Backcountry contributor Jake Petterson honored for his book Skiing Around the World
March 23, 2007
Long time Backcountry contributor Jimmy Petterson, an American journalist living in Sweden, was the recipient of the Harold S. Hirsch Award for excellence in snowsports journalism for his book, Skiing Around the World. The journalism awards are given out each year by the North American Snowsports Journalists Association (NASJA) during their annual meeting, which was held at Crested Butte Mountain Resort in Colorado.
Judges scored his work to give him the top honors in this annual journalism competition named after the creator and founder of White Stag ski clothing company. The Harold S. Hirsch Awards are sponsored by HEAD Ski & Snowboard Company and Sport Obermeyer.
Petterson has spent more than 20 years in research to write Skiing Around the World and has now skied in 49 countries, of which 47 are included in his book. Skiing Around the World, therefore, includes not only the well traveled ski countries like the U.S., Austria, France, Switzerland, Norway, and the like, but also focuses on such exotic lesser known ski destinations in countries such as Bolivia, Bulgaria, China, Greece, Greenland, Iceland, Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Lebanon and more. He is currently in Europe filming a six-part ski series for Finish television and was not able to personally attend the meeting to accept his award. He did send his regrets and thanks on a DVD that was played at the NASJA Annual meeting awards banquet.
“I am very thankful and appreciative of this award,” said Petterson. “To be chosen by my colleagues—fellow ski journalists—for this award is really the highest honor that I could receive.”
Judging the Harold S. Hirsch Awards were a distinguished panel of twelve judges comprised of Newspaper & Magazine Editors, Columnists, Broadcast News Bureau Chiefs and others of which one of them commented, “This book was by far the most sophisticated, complete and entertaining treatment of a topic. And, it’s well done on top of that. I thought the photography was excellent and the writing is varied and engaging and well-researched.”
Petterson received a trophy award, and a certificate for his choice of equipment from Head Ski & Snowboard Company. The Honorable mention award went to Karen Lorentz from Shrewsbury, Vermont, for her book, The Great Vermont Ski Chase. She received an award plaque and a ski jacket from Sport Obermeyer.
One can find more information about Skiing Around the World and also purchase the book at www.skiingaroundtheworld.net.
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