| SPORTS SKI & SNOWBOARD WITH STEVE BARD take Bard family Christmas photo at Post Street, which is great because we now have 23 consecutive family photos OFF TO A GREAT START of my girls getting older, and my hairline receding. While we were in the Hall of Fame in December my girls just pointed out our ski team’s embarrassment of riches Despite the slow start to winter, the snow guns Be on the lookout for these friends of Olympia The Olympic Club in the trophy case: six League Championships in a row. in Tahoe are being fired up at every opportunity. who have punched their tickets to Sochi! We’re even hosting the Far West Championship Trophy- The Olympic Club Ski + Snowboard team’s • Tim Jitloff. Jit was our guest in 2008 and he -awarded to the team making the biggest impact west first race weekend at Alpine Meadows was an competed in Vancouver. He grew up racing at of the Rockies.” overwhelming success (hint: we’re in first place). Alpine Meadows and now lives in Europe. Tim “Did you ski competitively before now?” Our League, and the Alpine Meadows race will be racing slalom and giant slalom and he has SKI + SNOWBOARD department, put together a terrific weekend on been having his best season ever on the World “Not really. I started the Ski team at Duke when I was by Kelly Hook || Photos by Frank Morse January 4th and 5th. We raced Giant Slalom on Cup circuit. there, but I wouldn’t really count that. Let’s just say we both days. The snow on our run was as good as were more focused on après ski, than ski racing.” • Hanna Kearney. Hanna was our guest in 2009 it gets, and the race courses were fast – which winter weekends. How did it all begin?” I ask. and we must have been good luck for her. Hanna Steve received his undergraduate degree from Duke means that they were fun. “Well, our first official season was in 2007. The Olympic is a World Cup Champion and she won the gold University in Mechanical Engineering and Material Club doesn’t take the formation of a new team lightly. The Alpine Meadows race department also medal in Freestyle skiing in Vancouver. Science before going to UC Berkeley for his MBA offered clinics leading up to our first weekend of We first had to get sponsors, Athletic Committee and • Andrew Weibrecht. The Warhorse was our guest in finance and investments. The MBA makes sense competition. The best way to practice for any sport Board support, and prove ourselves as Olympic Club injury is the psychological challenge. You fall off the in 2011. He won a bronze medal in the Super G considering his current role in investment management, is to just do it – and ski and snowboard racing is no worthy athletes. We spent a few years proving ourselves in Vancouver and graced the cover of Sports and also his previous tenure as Chair of the Investment & horse and you've got to get back on it. I may have taken different. If you can get on a race course, hit gates, before we were official. I remember this funny moment Illustrated alongside fellow teammates and Endowment Committee at The Olympic Club. However, that motto too literally – against the doctors’ orders and get feedback from experienced coaches, in 2006: we’d made some Olympic Club gear to wear medalists Lindsey Vonn, Julia Mancuso, and Bode I’d bet his engineering and science background helps I schemed to race in the Far West Championships at it’s all good. Those of us that were able to take and I was waiting in a lift line with the Winged “O” on Miller. him understand race variables, ski tuning and geometry, Mammoth a month after my accident. Until my wife advantage of the clinics had a definite advantage my parka. Right before I get onto the chair, a woman • Ted Ligety. Shred (as his friends call him, and also and unique course terrain better than most. Lori threatened to divorce me. My favorite part of the during our first race weekend. from behind asks if I’m skiing for The Olympic Club. I what he does to the race course and the name of story is that I had to call Lori from the Emergency Room, This season there is a new Google corporate team am, of course, and she tells me she’s The Olympic Club “I know virtually nothing about racing itself, how do you his line of helmets and goggles), was our guest in in the League. We love new blood, and, as you President. That’s how I met Susan Morse, The Olympic prepare?” I ask. tell her what happened, and ask her to drive up from the 2012. Shred’s credentials are too numerous to list Club’s first woman President, who was instrumental in Peninsula to Tahoe, stop at the Northstar parking lot to can guess, this team is very enthusiastic. While “All sports are subject to variables, of course. Our main but suffice to say that his trophy case contains a lot helping us become the Club’s first new team in about technically a “new” team, GOOG has recruited concerns are weather, equipment, the course, fitness, retrieve our Labrador