Outdoors
Downhill Skiing
 

Maine Sunday Telegram - SKIING

2001 Season Columns - 
February, March & April 2001

 
 
“Skiing until May, No April Fooling”
By Heather Burke
April 1, 2001
 
Sugarloaf and Sunday River are reporting 60-90 inch base depths and 100% of their terrain open. This may sound like an April Fool’s prank. But this winter’s tremendous snowfall has been no joke.
 
Les Otten may have had enough of the ski business (he resigned from ASC on Wednesday), but for Maine skiers and riders – the snow fun has just begun.
 
I will go out on a proverbial cliff to say that our New England slopes hold the best conditions in the world right now. A recent trip out west brought that message home, as I dodged bare spots and rocks in the Canadian Rockies. Forego the trip out west this spring, and carve up some of the snow we have been shoveling here all season.
 
A real winter for a change; our local mountains have received consistent, western-size deposits of snow since November and as an added bonus, we were even spared the damaging mid-winter thaws.
 
To top off our banner winter, we had the snowiest “spring” in half a decade, dumping 4-8 feet on Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont summits in the latter half of March. April has all the makings of an epic finish to a much deserved ski season.
 
Spring skiing is my perennial favorite, the icing on the cake. Sunglasses and SPF 30 take the place of January’s neoprene facemasks and hand warmers. Quadriceps are finally in shape after months of plying the dense moguls of February. By mid-morning on a sunny April day, the winter’s worth of white stuff softens under your boards for some of the sweetest turns you can imagine.
 
As the weather finally turns fair, most skiers hang it up for the season, missing out on first-rate spring conditions, parties, pond skimming, and even welcome discounts on lift tickets and lodging. Resorts pull out all the stops to retain the remaining insatiable skiers and riders. Translation – no lines, no waiting, good deals, plentiful snow.
 
“It’s still very much winter at Saddleback, with skiing and riding on 34-76” base depths,” said Terry Thompson. In celebration of their extended season, lift tickets will be two for one at Saddleback until the end of the season (which the area hopes to be mid-April).
 
“Some are saying this is the best skiing we have had here in 30 years,” said Will Charles, Big Squaw hotel manager. “We have plenty of snow and we hope to stay open through Easter.”
 
“Our 50th season has been excellent,” said Cheryl Fullerton of Sugarloaf communications. In recognition of this great winter, the popular $25 Maine residents’ Wednesday promotion will continue through April 4. The executive loafers will also offer a special ticket price of $25 starting April 9 every day until closing, which is anticipated to be April 22. 
 
Sugarloaf’s northern location, deep snow and jubilant on-snow parties throughout April merits the title “Spring Skiing Capital of the East.” April 7-8 is the 13th annual Reggaefest. The Loaf’s impressive line-up of island bands and beach atmosphere brings a tropical feel to the resort for this popular annual weekend party. The majority of reggae attendees never don ski equipment, this is good news for those who do.
 
April 14-15 is Sugarloaf’s Wicked Big Spring Party on the base lodge deck. The Easter Costume Parade on Sunday customarily brings out the crazy Carrabassett folk in all their finery. The locals know it’s worth going off the steep end with their themed attire, since the best costume prizes have included season passes.
 
Skiing and riding till May is a tradition at Sunday River. So is the crowd-pleasing custom of free skiing on May Day, Tuesday May 1. If you cannot make the midweek May Day – don’t put your boots away in vain. To honor their faithful weekend warriors, Sunday River will also offer free skiing on Sunday, April 29.
 
Shawnee Peak, Mt. Abram, and Cranmore are all closing for the season today, with most of their trails open.
 
In New Hampshire, Brian Hendrix, Marketing Director of Wildcat says, “The earliest we’ll close is April 22, and perhaps we’ll go until May. Our season has been awesome. Just last week we received two more feet of snow.”
 
“We are answering Mother Nature's call," said Waterville Valley General Manager Tom Day.  “If she's not ready to say good-bye to winter just yet, neither are we.” Waterville Valley will have skiing and riding through April 15, and will operate the White Peak Quad at sunrise for an Easter Sunday service on the mountain. The subsequent early morning turns are your reward for getting up before the birds.
 
Loon Mountain invites you to “get your feet wet” as you skim across the pond for the 6th Annual Slush Pool Party on April 14. On Easter Sunday, Loon has a sunrise service by Gondola, followed by skiing; an egg hunt and a bunny hop for the kids.
 
The Green Mountains got their share of white this winter. Vermont’s Jay Peak tops the charts measuring an historical 542 inches of snow this season. With all that accumulation, they plan to be skiing into the first week of May.
 
Killington, self-proclaimed “King of Spring,” is New England’s first to open, last to close. The central Vermont resort looks to stay open until mid-June on the Superstar Trail, stocked with 35 feet of snow base. There is no melt down in sight at this busy ski area, with mogul challenges, fun races, and pond skimming throughout April and May.
 
Remember that temperatures and snow conditions in the mountains change by the hour this time of year. Dress in layers. Call ahead or check out your favorite ski site on-line to get the most current information before you go.
 
“Ski Show Has Equipment of the Future”
By Heather Burke
March 25, 2001
 
It’s an annual spring ritual. At this time each season, ski shop representatives and equipment manufacturers from around the world flock to Las Vegas. Their mission is not to compare raccoon ski tans, or flex their season long developed quadriceps, or spin the roulette wheel.
 
These ski gear moguls congregate to unveil the latest equipment they hope will capture our hearts and wallets. Here’s a look at some of the newest gadgets on display in Vegas.
 
