Fun. Fast. Challenging. Those were the words thrown around
this past Friday when Sugarbush hosted the first annual Legends’ Cup Downhill
open to anybody over the age of eighteen. Over 30 competitors hurled themselves
down the mile-long course that had only 13 turns and a top speed of 66 mph.
Aaron Henderson posted the fastest
time of 52.33 seconds to take the $500 first place prize. He was followed by
local speedster Nate Bedford in 52.50, and third place went to 52 year-old Mark
George who posted the fastest speed through the trap of 66 mph.
On the Women’s side, only two women
showed up, but it was a battle with Heather Lawton taking first place with a
time of 59.44. Nadine Price finished a close second in 61:49 with a top speed
of 60 mph.
The Legends’ course started at the
top of the Valley House chair and dropped over 1000 vertical feet down the
Upper Snowball and Spring Fling trails. The first half of the course tested the
racer’s gliding ability and aerodynamics as they built up speed and prepared
for the critical Bull Wheel turn at the top of Spring Fling. “All you are
thinking about at the top is being smooth, building speed, and getting ready
for Bull Wheel,” said competitor Ed Bassett (61 mph).
Bull Wheel turn is a four gate, 200
yard turn that shoots you onto Spring Fling at 50 mph and into the tough
technical part of the course where the racers fight to stay in their tuck while
negotiating three radical turns. “You have to ski clean here to carry speed
into the speed trap. Get on a low line here and you might as well just pull off
because you have lost so much time,” said Matt McFall (63 mph).
What follows is the most fun part of
the course. Speed trap into Cutts’ Double and Roundhouse turns. The racers jump
20 mph instantly as they point their skis straight down the hill for 400 yards
and try to hold their tucks through two choppy, tight, high-speed turns to the
finish. “At this point, the speed is trying to pull you apart while you try to
keep it together. As you exit Roundhouse, you have this huge smile on your
face,” says Brad Greenwood (64 mph).
Racers from all age groups and
backgrounds showed up to test their limits. There was 71 year-old Phillipe
Marielle who finished in 60 seconds with a speed of 59 mph. There was 35
year-old Wes Lowe from Vermont North Ski shops with his Motorcross helmet
throwing his 6 foot plus frame into Bull Wheel and incredibly holding his tuck
throughout. There was also Sugarbush VP Hardy Merrill who exploded out of the starting
gate in the race having missed his training run because he had to respond to
some work-related issues on the mountain during the morning trial. Even though
he missed a gate, he ripped it up on his 216cm Atomics, helmet and sunglasses.
Yes, I said sunglasses.
There were over 60 runs down the
Legends’ Course on Friday (including the training run) and not one crash or
injury. “This course sets up so naturally on these trails that it is an easy
course to make safe. The fall zones are long and clear. Plus, with 38 safety
fences set up on the hill at the critical spots, it would be pretty hard for
someone to hurt themselves, “ said Lewis. Only one racer came close to testing
the safety nets and that was local boy Lisle Gilbert. According to starter Kelley
Lewis, “Lisle was seriously amped at the start, repeatedly asking, ‘Can I go?
Can I go? Can I go?’. Finally getting the green light, he exploded out of the
gate determined to reach terminal velocity. He came into Bull Wheel turn
carrying a ton of speed. He was unable to stay on line and went flying towards
the nets at over 50 mph. Only his agility and athleticism kept him on the
course and out of the nets. Unfortunately for Lisle he lost too much time from
his mistake to make the top five.
Legends’ Cup winner Aaron Henderson
was amazed at the safety, organization, and energy at the event. “There were a
lot of happy racers today. This Downhill was challenging and fast, yet safe for
the veteran as well as the rookie. I can not wait to come back next year to ski
this course.”
Total prize money was $1250.00 and
awards were donated by our many sponsors including SIRIUS Radio, High Sierra
Sport, HEAD skis, Obermeyer, Under Amour, Dynastar/Lange, Nordica, Dominator,
and Sugarbush Resort.
So how did the racers stack up
against race director and Olympian Doug Lewis? We’ll have to wait until next
year to find out. “This year I was so busy organizing, setting up, and making
sure it was a safe event, that I was too busy to run. Next year though, I will
fore-run and hopefully lay down a fast one for all to chase.”
For More Info contact Doug Lewis at
802-496-3278
Results:
MEN:
1. Aaron
Henderson 52.33 (63mph)
2. Nate
Bedford 52.50 (63 mph)
3. Mark
George 53.67 (66 mpn)
4. John
Grush 53.04 (63 mph)
5. Wes Lowe 53.30 (63 mph)
WOMEN:
1. Heather
Lawton 59.44 (55 mph)
2. Nadine
Price 61.49 (60 mph)
Legend’s
Cup Downhill
February 9th,
2007 Sugarbush
Resort, Warren VT