Retriever, Jenna, from the car. I’d of World Cup crystal and Olympic gold. Sochi will 15 years.” many experienced racers; they are in second and safety.” left her thinking I’d race in the morning and be on the be Ted’s third Winter Olympics. It’s the winter of 1970 and Steve Bard place and hot on our heels. There are ten other “And I hear the team dominated the first season?” road home before noon.” It’s worth noting that Ligety asked us if he could is standing in an ill-fitting pair of ski boots atop a Apparently, Mother Nature has a sense of humor in race teams in the Open League, and the League Championship is very much up for grabs. be our guest two summers ago, as his U.S. Ski frightening bunny slope in the Berkshire Mountains. “We felt a lot of pressure to do well that first year, but Tahoe and the racers may have wind and snow blasting He reiterated that this was a really rare incident, and Team pal, Andrew Weibrecht, reported that the He’s about to learn the art of snowplowing, along we kept losing races. Luckily for us, the year became from all directions as they zip down a course with KEEPING OUR STREAK ALIVE asserts that ski racing is actually a very safe way to ski. athletic facilities at Post Street were world-class. with the other nine-year-olds at ski camp. A New York a classic come-from-behind story. We were behind in intentionally designed challenges, or “features,” as the The Ski + Snowboard Team is incredibly proud to Ted needed a place to work out in San Francisco kid shipped to Massachusetts for a week, he was cold, the Open League standings all season, against a dozen “Racing takes place on a groomed run and you don’t mountain’s race departments refer to them. Most of The have won the Open League Championship every and The Olympic Club was his first choice. miserable, and his only glimmer of happiness came other teams, and the last race weekend we came from Olympic Club racers tune and wax their own skis, and have to worry about running into a tree, being hit by season since The Club first recognized us in 2008. from his instructor saying something about a pizza that When Ligety’s agent called to ask if the Ski + behind and won it all. And we’ve won the League carry tuning gear in their parkas and backpacks for last a snowboarder, or having your lift ticket taken away That’s six consecutive League Championships and, Snowboard team would like to have Shred as our he assumed would be provided for those that survived Championship for the [past] six years.” minute adjustments before a race. as I tell the Team, we are going for the “Wooden” in by the Ski Patrol for skiing too fast. It’s experienced end-of-season party guest at Lakeside, I was sure I the lesson. 2014. That’s in honor of UCLA basketball coaching He goes on to tell me there’s a new competitor this year: “Has anyone on the OC team been injured?” racers who [are] always flirting with the line between was being punk’d. legend John Wooden who won seven consecutive By the next day, Steve had learned that “a slice of pizza” the Google team. “Google has great recruitment but the speed and control. As you gain more experience and “I think I’ve got the dubious distinction of having is the shape he should make with his skis to slow down, Olympic Club is still the team to beat. We seem to have NCAA championships. IT’S NOT TO LATE TO RACE FOR THE one of the most dramatic injuries during a Super G confidence, the thrill of winning and getting bumped WINGED “O” and that skiing is kind of OK. There’s a 1960’s Allen a bit of a target on our backs, but it’s a good place to be. Our team has collectively brought home an at Northstar. I ended up with a concussion, a broken to faster groups is addictive, and incredibly rewarding.” Sherman song called Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh that We like winning but our motto is have fun, go fast, and embarrassment of riches to the Hall of Fame at There’s no time like the present to race with us. nose, 13 stitches in my mouth, seven broken ribs, a torn explains this familiar phenomenon about kids at camps. be safe.” Steve references Ted Ligety, an Olympic gold medalist, Post Street. Aside from the League Championship Our race schedule is back-loaded with most of rotator cuff, and a fractured humerus.” He laughs. “That trophies (for the most points by any one team our races in February and March, and the Far West By the end of the week, Steve is in love with the sport. The Olympic Club Ski + Snowboard team doesn’t and the fastest guy on two skis right now, who has was quite a day. I had a life flight helicopter ride to a during the regular season) we’ve also taken first Championships are held in April. engage in smack talk, but if they did, I think the Google mastered the balance of speed and control. Ted Ligety is Fast forward to January 4, 2014. Steve Bard is the trauma center in Reno, and spent three days