ASRA RACING NEWSLETTER Ski the ice!
NOVEMBER 15, 2007
Editor: Liz Holste
Racers ready. . . 3-2-1 Go!!!
Hey gang-it’s time to dig your ski & snowboard equipment out of the closet and wax on! Boot up and get together with the ASRA gang for another great racing season!
It is always fun no matter where the ASRA gang goes. We somehow manage to leave our mark on whatever ski area or bar we go to!
If you haven’t paid your ASRA dues yet then log on to www.skiracer.com and download the membership form and send it in with your check, payable to ASRA.
Remember to bring a new racer with you this season! Some of us need more competition. Ski / snowboard helmets are required for most races.
The season openers will again be held at Killington. ASRA rooming discounts have been arranged at the Cascades hotel. First come first served.
Anyone that might need some new equipment before openers should stop by the Peak Performance Ski Shop on the Killington access road and mention that you are with ASRA. Great deals are available to the ASRA race crowd.
Asra 2007/2008 race schedule
Dates Venue Race Format
Dec. 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 Sugarbush, VT ASRA Race Camp Dec. 7 / 8 / 9 Killington VT GS / GS / SL Dec. 15 / 16 TBA TBA / TBA Jan. 5 / 6 Tanglwood, PA GS/GS Jan. 12 / 13 Elk Mountain, PA GS / SL Jan. 18 / 19 / 20 Sugarbush, VT TBA Jan. 26 / 27 NJ race possibility TBA
For last minute schedule changes please log on to www.skiracer.com before you leave for a race venue.
SKIERS IN THE NEWS
THE LAMB FAMILY PLUS ONE!
Kristen and Rob Lamb will soon be adding a new racer to the ASRA league. This Spring they became the proud parents of a baby boy!
THE MEZZETTI FAMILY PLUS ONE!
In other ASRA news – the Mezzetti’s will be bringing a new racer into the world! That’s right- Mike & Liz are going to be parents! How scary is that! I wonder if the baby is going to be born with a pair of ski boots and a race suit on?!?
Can the ski racing world take it? For those of you in Liz’s racing class (both men and women ☺) – this year you will have a chance to win since Liz won’t be able to compete.
ASRA NUPTUALS
Randy Harper and Alice Dolan are tying the knot Thanksgiving weekend. Karyn Herzig and Brian Murphy are tying the knot in December.
DONNA WEINBRECHT
The Sussex County Sports Hall of Fame in New Jersey has been open since the mid 1970s. Until now it has never had a skier or snowboarder inducted into it. A nominating committee was formed with ASRA member - Liz Holste and several members of the New Jersey Ski Racing Association. They nominated five people that included several skiers, coaches and a NJ ski area owner.
Donna Weinbrecht – the 1992 Olympic Gold Medal Champion mogul skier was chosen as the first skier to be inducted into the 2007 Class for the Sussex County Sports Hall of Fame. Donna grew up skiing, training and racing on the slopes of several New Jersey ski areas. She made the US Ski Team in 1988 and was on the team for 14 years. During her competitive career she was on the podium more than any other US Ski Team member. The official induction dinner was held on November 17th at the Farmstead Country Club.
On October 20th Donna Weinbrecht was also inducted into the 2007 Class of the Vermont Ski Hall of Fame. The entire Weinbrecht clan was there to help her celebrate along with 45 friends that drove up from New Jersey. A private German Oktoberfest party was held the night before at The Lookout in Killington which is owned by Donna’s sister Joy and her husband. At The Lookout there was a lot of great German food, beer and of course lots of traditional German songs thanks to the Weinbrecht family.
SKIERS IN THE NEWS
U.S. SKI HALL OF FAME NEWS
Ishpeming, MI – Oct. 19 – The selections to the 2007 Class of the U.S. National Ski and
Snowboard Hall of Fame have been made. This year’s class includes many notables in the ski world.
Four time Olympic champion Eric Bergoust and two time Olympic champion Doug Lewis highlight this year’s list of inductees.
Doug Lewis a two time Olympian won the bronze medal in downhill in the 1985 World
Championships (the first won by an American man at the World Championships. He also won two U.S. downhill championships before retiring in 1988.
Eric Bergoust is the most successful aerialist in U.S history. He won the 1998 Olympic gold medal, the 1999 FIS Freestyle Word Ski Championships crown, the 2001 and 2002 World
Cup aerials titles, 17 World Cup events, and three U.S. aerials championships.
