We move back across the Atlantic Ocean this week on Olympic Wednesday to the relatively forgotten Winter Olympiad at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. This is a place we’ve actually visited and skied at ourselves, a long time ago. Yet with just 17 medal events in only 8 disciplines, this still doesn’t jump out at us as the Winter Games we grew up loving and needing and worshipping in the 1970s and 1980s. Oh well …

For once, the host nation did not top the medal table, and the United States also didn’t rate the Top 3. Surprised? It was Norway “winning” the Games with 15 medals overall (7G, 5S, 3B), while Sweden came in second with 7 total medals. There was a tie for third (6) between Germany and Finland, though. Overall, just 669 athletes from 28 countries competed in this olympiad despite the first-time inclusion of Alpine skiing.

Most Outstanding Male Athlete: Ivar Ballangrud, Norway

Competing in his third Winter Olympiad, Norwegian speed skater Ivar Ballangrud was the most notable male athlete in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, by far. He won 3 gold medals (500m; 5,000m; 10,000m) and 1 silver medal (1,500m), demonstrating his mastery of the various distances in the sport. Previously, he had won the 5,000m in 1928, taken silver in the 10,000m in 1932, and also snared bronze in the 1,500m (1928).

Most Outstanding Female Athlete: Christl Cranz, Germany

The only two women’s events were the Alpine Combined (downhill and slalom) and figure skating. Thus, we give this nod to German Christl Cranz for winning the Alpine skiing event, which demanded multiple sets of skills. She beats out 2-time winner of this award in prior Winter Games, the Norwegian figure skater Sonja Henie. Cranz’s ability to top her peers in both the downhill and the slalom combined is more worthy.

Most Outstanding Male Team: Norwegian Nordic Combined & Ski Jumping

Once again, Norway dominated these events, winning 5 of the 6 available medals. The only piece of hardware they did not win was the silver in the ski jump. That went to a Swedish participant. The Norwegian men also cleaned up in speed skating, but this group did a wee bit better, overall—again.

Most Outstanding Female Team: German Alpine Skiing

All 6 available medals in figure skating went to women from 6 different nations! By default, then, this award goes to the German women in Alpine skiing. Cranz won the gold, of course, and her countrywoman Käthe Grasegger took the silver. It was cool to see women being able to participate in the newest event.