2009 Annual New England Masters Newsletter – by Steve Foley
2009 SISE CUP ALPINE RACE SCHEDULE
January 3
Ragged Mountain, Danbury, NH Slalom 4 Ragged
Mountain, Danbury, NH Giant Slalom
11 Gunstock, Guilford,
NH Giant Slalom 18
Middlebury Snow Bowl, Middlebury, VT Giant Slalom
19 Suicide Six, Woodstock,
VT
Slalom 25
Stratton Mountain, Stratton, VT
Giant Slalom
31 Cranmore Mountain, North
Conway, NH
Slalom February
1 Wildcat Mountain, Jackson, NH Slalom 7
Pico, Mendon, VT Slalom
8
Okemo, Ludlow, VT Giant Slalom
14 Washington’s Birthday
Weekend
15 No races scheduled 21
Cannon Mountain, Franconia, NH Slalom
22 Loon Mountain, Lincoln,
NH Giant Slalom
28 Sugarbush, Warren,
VT Slalom ** March 1
Sugarbush, Warren, VT Giant Slalom The USSA National Masters Championships will be held at
Sunday River, Maine March 22-29;
Downhill, Super G, Giant Slalom, Slalom |
Welcome to the
2008/2009 New England Masters newsletter. There's so
much news to report that I’m going to suspend with the usual food and
lodging comments and get right to it!
NEW OFFICERS - Nadine Price and Fred Dieffenbach have taken
over the helm as President and Vice President respectively. Retiring President,
Pete Donaghy is going to devote more time to his own ski racing. We owe him a
huge vote of thanks for over 5 years of service as president!
NEW BOARD MEMBERS - We’d like to welcome Greg Gill, Derek Griggs and Alex
Gadbois to the board. They bring a huge amount of experience and talent to the
board. Bill Brennan has left the board due to a busy business schedule, but
will still try to have a active race participation - another vote of thanks for
so many years of service, so many that I’ve lost count. Thanks Bill!
We have also had several new changes at the national, regional and local
levels.
Here’s an update from our new V.P. Fred
Dieffenbach entitled, “Time for Change”
What New England Masters Racers demand is change – I imagine that we have
all heard enough about how things are going to change and I’d bet everyone is
quite tired of the rhetoric. So, rather than refer to the “changes” you
can expect for 2009, I am going to talk about improvements, and there are
several.
Racer Survey
In October many of you were invited to complete an online survey.
While the results have yet to be compiled, everyone should understand that we
are going to try a number of things, including future surveys, to better
understand what the race community really wants from New England Masters
events. For example, you will be able to complete a short survey
following every event; tell us how you liked the courses, how you liked the
resort, how you were treated by the resort staff, and more. In the end
the information we gather will help us create a better and stronger New England
Masters program.
Online Entries
Being able to purchase merchandise and enter events online has gone from a
novelty to the norm over the last few years, and NEMS has considered online
entries for quite a while. This year we will have an online entry system
available. Final details are pending, but we fully intend to have a
system up and running by the first race in January.
Reverse BIBO
Instead of seeding the second run in “First In, First Out” order based on the
first run results, the second run seed order will be reverse order. In
other words, if you finished first in your class in the first run you will be
seeded last for the second run. This modification is patterned after the
“flip-30” process that they use on the World Cup and is being implemented at
USSA Masters National and Regional events.
Superseed
We are considering a number of modifications to the superseed, including
having 15 racers instead of 10 (in the opinion of one racer who finished 11th
after the first run on 3 separate occasions last year, this is a great
idea!), and running the superseed at the end of the race instead of at the
front of the oldest class that is represented in the superseed. For those
of you who viewed the survey, both of these questions were presented and a
final decision on whether we implement either or both of these changes will depend,
in part, on the results of the survey.
Visibility
We are looking for opportunities to raise the profile of NEMS in the eyes
of the resorts we visit and to our sponsors. In November, several New
England Masters competitors attended the Boston Ski Show and helped staff a New
England Masters Ski Racing booth. We are also looking for single weekend
sponsorship opportunities with restaurants and shops in close proximity to the
host resorts.
Co-Hosting Races with Charitable Organizations
We hope to work with the Kelly Brush Foundation to hold a fund raising event
during the Middlebury weekend. Kelly was a Middlebury Ski Team competitor
who was seriously injured two years ago during a NCAA ski race. Following
her injury she worked with family members and others to create a foundation
that grants money to ski clubs and ski areas so they can purchase safety
equipment. Some of the netting that you see along our race arenas was
purchase by money granted by this foundation. Details on the event are pending,
but we intend to structure it like most other ‘challenge’ style events where
participants solicit money on behalf of the sponsoring organization.