Jake & Donna Burton Carpenter are the owners of Burton Snowboards. Founded in 1977 and the world’s leading snowboard maker with nearly 50 percent of the global market. Burton is also a trustee of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team Foundation. They are the first to enter the Hall of Fame as a couple in recognition of their vision, determination and business savvy that brought snowboarding from backyard snow banks to resort slopes around the world.
Tom Jacobs was a member of the 1952 Olympic team in Oslo. He competed in cross- country and Nordic combined. He coached at the University of Colorado. In 1956-57 he served as an executive director of the then – National Ski Association (today’s U.S. Ski and
Snowboard Association. He later founded Reliable Racing Supply – the ski industry’s first mail order racing equipment distributor.
Everett Kircher founded Boyne USA resorts in 1947. He converted a small piece of
Michigan farmland into a thriving resort, pioneering snowmaking, grooming and chairlift technology setting the bar for the industry nationwide.
Mitch Cubberly invented the first multi-angle release ski binding in his basement in
Belleville, New Jersey in the early 1950s. His company – the Cubco Binding Company relocated to Nutley, New Jersey and went on to innovate and market inventions such as the first step-in binding, the first anti-friction binding plate (the Cubco Skidder), and the Cubco ski brake.
The official induction will take place at the SnowSports Industries American trade show on
January 31, 2008 in Las Vegas. A welcome home event in their honor will be held at the U.S.
National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in Ishpeming, Michigan, the birthplace of USSA in
September 2008.
The Hall of Fame and Museum are dedicated to honoring America’s skiing and snowboarding professionals, pioneers and athletes. The museum houses one of the largest collections of skis and snow sport related memorabilia in the United States.
SkierS IN THE NEWS
EVAN DYBVIG
U.S. Ski Team member Evan Dybvig and 3 other friends purchased the Whaleback Ski Area in
New Hampshire. Their plans are to turn it into a 4 season sports training complex.
On October 20th they had their opening day. They had snow on the ground and there were people already on hand to take a few runs.
Ski area news
HIDDEN VALLEY SKI AREA – NJ
New Jersey almost lost one of the last few operating ski areas that it has left. After a long summer of working out all the details the Hidden Valley Ski area in Vernon, New Jersey has new owners!
Dan Grund and several other investors took ownership of Hidden Valley on October 16, 2007.
They have a new outlook and have lots of plans to upgrade the resort. The Hidden Valley Ski Area will also become a 4 season sports training camp. As we speak work is being done to re- grade some of the trails and to do some much needed repair work on the snowmaking systems and the lighting on the trails. The inside of the ski lodge is also being entirely refurbished.
There will be a new look and feel to the Hidden Valley Ski Area this year. The ASRA gang is talking to the new owners about possibly having a race there this season.
SKI NEW JERSEY!
MOUNTAIN CREEK, NJ
This year the entire South side of Mountain Creek is going to be a terrain and free ride park. It will be the largest terrain park in the east with 60 acres of jibs, rails and jumps.
The inside of the lodge is also being revamped. After many years of great racing at the former Great Gorge ski area, all of the racing is being moved over to the Vernon base (the former Vernon Valley Ski Area) and will be held on the Zero G trail. The Vernon base will also have a separate NASTAR course.
Ski area news
SUICIDE SIX, VT
The famous Suicide Six Ski Area in Woodstock, VT is celebrating its 70th Anniversary this year. Bunny Bertram – the original owner of Gilbert’s Hill and Suicide Six was just inducted into the Vermont Ski Hall of Fame on Oct. 20th.
In 1934 Gilbert’s Hill was the site of the first rope tow in the United States. In January 2009 a
75th Anniversary celebration of the first rope tow in the United States will be held at Gilbert’s
Hill.
ASCUTNEY, VT Ascutney Mountain holds an annual Antique Ski Race every year. Bring out your oldest gear and oldest clothing and participate in the race.
HOLIDAY MOUNTAIN, NY
Holiday Mountain – Monticello, NY is revamping its racing hill. For those interested in holding races or training sessions at Holiday Mountain contact: Jim Bates. Holiday Mountain is centrally located in Monticello, NY right off of Route 84. It can be easily reached from New Jersey, New York or Pennsylvania.
ELK MOUNTAIN, PA
Hey gang - - - this year the ASRA league is returning to Elk Mountain, PA! It’s time for us to leave our mark on this great Pennsylvania ski area again. ASRA races will be held there in January. Weather permitting there will be a GS on January 12th and a SL on January 13th.