More shaped skis, with no end in sight. Skis continue to morph into shorter, wider, more aggressively cut versions of their former selves.
 
 “Skis are 20 centimeters shorter than ten years ago. Women’s skis are on average 160 centimeters and men’s lengths range from 170 to 181, which is now a very long ski,” said Brian Putnam of Putnam Ski and Sport. Skiers of all abilities are reaping the benefits of greater performance, easier turns, and ultimately - more fun on the slopes.
 
The latest buzzword in hardware is “integrated.” Skis and bindings have always been “attached.” You can’t have one without the other. Now skis and bindings are being integrated, designed as a unit from inception.
 
Salomon started the wave, as Salomon historically does, with the 2000 Pilot system. The Pilot offered a built in (integrated) binding that hinged on the ski, eliminating the traditional toe and heal piece-mounted process with screws.
 
“For next season, Salomon has improved their line by combining their popular X-Scream ski to last year’s Pilot technology to create the CROSSMAX series. The result is a lighter, better flexing ski with improved contact to the snow under foot,” said Putnam.
 
Atomic, Rossignol, and Volkl/Marker are following suit now by marrying their bindings to skis. Each manufacturer has engineered its own design, so as to imitate but not copy Salomon’s patented success.
 
Volkl has purchased Marker and created a new Motion system, featuring a binding interface that slides on two fixed “rails”. 
 
“Volkl-Marker’s new Motion series combines a proven German ski with a quality German binding and the result is lyrical, a smoother turning ski and better flex. There are no mounting screw holes to interrupt the ski performance,” said Putnam.
 
The Power Pulsion System (PPS) is Rossignol’s answer to the trend. The Power Pulsion binding is a plate that rests on the sidewalls of their T-Power ski, designed for optimal energy transfer and edge grip.
 
“The good news is as manufacturers like Salomon expand their line, the price will be more reasonable,” said Neil Totman of Joe Jones Ski and Sport.
Good news for your feet, ski boots are becoming more like footwear, and less like 10-pound plastic anchors. Once again we have snowboard ingenuity, and the ensuing shorter shaped ski revolution, to thank for this invention.
 
“We no longer need a stiff boot to get the ski to turn,” said Putnam. “The new boots are softer flexing with multiple moldable liners for improved comfort. The concept is a more cushy fit.”
 
Rossignol is coming out with a Soft Boot series. The Soft Boot has four soft buckle closures that “wrap” rather than snap (no more finger pinchers) an outer rigid shell, which contains a soft inner layer and heat shapeable liner. It looks more like an in-line skate than a traditional ski boot.
 
Kneissl’s Rail soft boot has one-buckle construction and two patented steel supports to “optimize power transfer to the ski during forward flex.”  The Rail is targeted for all but the most advanced skiers.
 
The Salomon Verse boot is aimed at entry-level skiers, offering a wider opening that’s easier to put on (what a concept). Salomon’s has patented a Speed Lace, a one pull inner lace to get a snug fit. With the firm conviction that comfort is the key to capturing new skiers, the Verse soft boot is Salomon’s remedy to unfriendly, uncomfortable ski boots that may have been a “pain” for neophytes.
 
Manager of Joe Jones B-Side Snowboard Shop Tony Neve says the news in snowboarding is actually increased length, the reverse trend of skis.  “As riders are getting more comfortable on their boards, they are finding that longer snowboards are smoother and faster. Jibbers (halfpipe and terrain park fans) find that jumping and landing on longer boards is more stable.”
 
Riders at Burton, Duotone, and Voile all agree that backcountry snowboarding and access to all terrain is the new wave. Therefore the “split board,” which resembles two fat skis that attach to make a board, is the versatile solution. 
 
“When split boards first originated, it was a way for boarders to poach at places where snowboards weren’t allowed. The spilt board can look like skis when you are getting on the lift,” said Scott Chapman of Putnam’s. “The reality is these split boards are expensive and more of a trend for riders out west where there is more backcountry terrain.”
 
Anyone who thinks that the split board is the answer to access those few skier-only resorts, think again. Vermont’s Mad River has expanded their no board policy to encompass split boards.
 
Mad River, Deer Valley, Alta, and Taos are the only unwavering skier only slopes left. As of April 1, Aspen Mountain, Colorado, will amend its policy to allow boarders.
 
For backcountry aficionados looking for the ultimate gear, Elan’s Everest skis may be just the ticket for attempting the world’s 7 Peaks, or at least Tuckerman’s Ravine.
 
Davo Karnicar, the extreme skier who was the first to ski the entire 29,028-foot Mt. Everest in just 5 hours last October, helped in the design. The new mountaineering skis are 170 centimeters and weigh less than five pounds. Weight is a critical factor in an expedition that requires a month long ascent, and just a few hours to ski down from the summit. Karnicar gives new meaning to the expression “earning your turns.”
 
Events: Sunday River’s 14th annual Bust n’ Burn Mogul Mania takes place March 31-April 1 on White Heat.
 
“US Team’s Freestyle hopes are anything but up in the air”
By Heather Burke
March 18, 2001
 
When Bill Marolt, President of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team, predicted ten medals at the Utah Olympics, he may have been wagering heavily on his Freestyle team.
 
The U.S. deck is stacked in aerials and moguls with a combination of veteran Olympians, and a strong lineup of newcomers. Head U.S. Freestyle Coach Jeff Wintersteen said of his team, "We're showing some great depth." 
 
Freestyle was added to the Olympics in 1992, and the U.S. Team has made strong showings at every Winter Game since. Donna Weinbrecht was queen of the moguls that first year, winning the Gold in France.
 
