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hand-me-downs. I chopped the ends off, but it didn’t really matter much because they were wooden. They didn’t have steel edges and cer tainly not release bindings. The boots were basically hiking boots.

“When I was about twelve we started to get better equipment. The best skis had plastic bottoms with steel edges, but the Boots were still leather. It wasn’t until the 1964 Olympics that the skis started to change drastically. We began to have metal skis and boots of stiff leather. Buckle boots came in about the mid 60’s, along with fiberglass skis and release bindings. “The old bindings were like a bear trap with a clamp for the toe and a six foot leather thong that wrapped around the foot. We tied outselves in. The only release factor was if the screws pulled out of the ski. The long thong was used to wrap around and stiffen the boot to give control. Look at pictures of racing in the 50’s. That’s what Buddy Werner and all the best racers were using. With a fall the skis would break or the screws would pul out. Speeds were slower because of plastic ski bottoms, leather boots, and Billy unsophisticated techniques. on the covet of a “Skiing changed drasticaly between ‘64 and ‘70. In 1960, the Winter Olympics were on Japanese magazine. television, so a lot of people came in contact with skiing. The race results improved drastically a downhill course there are no team mates.

because of the better equipment, and more Whether I win or lose is entirely up to me. people became skiers who weren’t before. It However, there is the strong feeling of a team at used to be that skiers were people who lived in the Olympics or other big races because we the mountain towns like Steamboat or Stowe. travel as a group and train as a group. Then as Some had the money to go to these resorts. we’re standing in the starting gate we’re “Then skiing became a sport that lots of people knowing that if we fall we’ve get several people could afford. Metal skis could be made cheaply to ski behind and represent our country. Most and durably. We had release bindings so that are very aware of our country when we’re racing people didn’t have to be daredevils to become internationally. At the Olympics these are flags skiers. Teaching methods improved, and many and a nationalistic feeling. saw skiing on television and said, “Geez, that Another good feeling is to know that other looks like a lot of fun. I’d like to try that.” Many people can speak your language and are sup- saw pictures in “Life” magazine or “Sports portive. When you’re in a small town in the Illustrated”. Skiing became a thing that you mountains of Austria or France, few people could try if you lived in New York City, Miami, speak English. The food is strange, and often its or Dallas. Travel has changed skiing. been two or three months since home. Team-

“In my last year in high school I wanted to try mates are linked with home, and they make us out for the World Championships, but I couldn’t feel more comfortable. The psychological fac enter the try-out races because I was too young. tors are important. It doesn’t take much affect It wasn’t a sudden thing, my saying, “I want to performance, and at the higher echelon of make the Olympics. It was more gradual. As I competition the slight difference is significant. did well in regional races and state races I set “I used to like to travel a lot. The first year I my goals higher. I realized I had potential. I made the U.S. Ski Team I was really exicted skied well enough in the last year of high school about going to Europe. Being from Vermont and to make it, but they didn’t have a U.S. Ski Team getting a change to go to Europe and South then. They only had a team every two years for America is pretty exciting. I really wanted to go the Olympics and the World Championships. to Australia, and I did through skiing. I stopped

That was when I realized that I might get to the in Fili and Tahiti on the way home from Olympics. Australia. The travel was not lust to get from “Skiing is a very individual sport. When racing race to race, it was an important part of skiing.”

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Billy Each John races. make Olympics practice the downhill qualify. slalom two everyone. prepared. it instance, of because racer that’s to second, exactly because per hour, want know have starting has combinations between because per miscalculations. three bowling, constants. been rutty hour on run going shadow. example, a couple seldom complicated against compared country a the so like being in the spotlight enought to have celebrity status. “It’s not tough to sign an autograph. I

remember when I was twelve, Andrew Moulter, who lives in Aspen now, was probably the best skier in the world in the 50’s. He was a hero of

mine. I got a chance to follow him down a trail once, on the absolute edge of control. There was no one on the trail, and he was trying out the line that he was going to be racing. I decided to follow him through this difficult section, called the Seven Turns of the Nosedive. I could barely keep him in sight through the first three or four turns,

and I got farther and farther behind. In the last

couple of turns I barely made it through on my feet. Finally, in the last turn, he was way in front

of me, and I fell and slid a couple of hundred yards, stopping right at his feet. I was em-

barassed because I was a kid falling at the feet of

my idol. Years after I was coaching with him in

Red Lodge, Montana, and I told him about that “I’m not crazy about situation and asked him if he remembered. He said he was at Stowe for many years, and skied recognition.” with a lot of kids. It didn’t stick in his mind. It Springs, Colorado. That gets attention for the ski made me realize that to sign a piece of paper for area, and I got paid to do that. a kid or to ski down the hill with them is a pretty “Now I am the director of skiing at Steamboat. easy situation for me. It might be memorable for

I work in the marketing department and travel them because of what I’ve done with my racing. quite a bit. I talk to ski clubs, do radio and It probably means a lot more to the kid than the television interviews, and make appearances at inconvenience it causes me. It’s pretty easy ski shops and ski shows. It’s a busy schedule. If thing to do signing for memory’s sake.” I’m at a racing clinic people hear I’m from John was curious about how skiing in Steamboat and want to know what it’s like skiing Steamboat compared with other places. Billy here. Colorado is a magic name for skiers, like said, “Europe has spectacular skiing. If you’ve California was in the 50’s with sunshine, surfing, never been there I suggest you go. The Swiss and cute girls. So many pictures of the Rockies Alps are outstanding. The quaint little towns have waist deep powder, sunshine, and crystal perched on mountainsides have a lot of clear days. People lust can’t believe it’s true. character. It all varies, from Switzerland to They heat that the people are friendly, and they France, Austria, Italy, and Germany, but the want to know if these things ate true. So I spend skiing is outstanding, and the travel is too. I time talking about it. I don’t have to exaggerate would take my kids to Europe and have them or make up anything. All I have to do is tell what experience all the things that go with the sport. I it is like here. I tell them about the ski area, what would make sure they wouldn’t miss going to the people are like, and what to expect when they France, Austria, Switzerland, etc. But if you’re come out. Almost no one is disappointed. It’s a looking for the best skiing, go to the Rockies, nice situation to be in. from New Mexico to Montana. It’s the best skiing “I ski most of the year. I also help design skis in the world with light, fluffy, dependable snow for Hart. I’ve helped with the development of and good weather. I grew in the East and raced other equipment and ski-related things. I went to throughout Europe. I have been to South New Zealand, France, and Austria this summer. America and New Zealand, as well as Australia

I ski JO months and talk about it the other two. and Japan, but if I want to go skiing and find the

That’s my lob. It’s ideal! best, I go to the Rockies. “I’m not crazy about recognition. I don’t search it out, and I don’t like being in the spotlight. There are people who like it, but I’d rather not have the attention. It doesn’t make me “COLORADO IS A MAGIC uncomfortable because I’ve lived with it, and I make my living that way, but it’s a tough balance between public and private life. I’m in a NAME FOR SKIERS” position to make a living by being recognized and

it isn’t that I want to separate the two, but I don’t