Two-time Olympic silver medalist and local resident and businesswomen Penny Pitou will be honored later this month at the dedication of the newest ski lift at Gunstock Mountain Resort, the ski area which figured so importantly in her early years as a competitive skier.

Gunstock will dedicated the Penny Pitou Silver Medal Quad on Saturday, Dec. 12. The chairlift is part of Gunstock's recently completed $3.5 million expansion.

"Penny's lifelong history in the Lakes Region and her impact and contribution to winter sports is inspiring," said Greg Goddard, Gunstock's general manager. "Penny was the first U.S. athlete ever to win an Olympic Downhill Medal. Her two Silver Medals at the 1960 Olympics at Squaw Valley marked a new era of ski racing in the United States. Her legacy continued with the creation of the Penny Pitou Ski School at Gunstock. It's only natural to dedicate our new learn-to-ski chair in honor of her achievements not only in racing, but in teaching thousands how to learn to ski and enjoy the sport. "

Pitou was 3 years old when her family moved to Center Harbor from New York and she spent most winters skiing in her backyard and with the Gilford Outing Club, regularly beating most of the boys. When in high school, there were no girls allowed on the Laconia ski team so she tucked her blond hair inside a helmet and asked all her skiing buddies to call her "Tommy."

She was winning all the races until one day Pitou fell in front of a gatekeeper who discovered the ruse and she was later asked to leave the high school team.

Nonetheless, Pitou continued skiing and represented the U.S. at the 1956 Olympics in Cortina, Italy, then again in 1960 in Squaw Valley, Calif., where she made Olympic history by winning Silver in the Downhill and Giant Slalom events, narrowly missing the Women's Overall Gold medal.

In winning her medals, Pitou became the first American women to win a downhill race in Olympic competition.

After the Olympics, Pitou married Austrian Olympic skier Egon Zimmermann. The couple later operated the Penny Pitou Ski School at Gunstock. The owner of Penny Pitou Travel, Pitou remains active in ski development.

The quad chair named after Pitou is one of the first of its kind in the U.S. Designed with beginners in mind, it gives passengers a full ten seconds between chairs to load.

The Penny Pitou Silver Medal Quad Chairlift is the centerpiece of a newly expanded beginner complex and is part of the overall master plan for Gunstock. The new trails are designed to allow a progression from gentle slopes to slightly steeper terrain to prepare skiers and riders for their full mountain experience.

To inspire potential new Olympians, Gunstock will develop historical plaques of Pitou's successes over the years and mount them in various places on the mountain.

"Her history is unique. It is inspiring. She had a major effect on skiing in the heyday of the 60s and we look forward to this opportunity to celebrate her accomplishments here at Gunstock," said

"Penny's celebrity status was known across the globe and people flocked to not only watch her ski, but learn from her," said Bill Quigley, Gunstock's director of marketing and sales.