Aerials were added to the Norway Olympic roster in 1994, when Liz McIntyre, now a coach, took Silver in moguls.
 
1998 was a very good year, as U.S. skiers raked in three of the four Gold spots in Japan; Jonny Moseley in the moguls, and Eric Bergoust and Nikki Stone in aerials.
 
New Hampshire’s own Hannah Hardaway and Ann Batelle of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, are contenders in the moguls for next year. Both women have had podium finishes this season. Hardaway won in January on Deer Valley’s Olympic mogul venue and took another first last weekend at the World Cup Finals in Finland. She is the reigning U.S. mogul and dual moguls champion and ranked third in the world.
 
Shannon Bahrke of Tahoe City, California, is ninth in the world of bumps with soaring hopes for Utah. Donna Weinbrecht is attempting a return, and hopes to be back in medal form at the Salt Lake Games, she is currently ranked fifteenth in the world.
 
Our men’s mogul squad is also deep, an important quality in this injury plagued sport. The U.S. Team ended the season with four men in the top ten World Cup points slots.
 
Ryan Riley of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, was the ‘99 U.S. duals champion, and is currently the number one US contender on the World Cup moguls circuit, ranking fifth, ahead of Vermonter Evan Dybvig in seventh.  
 
Toby “awesome” Dawson of Vail, Colorado, polished off this season by winning Finland’s World Cup Finals, landing him in eighth overall.
 
California boys Jonny Moseley and Travis Ramos, who took second and first at Sunday River’s World Cup, are potential mogul medalers at Deer Valley in 2002. Moseley, like Weinbrecht, is looking to repeat his Olympic success.
 
As for the crowd-pleasing aerialists, Eric Bergoust of Missoula, Montana, is the reigning champion, with twelve World Cup wins under his helmet. Bergoust is well known and heralded for his one-of-a-kind quad flip, and is toying with a quint twisting triple flip that he has coined “the Zipper.” Unfortunately for him, anything more than a triple has been outlawed by the FIS until 2003.
 
Bergoust still wins with his more conservative triple flip with four twists and said of his huge aerials, “I either stick it and win or crash and finish tenth.”
 
Joe Pack, a native New Hampshire jumper, is number two in World Cup aerial points, right there behind teammate Bergoust – a one-two punch for the airborne U.S. men.
 
Our female aerialists come right out of Sugarloaf’s Carrabassett Valley Academy yearbook. Emily Cook and Brenda Petzold, both from Massachusetts, have been jumping well this year.
 
Cook placed third on Deer Valley’s aerial venue during January’s World Cup in Utah, and finished eighth at the World Cup Finals in Finland last weekend.
 
Petzold is recovering from a collarbone fracture that occurred during training in late February. Petzold had a strong season; she recorded five top-ten results on the World Cup tour including a career-best fourth in Austria and fifth at Blackcomb, British Columbia.
 
The U.S. Freestyle Championship makes its final stop this weekend at Waterville Valley, New Hampshire. This is your chance to see our U.S. Freesytle Team alongside upcoming athletes in bumps and in the air before they compete in Utah.
 
This competition will serve as a special celebration of the birth of professional freestyle. Thirty years ago, Waterville Valley hosted the first ever Freestyle Championship event in March of 1971.
 
Bernie Weichsel, the organizer of that inaugural freestyle event said, "Most people don't realize that the sport of freestyle skiing - which has attained unprecedented popularity in recent years, including becoming a key part of the Winter Olympic Games - is not only an American creation, but actually got its start and took off right at Waterville Valley."
 
Even “fresher” than freestyle on the Winter Game scene is snowboarding. Boarding was accepted as an Olympic medal sport in 1998.
 
The Winter Games snowboard events are Slalom and GS racing, where its all about crossing the finish line first, and freestyle in the halfpipe, where riders are judged on height of jumps above the pipe, tricks and overall maneuvers. Boarding events will be held at Park City Ski Resort in Utah.
 
On the snowboard racing scene, things are just “Rosey.” Rosey Fletcher of Girdwood, Alaska, has won three World Cup events and earned five podiums plus a silver medal at the World Championship in Italy this year. The Alaskan super rider is in second place in the overall standings, just behind France’s Karine Ruby.
 
In men’s snowboard racing, watch for Jeff Greenwood of Hartford, Connecticut, and Chris Klug of Aspen, Colorado. Klug placed third in GS at Japan’s World Cup event.
 
Tommy Czeschin of Mammoth, California, known for pulling off 1080’s (3 revolutions) in competition, has had several halfpipe podiums this season including a win at Japan’s World Cup.
 
In the halfpipe event, Farmington, Maine’s own Seth Wescott is a contender. At 6’2, he is one of the tallest riders on the circuit. He posted an eighth place finish at Mont-Sainte Anne’s World Cup.
 
Wescott blew out his knee during a snowboardcross FIS World Cup in Japan this February and is recuperating from ACL surgery, with plans to be back in top form by “The Games.”
 
On the women’s side of the pipe, Kelly Clark of Mt. Snow, Vermont, won her first World Cup in Japan, to punctuate a season of two seconds and a third place finish. Trycia Byrnes of New Canaan, Connecticut, won five World Cups and took Gold at the Goodwill Games in Lake Placid last year.
 
The World Cup snowboard tour finishes up today in Finland.
 