in intensive place for the highest average points per racer. team would be prime for a few jokes. Obviously, all their also just one of several Olympic medalists and members Here’s our schedule for the remainder of the Commissioner of The Olympic Club’s Ski + Snowboard care. But physical recovery was straightforward: bones That’s the ultimate achievement – to be both the skills were acquired from Google searches, and their season: team. He’s standing in a tight speed suit, with perfectly heal, and stitches dissolve. The biggest hurdle after an of the US Ski Team who have attended the team’s annual best team and to have the fastest individual racers. actual ‘informal’ corporate motto is “don’t be evil.” Alas, • Feb 8 | SL @ Northstar tuned skis, atop a race course at Alpine Meadows in end of the season party at Lakeside. there’s no smack talking to other teams. At the conclusion of the regular season, every • Feb 9 | SL @ Northstar Lake Tahoe. He’s about to hurl himself down a Giant “Racing and Olympic worthy parties sounds pretty team West of the Rockies can compete at the Far • Feb 23 | Super G @ Northstar Slalom course, along with teammates of all ages, as “So, you said your mantra is have fun, go fast and be awesome to me. You mentioned all ages and skill levels West Championships. Based on our performance • Mar 1 | SL @ Alpine they attempt to add to their team’s six-year winning safe?” I ask Steve. at last year’s Championships, The Olympic Club • Mar 2 | GS @ Alpine streak. His inner nine-year-old self high fives his nearest could contribute, how would someone sign up?” “Yep, and that’s what we do. It’s handicapped like golf is honored to host the Far West Championship • Mar 22 | GS @Homewood teammate right before he begins his 60 second descent. • Mar 23 | GS @ Homewood or USTA tennis: we have former college racers, four- “You should definitely join our team! We’re always Trophy this season. If you visit the Hall of Fame, • Apr 4 - 6 | Far West Championships @ Mammoth Steve is recalling some of his race day experiences with year-olds doing the pizza, and everyone in between. recruiting and each racer seriously helps our score and you can see this magnificent perpetual trophy on display. me over a Skype interview from his office in Woodside, Everyone who races, and finishes, can contribute contributes to our standings. Anybody who is interested One of the most important things to know about California. Behind him is a window framing a bucolic points regardless of ability. We’re actually a very family in getting on our newsletter list or joining the team OUR FRIENDS ARE COMPETING IN SOCHI! our team is that all of the races are handicapped. dense green forest ascending to aptly named Skyline friendly Olympic Club sport.” There are skill levels ranging from beginner to should email me at [email protected]” It goes without saying that we, as members of Drive and King’s Mountain —despite the calendar expert and everyone’s points count. Finishing “Did your two daughters compete?” The Olympic Club, are going to be engrossed in, showing a mid-winter date. He’s a jovial person, races counts more than anything else. In summary, The Olympic Club’s Ski + Snowboard team and inspired by, the 2014 Winter Olympic Games answering my questions while sipping from a coffee “They’re both very accomplished skiers but they prefer is a force to be reckoned with on the mountain, and one in Sochi. For more information about the team contact mug with the slogan: “Invest in tomorrow’s stars. free skiing to ski racing. And they’re off doing their own of the few OC sports that’s all-inclusive. Whether your Commissioner Steve Bard at [email protected]. Today.” This is the mantra of his company, GSV Capital, things now. Michelle just graduated from Duke in the While the Games are something that we anticipate level is snowplowing down a bunny slope, or if you’ve or “Global Silicon Valley,” a publicly traded, late-stage spring and is now living in NYC and working for Yelp. for four years, they’re even more exciting when And whatever you are doing, remember our pre-ordered the 2015 line of speed suits, you could team’s motto… venture capital fund with investments in companies like Melissa is studying systems engineering at Washington you’ve got friends who are competing. The Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox, and Spotify. University in St. Louis. And when she’s not in class she’s compete for The Olympic Club. members of the Ski + Snowboard Team have been Have Fun | Go Fast | Be Safe at the barn. She loves horses.” very fortunate to get to know four members of the “Ok, so you’re an investment guy by day, and you’re Just email Steve and say you want to have fun, go fast… US Ski Team who are Sochi-bound Olympians. stealthy ski racer representing The Olympic Club during He pauses, spinning a bit in his office chair; “We always and be safe!