Grace Carter Lindley was one of the top women skiers in the United States between 1936 and 1940 and the winner of the first national slalom championship.

Grace Carter Lindley was an exceptional ski racer prior to World War II. Beginning her career while living in Seattle, Washington she skied for the Sun Valley Ski Club. She moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1938 and later settled in Wayzata, Minnesota.

Grace Carter Lindley’s competitive skiing career was short by some standards, spanning only a five year period. However, in this short span of time she won more than her share of important titles.

She came to national prominence when Alice Kiaer chose her as a member of the 1936 Women’s F.I.S. Team to represent the United States at Innsbruck, Austria. She was also a member of the 1936 United States Women’s Olympic Team at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. She was invited to join the 1937 F.I.S. Team but declined for personal reasons and took the 1937 ski season off, returning in 1938.

Carter Lindley had several strong points going for her as a competitor. She was very strong despite her petite size, having nearly perfect balance on skis and a sixth sense allowing her to almost unconsciously anticipate just when to turn in the course. She won the National Ski Association’s first national ski title at Stowe, Vermont in 1938. She won the Pacific Northwest Ski Association downhill title at Sun Valley in 1938 as well, finishing well in front on a tough course on a less than ideal day.

It was fitting that she would capture the women’s national slalom title with her hard work on the slopes and her incredible “tools”. By this time she was married to former U.S. Ski Team member Al Lindley and was living in the Midwest. Her win was the first national alpine title ever won from the Central United States Ski Association ranks.

Carter Lindley continued to ski but her marriage dictated that she spend more time at home instead of devoting her time to the ski circuit. She placed well enough in the 1940 Olympic tryouts to be named to the team but outbreak of World War II in Europe canceled the event.

Grace Carter Lindley was elected to the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame in 1966.