Events: Sunday River will host the U.S. Grand Prix Snowboard Championship Finals next weekend, March 22-25. You can get out and cheer for our future Olympians as they compete in Slalom, Parallel Giant Slalom, halfpipe and snowboardcross (which is not an Olympic event) before their high stakes appearance at the Utah Games.
 
Conditions: The calendar says just two more days of winter, but the snowy mountains of Maine indicate otherwise. The best skiing of the season is yet to be had.
 
“Golden Opportunity to Look Ahead to Winter Games”
By Heather Burke
March 11, 2001
 
With the Olympics less than a year away, and the World Cup ski season coming to a close, the countdown has begun to the 2002 Winter Games in Utah.
 
Here’s a glance at how the U.S. Alpine race team stacked up this season, along with a few Olympic predilections.
 
The biggest alpine news this season comes from Raymond, Maine’s own Kirsten Clark. “Clarky” won her first World Cup Downhill Feb. 24th at Lenzerheide, Switzerland.
 
At Austria’s World Championship, Clark led the first Downhill run, and finished the competition with a 10th place, the top US women’s spot. Clark also placed 8th in the World Cup Super G in Germany.
 
“I think my chances are really good now. And the Olympics will be in our home country in Salt Lake City,” said Clark.
 
On the men’s side, Daron Rahlves of Sugar Bowl, California has been the home team hero. In February he won the Super G World Champion at St. Anton, Austria. His win represents the first World Championship Gold for the US men since Steve Mahre won the GS in 1982. Rahlves had to beat out the Austrian powerhouse and world point leader Hermann Maier.
 
Rahlves also placed third in the legendary Hannenkahm Downhill and fourth at the Super G in Kitzbuehel. Last week, Ralves looked to have finished fourth in Norway’s Downhill, but was DQ’d for an “improperly tied bib.” 
 
Rahlves said of his current streak, “The ultimate would be to win at Snowbasin in 2002.”
 
The February Downhill at Snowbasin, Utah, was cancelled due ironically to excessive snowfall. That event was to be the first World Cup on the newly named “Grizzly” Olympic Downhill course.
 
US Ski Team head Coach Bill Egan said of the Snowbasin course, “It's going to be spectacular. There are wonderful turns, wonderful speed, great jumps, it's a really good downhill."
 
Now competitors will have to wait until the Olympics to compete on this venue, which will be the kick-off event and the most popular in alpine skiing. “It’s a challenging course, I like it top to bottom,” said Rahlves.
 
Kristina Koznick, from Burnsville, Minnesota, has probably generated the raciest headlines this season by dating and defecting with her U.S. Ski Team coach. Koznick has also made no secret of her personal goal for Olympic Gold in Slalom at Deer Valley, Utah, next February plus a podium finish in GS. Koznick is 5th in World Cup Slalom standings.
 
Sarah Schleper of Vail is also a strong possibility in Slalom and in GS. Caroline Lalive of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, recuperated from her St. Anton knee injury in time to compete in the World Cup Finals. She has the distinct talent of competing in all five events: Slalom, GS, Super G, Downhill and Combined.
 
And of course there is hope for ’98 Super G Olympic Champion Picabo Street, returning from three-years of knee recovery hiatus. Her name appears on the GS Olympic trail at Park City, a positive omen for next year’s Games.
 
Though Street did not make this year’s World Championship team or the World Cup Finals, she did finish 7th at last weekend’s Swiss Downhill behind Kirsten Clark and ahead of eighth place teammate Megan Gerety of Alaska. Street competed in the NorAms (North America’s stepping stone race series for young competitors) at Whistler last week. Street won the Downhill event, which surely serves as a confidence booster.
 
Other fast men on the US Ski team and potential medal contenders include Chad Fleischer of Vail, Colorado, and Carrabassett Valley Academy alumni Bode Miller of Franconia, New Hampshire.
 
Bode assures his copious fans that he will be fully recuperated from double knee surgery, resulting from his huge crash into the nets at St. Anton. "This is just a short setback, I'll be back for the Olympics next year,” said Miller from his rehab bed in Vail. 
 
Tom Rothrock of Cashmere, Washington, proved quick in the Slalom gates as he won in Italy this February. This victory was within the Europa Cup series, an international series leading up to the World Cup.
 
Erik Schlopy should feel at home next year in native Park City, where he placed fourth earlier this winter on the Olympic Giant Slalom site. Schlopy earned a second place finish in Giant Slalom in Italy, a US best since Phil Mahre in ’83. Schlopy also earned a fifth place in Japan this season, a career best World Cup Slalom finish.
 
World Cup Alpine Finals are this weekend in Are, Sweden. Then Olympic fever will be highly contagious.
 
The U.S. Ski Team has lofty goals for many podium finishes on home soil, the first home-turf Winter Games since 1980. The US Ski Team is touting highly expectant slogans such as “Victory Bound” and “Best In The World”. Perhaps a better catchphrase would be “injury free to Salt Lake City. ”
 
No pressure, but we will all be watching in just 11 short months. If you don’t have your tickets yet and you wish to go to Utah next February, log on to www.saltlake2002.com. Tickets to the Opening Ceremonies on Feb. 8 are $895; the Downhill events are $95. A less pricey alternative is to watch the real time broadcasting on TV.
 
“For The Love Of Skiing”
By Heather Burke
March 4, 2001
 
He can tell stories about skiing King Mountain in Orrington for $.25 a day, and chat about other by-gone Maine ski slopes like Bald Mountain in Dedham, and the Gorham Kiwanis Ski Club.
 
Jack Farrar started skiing in 1937 with the Penobscot Valley Ski Club at the age of 8. He has been dedicated to skiing ever since, even served on the Ski Patrol while in high school.
 
