Club, arranging its members' ride to the club tournament at Kings Hill
23 March 1947Entered in the men's downhill of the Great Falls Ski Club's city tournament
27 March 1949Won the city men's downhill in 1:52.07, a tenth of a second ahead of Wally Buckley
12 March 1950Third in the club downhill as defending champion, in 2:01.3
November 1950One of six members of the club's ski patrol who joined the air base's search for two airmen lost hunting in the Logging Creek country; a member of the National Ski Patrol
March 1951On the crew that set the courses for the club championship
18 March 1951Won the senior men's downhill in 1:43.5, the first race ever run on the new Funnel, at speeds course officials put at 60 miles an hour
1951-52President of the Great Falls Ski Club; the season's membership cards are signed Wm. Reynolds, President
31 August 1951As president, called the members out for Sunday working parties: clear the timber cut the year before on the new run, hang new rope wheels on the upper lift, cut firewood for the lodge and, if enough came, build a children's tow, with a dollar of credit for every Sunday worked
21 September 1951The Tribune ran his photograph, axe in hand, under the heading President at Work
October 1951Appointed the club's committee chairmen for the season; his wife, Lois, ran the membership drive with Dolly Rawles
2 December 1951Photographed at the lodge on the members' opening day
13 January 1952Starter at the Great Falls High School ski club races
30 March 1952Third in the club downhill, in 1:48, and third in the combined
March 1953Built a ski-bike with Jerry Rawles; the two were billed to demonstrate it at Old Fogey Day
15 March 1953Third in the club's first giant slalom on Throckmorton's Mile, and pictured in the Tribune
18 April 1953Sang in the Men's Ski Club Glee Club at the Skier's Spring Fling
Winter 1953-54Named one of the club's ski instructors, under Jack Throckmorton
1956Bought a share in Ski Tow Incorporated, the club's stock drive for a lift