Mount Gay Rum SISE Cup Winds Up at Mt. Snow
by Jennifer Calder

Two years ago if a grown man had shown up for a GS on 160s he would have been approached cautiously, spoken to in reassuring tones, and quietly gentled off the slope.  But more and more masters racers are returning to their cars after inspection to retrieve their slalom skis, and  Friday’s GS on Fallen Timbers edged that number ever higher.  One of the longest runs on the circuit, its narrow, tree-lined corridor requires a fairly tight set.  It’s still possible to reach escape velocity, but it takes a lot of technical skill not to dump speed through the rolls, and the course favors those gifted with memory and  savvy in tactics, because little mistakes in line have a multiplier effect on time.  One insipid little roll that on inspection concealed its kick caught a lot of racers off balance, and wondering if maybe skis should be sold with a warning:  “Equipment does not enable user to fly.” 

Pepi Neubauer razzle-dazzled spectators as he careened down the final pitch with daring style, dropped into his tuck, and crossed the finish line with a bellow of wild glory and the affable high spirits induced by a perfect run.  Well all right, the race was for second place.  The light got flat for the second run.   A dense cloud settled over the top half of the course, precipitation settled on goggles, the subtle dips and divots in the course were obscured.  Class 2’s Andy Lussier, two seconds out after the first run,  circumnavigated his way through the murk to finish with precisely the same time as Neubauer’s 2^nd run, which tells you that’s the fastest time that course was going to give up on that day.  Doug Tucker, a man who thrives on speed, was only about a second and a half behind him in third.

Jessie McAleer, who carved the straightest, fastest line through the middle fall-away gates, staked her claim on first.  Mt. Snow’s Sally White challenged, finishing a couple tenths ahead of her on the second run.  Not enough to take the lead.  Class 3’s Lori O’Brien secured 3rd.  And never faint of heart, though her flawless, graceful form belies her speed, Class 8’s Anne Nordhoy, just back with four gold medals at the Master’s World Championships in Abetone, Italy (where New England Masters Class 11’s Duffy Dodge claimed a gold, 2 silvers and a bronze and Class 12’s Rodney Aller picked up 4 golds), finished 5^th among the women.

Primitive societies made no distinction between technical skill and magic, attributing success at a craft to the possession of magical powers.  Modern man occasionally slips back, in his awe blurs the division-- and getting that race off Saturday was nothing short of magic.  We arrived in warm rain, needed four-wheel drive to make it through the mud on the accessway, to the dismal spectacle of abandoned ski trails.  Pete Donaghy was out in the parking lot helping us rationalize our decision to compete, assuring us there really was a trail covered with snow up there, and taking side bets on how many people from the general population would actually purchase lift tickets that day.  This was March madness indeed.

Staged on the Rocker, one of the longest slaloms of the year, there was nothing intimidating about this course.  Although the set was tight with significant offset, it looked like a sister-kisser on inspection.  But oh Lordie, it was a test for the best.  Some of us looked more like bowling balls down a gutter than ski racers as we battled our way through 58 emerging targets of opportunity, and the ruts and misjudged angles of attack claimed their ritual sacrifices.  The second course, set with counseling from John Grush, was more open, enabling the establishment of a better rhythm, but the sun came out and the temperature climbed into the 50s, and snow conditions varied from hard ice at some gates to soft ruts at others, perversely victimizing the unbalanced or the too-aggressive.   Throughout the race, the Mt. Snow race crew hovered and scurried about the course tightening loose poles, raking, shoveling, retrieving skis.  Spectators were treated to a Super Seed after Class 6 men on the second run.  The 10 fastest men, clad in neon-yellow bibs, pitted their strength, flexibility, experience, judgment and theatrical timing against the course and each other, in a compelling athletic display.  As the race resumed the announcer informed us we would now return to “ordinary skiers,” and  one had to agree, there is something superhuman about those performances.

Pepi Neubauer again bewitched with his jaw-dropping dexterity, but the line shot off the graph paper with Patrick McNamara’s run.  He pulled in 4 seconds ahead Neubauer on the first run, almost 3 second on the second.  Bob Hill, who consistently triumphs over the adversity of these courses that bounce other people around,  took 3^rd.

Carolyn Beckedorff was amazing.  She had the third fastest first run of the day, right behind Pepi Neubauer, and her total  time was good enough to place her 4^th overall.  Jessie McAleer and Sally White were closer to her in the second run, but she’d established too great a lead for them to bridge.

Ample food and liberal libation at the post race awards festivities elevated spirits already rowdy from drinking the delights of combat with peers, and the pleasure was perfected by the presence of special guests, among them erstwhile regulars to the circuit, Heinz-Paul and Anna-Marie Wieser, and  wounded comrade, pillar of New England Masters, Nadine Price.  Jesse Beck entertained on his harmonica with some rhythm & blues.  Mount Gay Rum provided jackets, fleece shirts, t-shirts, and fine rum for the SISE Cup class winners, while Denby Pottery added to their  rewards with an assortment of select china.  