During the four years Jack served in the Air Force, he managed to make it home to Maine at least once a season to maintain his unbroken record of skiing every year.
 
In 1999, on his seventieth birthday, he skied the summit snowfields of Tuckerman’s with his two sons. A fabulous end to a 42-day ski season.
 
In September of that year, Jack suffered a stroke and his 62-year skiing career was in jeopardy. Jack was paralyzed in his left leg and left arm.
 
“The first thing I asked the doctors was would I be able to ski again,” said Jack. The doctors did not give Jack the reassurance he was looking for. Being the perseverant type -Jack asked the doctors, “How about next year?”
 
“I am convinced that as good as the physical therapists were to me, and they were really great, it was the mental, spiritual and physical goal of skiing that kept me going,” said Jack.
 
“After you have had a stroke, it takes so much motivation to get back both physically and mentally, and there are many set backs. I had skied all my life, and I was determined to ski again.”
 
“I was back skiing at Sugarloaf by Dec. 24 with my oldest son Robert,” said Jack. He started out in a snowplow, but soon progressed to Gondola Line. “I remember my son calling out, “Jack’s back!”
 
“I owe a lot to the therapist that helped me, and to Ed Rock at Shawnee Peak who gave me the encouragement to come back,” said Jack. “I had my days after skiing last season, where I would return to my car and I would cry because it was so hard.”
 
“I now have a lot of respect for the people who work with handicapped skiers, they do a fantastic job,” said Jack.
 
Glenn Parkinson, director of the New England Ski Museum, author of “Maine Tracks” and former scribe of this ski column said, “Jack Farrar reminds us of how precious our time skiing is. Jack truly loves the sport. It served as the motivation that kept him going and made him strong again.” 
 
“Being on top of a mountain is a very spiritual experience for me, “ says Jack. “It’s so uplifting to be on top of Sugarloaf looking in one direction at Katahdin and the other to Sunday River and Mount Washington. It is a total experience.”
 
Jack admits he likes to ski fast, though he’s taken it down a notch since his stroke, which he refers to as his “little problem.”
 
He even bought a helmet last year. “The equipment is so much better now,” Jack says. “The only thing I am sorry to see is the demise of local ski areas that make it affordable for young families and kids to go and try skiing.”
 
“Skiing has always been a major part of my life,” said Jack. “One of the greatest joys is to ski with my two sons and my grandchildren, sharing with them a sport they can do all their lives.”
 
“I would love to tell you my son David will be a judge at the 2002 Games in Utah, but we are not certain yet.”  David Farrar was ranked 17th nationally as a freestyle competitor, and is now a certified Olympic level judge. He was on the panel of judges at Sunday River’s Freestyle World Cup in January.
 
As for Jack’s current goals, he hopes to return to Tuckerman’s this spring. Jack and his skiing compadre, Chuck Barr, had a 26-year streak on the snowfields of Mt. Washington. He also hopes to take a trip out west next winter.
 
Jack is back, and can be found on the slopes of Maine ski areas four days a week.
 
“When something physical happens to you, you need a goal. Skiing was it for me. I hope I can be a mentor to others. If I hear about someone who’s had a stroke that skis, I try to get in touch with that person,” said Jack. “I like to help others on their own come back trail.”
 
Events: Sugarloaf is currently hosting the 2001 Junior Olympics through March 11. The eleven-day event showcases future Olympians. Nearly 300 top young athletes from the Eastern US are competing in snowboarding and alpine racing events.
 
“The Snow Express Brings Fun and Fundraising to Sugarloaf”
By Heather Burke
February 25, 2001
 
The Snow Express is coming to Maine next weekend. I am not referring to Mother Nature; she has showered us frequently with her snowy affection this season. The 15th annual Jimmie Heuga Snow Express to benefit Multiple Sclerosis is on its way to Sugarloaf, Sunday March 4.
 
The first Snow Express was held in June of 1985 on Mt. Alyeska in Alaska. Ten former racers including Jean-Claude Killy, Billy Kidd, Stein Eriksen, Phil Mahre and Bernard Russi came together to break the world record for the most vertical skied in one day.
 
These ski legends logged over one million vertical in 24 hours and raised the initial $300,000 for the first Heuga MS Center in Vail Colorado, and the Snow Express was born.
 
“Jimmie Heuga is such a great story, a great skier, and an inspiration to everyone,’ said Carl Labbe from the new World Headquarters of Resort Sports Network here in Portland.
 
Jimmie Heuga was a top racer for the U.S. Ski Team, winning the bronze medal in the 1964 Olympic Slalom. In 1970, Heuga was diagnosed with MS.
 
At the time, doctors recommended a sedentary lifestyle. Heuga rejected treatments and gave up skiing. In 1976, he began exercising again and regained a sense of control within the constraints of his physical challenge. Heuga has been zealous about sharing his strategies of combating MS with an active lifestyle ever since.
 
Sugarloaf is one of the longest running venues for the Snow Express, the Heuga program’s primary fundraiser.
 
“In the early years of the Snow Express, Jimmie Heuga would come to our Sugarloaf event. He is such a motivational speaker. He is no longer able to travel, but he does make the Finals in Vail. His ‘can do’ attitude about life is the foundation of this organization,” said Steve Pierce, Snow Express Administrator for Sugarloaf.
 
Allison Trussell loves to ski Sugarloaf. She was diagnosed with MS four years ago, and was unable to ski due to the numbness in the lower half of her body. Allison is now a senior at the University of Maine, Farmington, and is back into skiing thanks to “determination, therapy, and an exercise program,” according to her mother.
 