Ride Share
An idea that we floated on the survey was the creation of a Ride Board on
the NEMS web site. There are a number of ways this can be accomplished,
and we are looking for the least burdensome option.
Independent Slalom and Giant Slalom Championships
To entice racers who think of themselves as specialists, we will have
discipline titles this year. Unlike the Sise Overall title, which is
based on a racers best 9 results, the SL and GS discipline titles will be based
on total points accumulated by a racer in that discipline. Racers who
enter more events will have an advantage – may the best man and women win!
Newspaper Announcements
Last year we tried placing public service announcements in a number of
Vermont newspapers. Most requests were honored, and the Vermont Standard
actually posted our content on the front page of their sports section a few
days in advance of the Bunny Bertram Memorial Race – they even retained the
awkward grammar contained in the submittal! We hope to expand the number
of papers to whom we will be submitting content to this year.
Spirit of Masters Award
Last season, George Anderson passed away abruptly the night before we raced
at Suicide Six. His loss rocked the racing community, not because he was
the fastest racer but because he was always there and everyone enjoyed being
around him. George Anderson embodied the essence of masters racing and we
want to honor his memory by annually presenting a “Spirit of Masters”
award. The award will recognize the individual who exemplifies what we
most value in our fellow competitors – their competitive spirit and the size of
their ‘heart.’ This award isn’t about how fast you are, it’s about who
you are!
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Notice from long-term
sponsor, ARTECH: 15 % off over Thanksgiving weekend for all Masters orders and
10 % off all season. 15 % off for all Masters for the Ragged Mt. Races at
the shop and free beer!!! George at ARTECH
_____________________________________
Announcing the First
Annual George Anderson Fun Race to be held at Mt Snow VT on January 23, 2009.
Details will be posted on www.nemasters.org where you will find all the latest
information.
_____________________________________
Dear racing friends,
This is to confirm that again this year, the opening races, two GS,
(formerly known as the Baltex Cup) will take place at Mont-Tremblant on
December 5-6, 2008. On behalf of Luc
Balit’s family – who wish to keep alive the racing tradition that Luc Balit helped establish over the years –
and in memory of Luc Balit’s passion and enthusiasm, we hope to see you all at
Tremblant.
Simon Marchand-Fortier ACA Masters, Quebec Representative
simon.m.fortier@prattemorrissette.ca
“Return to Ragged Mountain” (sounds like a romance novel). As you can see we’re going back to Ragged Mountain. They are under new owners and are looking forward to having us there. (Someone wants us, yeah!)
“Return to Lake
Placid” -The Eastern Regionals are in the works with new trails, new parties,
new prizes and should prove to be an exciting outing. Expect a flyer later in
the year with the latest info.
There are rumors
of 2 Masters races the week after the Killington races. When this is confirmed
you can find it on http://www.nemasters.org/.
The NEMS web site should have all the very LATEST info on changes, additions,
etc.
A change that’s
not in the USSA handbook is the late addition of Crotched Mt on February
24 but it’s listed on the NEMS website!
Two of the
favorite places to stay in the Mid Vermont area are “The Swiss Farm Inn”, just
north of Pittsfield, great food and people flock from miles around for their
breakfast. 802-746-8341 and “The
Mountain Sports Inn”, owned & run by masters racer Bob Sardelli.
802-422-3315
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MT TREMBLANT,
QUEBEC, DECEMBER 1-15 (2 camps)
Michelle Pratte
Adult Camps, Special NEMS rate available,
contact E-mail
Pratteski@sympatico.ca or www.pratteski.com
STOWE, Vt.
December 10 - 14, The “SECRET MASTERS RACE CAMP”
Contact Pete
Donaghy, E-Mail: pdonaghy@gotsky.com
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We are pleased to
announce the following statement from USSA regarding ski length rules for
Masters FIS racing: “The length and radius of skis for Masters has changed from
“regulations” to “recommendations” except in SG where the minimum length is 180
cm for women and 185 cm for men”. This exciting news and represents the efforts
of many Masters racers to allow for greater safety and enjoyment in Masters FIS
racing. You will now be able to select skis of your choice only subject to SG
minima.
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ARTECH
SPECIAL
George Merrill
from Artech is now offering a special 10% discount to New England Masters on all
orders! www.artechski.com
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MESSAGE
FROM EVERY RACE SECRETARY OUT THERE
Please send a
separate check for each racer for each event entered - it helps immensely.
NEMS Annual Dues are due now!
Please send your
$25 annual race fee to: New England Masters Skiing
186
Haverhill Road
Topsfield, MA 01983
Name__________________________________
Birth Year:_________ M_____F_____
Address:__________________________________
State:_______Zip:________
Tel #:
Home________________________ Work _____________________
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