Five among us were honored with $50 gift certificates to Buchika’s Ski & Sport, plus a bottle of Mount Gay Rum, for their remarkable commitment of competing in every race throughout the season: George Caner, Peter Dumont, Thomas Hauck, Patti Lane, and Russ Probert.  

For the 2002 SISE Cup drawing, which pools every racer who has competed in 8 races throughout the season, Atomic donated two pairs of skis, Denby Pottery gave away two 16-piece dinnerware sets, Buchika's provided a Descente DH suit, Artech contributed ski poles, and Florian Tools donated state-of-the art crafted tools resembling assault weapons.  To win you had to have raced Saturday and you had to be present.  Beneficiaries included Dave Wolff, George Anderson, Greg Gill, Barb Brumbaugh, Pete Donaghy, Adelbert Ames, and Bill Whitcher.  

The news that long standing New England Masters President Chris McAleer will be stepping down this year placed the only damper on the evening, which otherwise ended the season with a magic alchemy of nostalgia and euphoria that most of us will not be able to recreate until the season resumes next year.

Chris Johnson regained the SISE Cup championship, a remarkable feat because he only raced nine times this year, and on a blown ACL.  The closest challenger was Patrick McNamara, who was in 4^th place until the Mt. Snow slalom, where he skied uncontested, displacing Sean Florian and John Pierce in the standings.  The results of many of the class races had been resolved early in the season:  Alex Gadbois closed out Class 2; Bill Brennan made it mathematically impossible for anyone to threaten his lead in 6; Bill McCollom won pretty much every race he entered to close out 7, probably the deepest and most competitive class this year; Bob McGrath remained unassailable in 9; Larry Voelker won almost all his races for Class 10; and Duffy Dodge quietly took control of Class 11.  Contests remained open in Class 3 between Chris Johnson and Sean Florian, and in Class 4 between Dave Lamb and Tip Kimball, but the Mt. Snow races did not change the standings.  Class 1’s contest between Steve Ouellette and Matt Aeschliman ended in a tie, and SISE Cup rules provide for a solution in such cases, in this case naming Ouellette the victor.  Bob McKee won Class 8, but Steve Foley, a persistent contender for first, was displaced to 3^rd under the rules of combat when  Haldor Reinholt,  always a threat when he races,  tied Foley’s score. The fun race to watch was in Class 5, between Mark George and Doug Tucker.  Coming into the final round at Mt. Snow, George was the leader, with 78 points.  Tucker trailed with 68. Displaying his gladiator-style moxie, Tucker pulled off a first and a second, to pull him into the lead.   And the inspiring race to watch was in Class 12 (yup, that’s over 80), where Rodney Aller and Adelbert Ames finished the season in a tie.

Jessie McAleer had a lead coming into the final weekend, but it wasn’t iron clad.  Both Lisa Densmore and Carolyn Beckedorff threatened, and Susanna Whitcher could have put pressure on any of those positions.  McAleer prevailed to take the title, and Beckedorff displaced Densmore.  Virtually all of the women’s contests were determined before the final weekend of racing, leaving no room for changes in the standings.  Jane Cooke had a secure hold on Class 10; Wendy Hill was unchallenged in Class 9;  Anne Nordhoy (Class 8)  won  every race she entered;  Suzanne Boulter faced early competition from Stefi Hastings, but shut out the class at Stowe;  Gay Folland achieved early victory in Class 6; Meg Nutter, with a number of top 10 finishes throughout the season, clinched 5; Lisa Densmore got 9 firsts early in the season in what proved to be one of the most competitive classes this year, with close contests between Margaret Vaughn, Patti Lane, and later in the season, Susan Jefferson.  Barb Brumbaugh, a rebel from ASRA, brought humor and vitality to the women’s race, winning Class 3.  Ros Pueblo took Class 1. Only in Class 2 did the top spot stay up for grabs, with Jessie McAleer, Carolyn Beckedorff and Susanna Whitcher jockeying for position, changing places on the podium but usually among the top 3 each race.  

Master racer George Anderson’s friends and family wonder why he keeps sending them the same Christmas card year after year.  He struggles to communicate with them, to make them understand it isn’t the same at all.  Oh yes, the suit is the same, and some years the skis, though it’s hard to tell because all you can see are their bases…but note here the increase in angulation, the position of the arms and body, the cross block on the gate….oh well.  There’s no finish line blaze of photographers’ flashbulbs in masters racing, no gaggle of press such as would be accorded athletes of this caliber in certain other sports, who might enjoy expectations of remuneration and respect for their prowess.  There is only the magic of improvement, the thrill of transcending previous limits, the exhilaration of continually confronting challenges—and the community of  kindred spirits with the courage to live life to the fullest of their ability.  Only this, and nothing more.