“The Heuga program in Massachusetts was wonderful, giving us family support and education on how MS is no excuse to stop doing the things you want to do,” said Trussell. “I only wish there was a program in Maine because there are so many people who could learn to live a more active lifestyle with MS.”
 
“We at RSN have made a three year commitment to sponsor the Heuga Snow Express, we want to make a difference nationally while helping on a local level too. This event encompasses so much of what we believe in at RSN, a healthy active outdoor lifestyle. Our goal is to bring a satellite Heuga center to Maine in 2002,” said Drew Simmons of RSN communications.
 
Multiple Sclerosis is the most common neurological disease of young adults. The onset normally occurs between the ages of 20-40. Multiple sclerosis results in numbness and a loss of the ability to make smooth, rapid and coordinated movements.
 
“The Snow Express takes place at 22 ski resorts across the US and Canada and we raise about $1,000,000 annually. The goal at Sugarloaf this year is $40,000,” said Lucy Babcock, President and CEO of the Heuga Center in Vail.
 
The Snow Express format is unique in the skiing and riding world, affording skiers and boarders of all ability levels the chance to raise money for a great cause while competing for prizes including a trip to the International Finals held in Vail, Colorado.
 
Three-person Snow Express teams can earn points by fundraising, accumulating vertical and racing in a dual giant slalom the day of the event.
 
“At Sugarloaf, we designate the entire Upper West Mountain trail for the competitive event. We traditionally have about twenty teams. The spirit of the event is just great,” said Pierce at Sugarloaf.
 
Registration for the Sugarloaf Snow Express can be done online at www.heuga.org or by calling 237-2396. The registration fee is $1,000 per team. Skiing events occur Sunday morning March 4, followed by a team lunch and awards ceremony.
 
Spring Ski Deals: Sugarloaf and Sunday River are participating in the $199 all-East ASC Pass valid for the remainder of the season, as of today, at all six resorts. “We’re having a great season, and we want to keep the momentum going,” said American Skiing Company chairman Leslie B. Otten.
 
Conditions: With increased daylight, warmer temperatures, and nearly four feet of snowfall in February, now is the time to ski and ride.
 
“Carrabassett Valley Academy launches big news, defies gravity”
By Heather Burke
February 18, 2001
 
Carrabassett Valley Academy students are heading indoors these days, not to hit the books, but for some serious hang time - literally.
 
The Sugarloaf-based private ski academy is officially unveiling its state of the art Anti-Gravity Center on Feb. 20. 
 
“This is the first training facility of its kind,” said headmaster John Ritzo. “It will be extremely beneficial for all of our athletes; alpine, Nordic, freestyle and snowboarding.”
 
The extensive athletic facility contains a skate park, track, basketball/tennis court, weight training and aerobic facilities, a climbing wall and three trampolines with bungee systems and harnesses.
 
“Our dining room has been our gymnasium until now. We would fold up the chairs and move out the tables so the students could work out,” said Rod Corey, communications director of CVA.
 
“The Anti-Gravity Center will enable our kids to cross-train with a variety of gymnastic activities. The more sports and movements they do, the better athletes they will become,” said Ritzo. “If you just run gates, then you only use those muscles, and your reactions are limited.”
 
Ritzo explained that the European skiers have had tremendous success focusing on gymnastics, which provides them with the physical strength, coordination and flexibility that translate well to the sport of skiing.
 
The trampoline apparatus is designed for students of freestyle, providing a controlled environment for them to practice airborne tricks. Aerialists must make 250 practice jumps before they can perform a maneuver on snow. Previously, CVA athletes had to use trampolines that were set up outside.
 
“We will be able to use the trampolines year round to do jumps that we are not ready to do safely on the hill. The landing area is a foam pit,” said sophomore Ron Digravio of Farmington, Maine. 
 
Digravio’s specialty is freestyle. He had the distinction of forerunning the World Cup Freestyle event at Sunday River last month.
 
 
Jaret Peterson, US Ski Team aerialist from Park City Utah said, “Wind and weather is always a factor when you are training on an outdoor trampoline or swimming pool. This indoor trampoline facility will be ideal. I have never trained on anything like it, it sounds perfect.”
 
Not only does the indoor Anti-Gravity Center provide year round access, regardless of weather, but the elements also have built-in safety aspects. Using harnesses and belay ropes, the athletes can test-out inverted aerials with a safety net. Coaches can ascertain when students are ready to execute a jump on the mountain, where trial and error is less forgiving.
 
“The students will be able to get comfortable with being upside down and sideways. The coordination and spatial awareness that comes from this type of practice is very important, not only for perfecting their maneuvers but also for finding comfort in a fall,” said Ritzo.
 
The center’s 6,000-foot skateboard park is being hailed as the largest in Maine, and one of the most aggressive in the Northeast. The unique wooden bowl and slick fiberglass ramps are intended for snowboarders to practice their maneuvers.
 
Freestylers and racers can also use in-line skates in the park to practice balance and alignment exercises.
 
“Balance is important to ski racers. Finding your center of balance in a turn is critical,” said Zach Brandwein. Zach is an eighth grader from Sidney, Maine, pursuing alpine racing. “Ski racers need to be very strong too. The new weight center is going to be a major improvement,” said Zach.
 
But what does a climbing wall have to do with ski training? “Climbing is a mind-game. Just like at high-levels of competitive skiing, athletes need to develop concentration,” said Ritzo.
 