Elk Mountain has made a number of major improvements over the summer. The list includes: 200 sets of new rental snowboards and skis, planting over 800 Norway and White Spruce trees to further beautify the trails and to provide wind breaks for the lifts, improvements to the lounge area of the lodge, the purchase of an additional Pisten Bully Groomer, bringing their fleet to four, and the purchase of 54 new snow guns (and they will have a staff that knows how to use them).
This year there will also be lots of great mid week offers at Elk Mountain.
Elk Mountain was once again named to Ski Magazine’s Top 10 in the East. It is the only Pennsylvania ski area to make the Top 10 lists for snow making, grooming, value and weather.
It’s like skiing in Vermont without the drive!
RaceSki Training Pennsylvania! camps
Alpine Adult Race Training ARCS USSA Slalom & Giant Slalom SUMMER TRAINING CAMPS
Monday Evenings: 7-9pm ASRA members Bill Bolte and Roy Mountain Creek Ski Area Vernon, NJ Scovill run a 10 day race training camp in Portillo, Chile. Two 2 hour training Meet at the Race Room in the Coblestone sessions are held each day. Village at the Vernon base. Midweek day sessions for groups or individuals available The 2008 training camp will be held from by appointment. Contact: John Pierce @ th th August 7 through August 15 . [email protected]
For more information contact: MC Race Center: 973-864-8177 Bill Bolte @ 973-222-0549
Spring Mountain (PA) Monday night training for EPSC members and guests …more details in the coming weeks SUGARBUSH SPEED WEEK 2008
Doug Lewis SG & DH Camps Feb. 5 – 8th nd 2 Annual Legends Cup Downhill Race February 9th
There will be two 2 day Speed Camps featuring Olympic Downhiller Doug Lewis to be held on the same hill as the Legends DH Race.
Feb. 5 & 6 Super G Focus (OR) Feb. 7 & 8 Downhill Focus
Cost: $150.00 * 2-day Speed Camp (Feb. 5-6 or 7-8) th Cost: $275.00 * 4-day Speed Camp (Feb. 5 through 8 )
• There will be a special discounted lift ticket price associated with the camp. • If you participate in two days of training, cost of the DH race drops to $50.00
Register early as the camp will be capped at 30 skiers daily. To Register call 888-651- 4827. For those needing lodging as well, please call 1-800-53-SUGAR and tell them you
are calling to sign up for the Doug Lewis Speed Camp. Racers will receive a discounted rate on rooms. For questions on the camp, please e-mail Doug Lewis at: [email protected]
** LEGENDS CUP DOWNHILL RACE – FEBRUARY 9TH **
SKIOpen to anyTHE and all ski ICE! racers ages 15+ who are advanced skiers. Downhill and Super-G skis are recommended. RubberizedASRA suits membership will NOT be informationallowed. DO NOT USE SKIS SHORTER THAN 175cm. Cost: $65.00 race only (does not include lift ticket). There will be a discounted lift ticket for those racing. Please call 1-802-583-6818 to register for the race. Anyone needing lodging can call 1-800-53-SUGAR. For questions about the race, please e-mail Doug Lewis at: [email protected]
Make sure you update your ASRA membership so that you can qualify for the great prizes that are given away at every race. You also need to be an ASRA member to qualify to go to the Nationals at the end of the season.
Membership renewal forms can be found on the ASRA website at www.skiracer.com or your dues can be paid at the first ASRA event you attend.
Race results will be posted as soon as possible after each event. Check out the ASRA website at www.skiracer.com. The weekly race schedules are also listed on the ASRA website. Check on race information BEFORE you leave to go to a race to find out if the event is still on or if it has been cancelled due to various weather conditions.
ASRA discounts
Mention ASRA at the following shops and get some discounts:
Peak Performance – Killington, VT. Mention ASRA and get some great discounts.
Buckmann’s Ski Shops – PA. Mention ASRA and get some great discounts.
Heino’s Ski Shop – Pequannock, NJ – Show your ASRA card and get discounts.
For sale section
Skiing In New Jersey?
Did you know that New Jersey had ski hills and ski jumps in the state dating as far back as the
1920s?
Skiing In New Jersey? covers the long history of alpine skiing in a state that was never considered a major skiing destination.
Over 35 ski hills and ski jumps are covered from Sussex County to as far south as Salem
County.
Retail price: $25.00. Special ASRA price: $20.00 Contact: Liz Holste at 201-924-2273 or at: [email protected].
