The Valär Family

Paul and Paula Valär

Paul Valär was the third child of Christian. He grew up in Davos, spending his summers working the farm at Lochalp. He was supposed to go to the 1948 Olympics with the Swiss Ski Team but suffered an injury. After doing his military service for the whole of World War II (1939-1945) he left for America, and ended up running ski schools in New Hampshire.

Paula Kann was born in 1922 in Vienna, Austria. She was forced to flee when Hitler invaded and ended up in America. After moving to North Conway, NH, she trained under the famed Ski Meister Hannes Schneider.  She won the National Downhill Championship in 1946 and was named to the U.S. Ski Team.  Paula skied in the 1948 Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Sadly, she was sick during the event and ended up placing 11th in slalom. 

Paul & Paula were married in 1950. Together, they ran the ski schools at Cannon Mountain, the Mittersill Ski Area and Mount Sunapee. Paul would encourage Swiss ski instructors to come to America and helped form the backbone of American ski instruction.  In 1962, he co-founded Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA).  The Valärs also owned a farm in Vermont where they raised their 4 daughters. They also owned two ski shops and lived long, succseful lives. Paula passed away in 2001 and Paul in 2007. They will always be remembered for their contribuions to American skiing and are both in the National Ski Hall of Fame.