US Ski Team member Kirsten Clark, a CVA alumni and Raymond native, uses rock climbing to develop the crucial ability to concentrate during a physically demanding task.
 
The Anti Gravity Center climbing wall is 35-feet high and 50-feet wide, featuring elaborate overhangs.
 
“The new center will allow us to exercise our bodies as well as our minds,” said Brandwein.
 
The 20,000 square foot facility is located at the base of Sugarloaf’s access road on six acres of land donated by the American Skiing Company.
 
“The other aspect that is exciting is the town and Sugarloaf helped make this happen, we couldn’t have done it without their support,” said Ritzo.
 
The Carrabassett Valley town residents supported the project by sharing in the $1.2 million cost. The townspeople will have access to the indoor recreation center, which can be utilized as a basketball or tennis court, a running track, and an aerobic facility.
 
“CVA has achieved a lot without this facility. I anticipate that six of our graduates will medal at Park City’s Olympics next winter,” said Ritzo. “With this Anti-Gravity Center, we will be able to achieve so much more.”
 
The grand opening of the Anti Gravity Center will take place Feb. 20 at 7pm.
 
Conditions: Ski areas around Maine are reporting two to five foot base depths, plenty of snow for the holiday ski week.

Events: Budweiser’s Aerial Assault team will be performing high-flying twisting flips and jumps at Sugarloaf Feb. 24-25.
“Nuts about Nordic”
By Heather Burke
February 11, 2001
 
You could call Mike Innes a cross-country nut. Anyone who tours the U.S. in a van loaded with 90 pair of Nordic skis, poles, and boots surely qualifies as overly passionate about the skinny ski sport.
 
Innes is on a countrywide crusade, stopping at 48 schools to share his love of Nordic skiing with 5th grade students. Innes is the brain and brawn behind the SnowTrax cross-country youth campaign, but prefers the title program coordinator and lead instructor.
 
SnowTrax is funded by Snowsports Industry of America, so the equipment and the instruction program are free to school age participants.
 
The SnowTrax van arrived at Harrison Middle School in Yarmouth in mid-January, laden with equipment and towing a snowmobile to groom tracks.
 
“This is our second year with the SnowTrax program,” said Rod Corey, Harrison’s Cross Country ski team coach. “The kids just love the program, and every student that participated last year came out for the ski team this year.”
 
“During the two hour session, we talk a little about the history of skiing, and then we get outfitted and out on the snow. Within 15 minutes on the equipment, it’s amazing how quickly they progress. Some of the kids even start kicking and gliding. The kids’ response is fantastic,” said Innes.
 
This winter, Innes will visit 3,500 students nationwide, and teach them everything they need to know to get outside and enjoy winter. Next year, Innes plans to bring SnowTrax to more Maine schools.
 
“I want to turn kids on to cross-country as a life long sport. Its fun and its healthy,” said Innes.
 
You may have recognized, this writer is a vertical fan, opting for chairlifts and slopes over self-propelled exertion on free-heeled skinny boards. However, there is another world to be discovered by strapping on cross-country skis and gliding through the snowy forest.
 
If you are considering a Nordic endeavor, now is the time as Maine Nordic centers are reporting superb conditions.
 
“These are some of the best numbers we have seen in a decade,” says Sue Foster, Manager of Sugarloaf Outdoor Center. “All of our terrain is open and has been since Christmas.” Sugarloaf has the largest Nordic facility in Maine, offering 105 km of trails groomed with state of the art machinery.
 
“There definitely seems to be a heightened interest in cross-country this year. We are seeing twice as many skiers as last year,” said Sue Chase of A Fierce Chase Cross Country Ski Trails in Monson. Chase explained that they were able to open early December this year compared to January of last year.
 
“The conditions are just flawless this year,” said Evan McDougal of McDougal Orchards Ski Trails in Springvale. His clientele is comprised of 40% families, 20% retirees, 20% younger couples, and the rest is a mixture of “solo lovers of the outdoors and fitness folks”. 
 
“We are beginning to see an increase in skiers. It is gratifying to see folks that have not skied for a few years pull out their old equipment and try our trails. They come in with furrowed brows and leave with big grins,” said McDougal.
 
Reports of deep snow and deeper cash receipts are not statewide this season. Larry LeRoy has been running Mediwasli Wilderness Camp 27 miles northeast of Greenville for six winters. Guests of the Wilderness Camp lodge in rustic cabins, reached by snowmobile shuttle or a 5-mile ski in, and enjoy the 35 km of groomed cross-country plus unlimited backcountry terrain.
 
“We have been busier in the past, probably because people have snow in their back yards and do not have to travel up here to find skiing,” said LeRoy.
 
Sue Isham of Sunday River Cross Country Center has a different view of conditions this year, “If people in Massachusetts and Connecticut do not have snow in their backyards, they do not think about taking a cross-country ski vacation.”
 
“We are having a very good season due to the snow.” Isham commented that the industry is still not seeing the popularity of the 1970’s but new trends like snowshoeing are “off the charts”. “The numbers had declined over the past five years, but now we are back up.”
 
“People are coming back to Nordic, there is a phenomenon of older parents who have already had their time on downhill skis. They are moving to cross-country and bringing their young kids into the sport as well,” says Steve Wight of Sunday River Inn and Cross Country Ski Center. “That bodes well for the future of the sport”.
 
The age demographic of cross-country skiers is predominantly 35 and older, according to Wight.
 
Steve Gent is an instructor for the LL Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools hosted at Smiling Hill Farm in Westbrook. Gent says, “All our programs are going great guns. It’s a combination of ideal conditions and pent up demand.” Gent explained snowshoeing courses are the first to fill up.
 