Lost ski area news
highmount, ny
Very soon you will be able to legally ski the slopes of the old Highmount Ski Area in Highmount, NY. Its neighbor, the Belleayre Ski Area received approval from the State of New York to access the old Highmount property and they will be reopening several of the old ski slopes and are putting in a new chair lift as well as building a new hotel, condos and a golf course. The Belleayre Ski Area will increase in size and there will be more wonderful terrain to ski. Belleayre will become the largest state run ski area in New York.
For many years people skiing at Belleayre could see some of the old Highmount ski slopes from the slopes of Belleayre. Now everyone will be able to experience these slopes all over again!
Craigmeur ski area, nj
The slopes of the old Craigmeur Ski Area in Green Pond, NJ unfortunately closed down for good in 1998. Dorothy Murray sold the Craigmeur Ski Area property to the Morris County Parks Department during the summer of 2005. Some of the old ski slopes may soon be open again for snow tubing. The Morris County Parks Department is working on a plan to install a lift that will be able to handle pulling snow tubes back up one of the slopes. No date has been announced yet of when the old ski hill will open for snow tubing. As soon as we find out – we’ll let you know.
TUXEDO RIDGE, NY
The Sterling Forest Ski Area in Sterling Forest, NY looked like it might have been lost forever. It closed down in 2005 for what looked like its final season. A small group of local businessmen formed a new company called Novenogan and bought the old ski hill. They reopened the ski area under the new name of Tuxedo Ridge. During their first winter of operation in 2006/2007 they purchased 600 pair of new rental skis, made many upgrades to the lodges and other buildings at the ski area and opened the slopes for skiing. In a risky move – Novenogan wanted to advertise that the ski area was back in operation so they offered free skiing and snowboarding during the month of March. They also offered free rentals. A $5.00 fee was charged for parking, but the lifts were in full operation and many local skiers and snowboarders hit the slopes in support of the ski area opening up again. The Sterling Forest ski area has been saved from making it on to the lost ski areas list.
SNOWeAST magazine
Ski The East! Ever wish you had a magazine that just covered skiing in the east? Bill Jones from Ramsey, New Jersey started a new magazine 3 years ago called SnowEast magazine. Yes! SnowEast covers just that – nothing but skiing and snowboarding in the east! We all know that there are tons and tons of magazines out there on skiing and snowboarding at the resorts out west, but until now there has not been a true magazine that covers just what’s happening at the eastern U.S. & eastern Canadian ski resorts.
SnowEast is packed with lots of information on the eastern resorts, new ski & snowboard gear, ski clubs, racing and other ski and snowboard related information.
This year Bill Jones also brings to the table an interactive website for SnowEast which can be accessed at www.snoweastmagazine.com to check out the latest on all kinds of eastern U.S. & eastern Canada ski information.
Want to see a story on your ski/snowboard club or race league? Just send the information and some pictures to Bill Jones and it just might make it into the next issue. Send pictures of your events and a short blurb to Bill Jones, Publisher at SnowEast Magazine PO Box 628 Ramsey, NJ 07446. Phone: 845-735-1781. E-mail: [email protected]
World cup race news
The new World Cup race season begins. For the latest World Cup race news log on to www.fis.ski.com.
We will try to feature as much World Cup news as we can get in the next issues of the ASRA newsletters.
RACING News & announcements
If you have any racing news or announcements that you would like to see in the ASRA newsletter, please get that information to our editor - Liz Holste. Liz can be reached by e-mail at: [email protected]. You can also give her any important information you have at most of the ASRA races.
Ski swap news
SHS SKI TEAM BENEFIT MOHAWK AVENUE SCHOOL SPARTA, NJ
NOV. 30 – DEC. 1, 2007
*SKIS *SKATES *SNOWBOARDS
WHY: To benefit the Sparta High School Ski Team!
WHERE: Mohawk Avenue School – Sparta, NJ
SELL: Your skis, boots, poles, snowboards, ski jackets, skates, hockey gear - - all winter sports! 20% of sale price is donated to the ski team, you receive 80%. No consignment fees.
SHOP: For the BEST DEALS of the season on used, new and demo equipment, clothing and gear! Skis, boots, snowboards, ice skates, jackets, gear.
COST: FREE ADMISSION
DROP OFF: FRIDAY NIGHT – NOVEMBER 30, 2007 4PM TO 8PM
SALE: SATURDAY – DECEMBER 1, 2007 9AM TO 1PM
For more information log on to: http://sparta.snow.ws