Tom Gyger of Five Fields Farm in Bridgton encourages newcomers to winter recreation to try snowshoeing, as an alternative to skiing. “People are finding that getting outdoors in winter is not half bad. There are no bugs, and with snowshoes on, you can walk on top of the snow and straight up hills. It is great exercise and the toughest part is putting the snowshoes on.”
 
The Maine Nordic Ski Council’s web site has averaged over 1,000 unique visitors over the past several weeks, where last year the highest visitor number was 650. 
 
Most on-line viewers of www.mnsc.com are accessing the ski report page for updated conditions and descriptions of over 20 Maine Nordic centers. The web site also indicates centers that allow dogs to accompany skiers on the trail networks. The Nordic ski report can be contacted at 800-754-9263.
 
Conditions: Whether you are cross-country or alpine inclined, the snow conditions at all Maine ski centers are superb.
 
“Are Skiers Responsible For Their Actions?”
By Heather Burke
February 4, 2001
 
Should skiers be responsible for accidents that result from skiing too fast and losing control?
 
A Colorado jury comprised entirely of skiers and snowboarders decided that one skier, Nathan Hall, was criminally negligent when he skied into and fatally injured 33-year-old Alan Cobb at Vail in April of 1997.
 
This is the first time a ski collision death has resulted in a criminal trial and jail time. The Colorado Supreme Court determined, “a reasonable person could infer that the defendant, a former ski racer trained in skier safety, consciously disregarded the risk.”
 
On Wednesday of this past week, Hall was sentenced to 90 days in jail and 240 hours of community service.
 
This monumental case proves that skiers must take responsibility, and that skiing out of control is unacceptable, even illegal.
 
“I do believe skiers are responsible for their actions when they are out on the slopes,” said Pete Koch of Sunday River Ski Patrol. “Just like when you get behind the wheel of a car, your actions affect everyone around you and you have a responsibility to be safe and not injure yourself or others.”
 
When driving on a steep twisty road, it is common practice to check your speed and consider the dangers. The same reasonable caution should apply on a ski trail. Intermediate skiers travel at speeds averaging 20-30 mph. A collision in a car at that speed is hazardous; ski accidents at that speed have proven fatal.
 
The Nathan Hall case puts skier negligence in the limelight, and makes Hall a veritable poster child of the repercussions of skiing out of control. The skiers’ personal liability revealed in this case may serve as a new benchmark for the industry.
 
“I think its time that skiers are considered responsible if they are out of control, and that ski areas are not to blame for someone’s reckless actions,” said Chase McKendry Director of Patrol at Sugarloaf.
 
“People don’t necessarily understand what can happen if they don’t ski safely,” said Sonny Davis, Director of Ski Patrol at Shawnee Peak. “Skier collisions do happen. Fortunately we have not had many here at Shawnee Peak.”
 
“Safety has always been our number one concern. The cornerstone of our national campaign continues to be the Responsibility Code,” said Stacy Gardner, Director of Communications for National Ski Area Association. Simply knowing and practicing the Code, which was written thirty years ago, can prevent tragic circumstances.
 
The skiers’ responsibility code rule #1 states, “Always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.”
 
“If I hadn’t been skiing that fast, I probably wouldn’t have lost control and the accident wouldn’t have happened,” admits Hall.
 
Rule #2 clearly states, “People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.”
 
Koch said, “As patrol, we can’t be everywhere at all times. We are responders to injuries and we are also educators. We provide information on how to be safe on the hill and when we do see someone acting irresponsibly we are going to react by educating that person on the skiers’ responsibility code.”
 
“On a local level, we go into our nearby schools to talk to the kids about ski safety and show how their actions affect themselves and others. We have our own ski safety poster contest and a ‘What the responsibility code means to me’ essay contest,” said Sunday River’s Koch.  The students’ posters are on display at South Ridge Base Area.
 
“Ski areas like Sunday River have done inventive things with the safety initiative, with their Ambassadors and the ski safety poster contest,” said National Ski Area Association Director of Education Tim White.
 
Sugarloaf’s McKendry said, “Our ambassadors and patrol do traffic control and we try to keep general speeds down. We encourage people to ski with the flow and if we see someone skiing blatantly out of control, we will take their ticket.”
 
As skiers we must be aware of the risks, and practice safe skiing habits. As in any sport, there is the potential of seriously injuring yourself and others. Skiing, specifically at a high rate of speed, shortens reaction time and obviously amplifies any impact from a fall or collision.
 
The heartbreaking and untimely death less than two weeks ago, of Gould Academy senior Brad Cunningham, is a reminder to skiers that accidents can happen to anyone, regardless of experience and ability level. Cunningham was an expert skier, and a four-year veteran of Sunday River’s Junior Ski Patrol program.
 
On any given weekend, you can witness a skier (or snowboarder- not to single anyone out) cruising down the slopes so fast that they cannot stop quickly. If a skier below were to make an unanticipated turn, take for example my erratic 7-year-old mogul meister, the fast approaching skier may not be able to avoid my child. Is that an accident or negligence?
 
The judge in the Hall case said what happened was “a terrible tragedy but not an accident.”
 
“I absolutely hold Nathan Hall responsible for Alan’s death,” said Christi Neville, Alan Cobb’s fiancée. “I hope this case can make a difference. If it can save one life on the slopes, then it is worth it.”
 
 “It was my fault, I was skiing too fast,” said Hall.
 
All Photography by Greg Burke
 
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