USSA adds 61,000 racers in historic union with NASTAR

By Published On: May 4th, 2015Comments Off on USSA adds 61,000 racers in historic union with NASTAR

Skiing’s national competitive sport program, NASTAR – which utilizes a popular handicap system making ski racing accessible to all resort guests – will be run by the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) next season under a licensing agreement with Active Interest Media (AIM), owners of Ski, Skiing, and Warren Miller Entertainment. Some 61,000 racers participated in the NASTAR challenge at resorts nationwide last season.

USSA President and CEO Tiger Shaw was elated that an agreement had been reached between the two companies.

“It brings together two of the strongest brands in ski racing and will help us to not only engage a new generation of ski racers, but also to have significant impact by extending our brand to new fans and USSA members,” Shaw said, adding that the agreement will provide a means to connect budding ski racers and their parents to USSA.

“Think about it — how many parents and their children experienced their first taste of competition in a NASTAR course, my children included?” Shaw said. “This will allow USSA to expose itself to potential fans and future members that we have not had before.”

In many ways, NASTAR has been connected to the U.S. Ski Team from its beginning. NASTAR was the brainchild of John Fry, then editor of Ski Magazine, who envisioned a simple intermediate, open course on which skiers could measure themselves against the best in the United States. Originally called the National Standard Test, Fry determined an acronym, NASTAR.

Tom Corcoran, the founder of New Hampshire’s Waterville Valley and a member of the 1964 Olympic ski team, ran the first pacesetter trials. Jimmie Heuga, the 1964 Olympic slalom bronze medalist, became the first national pacesetter. At the end of Year 1, “The Coach,” Bob Beattie, who had just retired from heading the U.S. Ski Team, became commissioner, a position that he held for 30 years.

“This is very exciting,” said Pete Sununu, Waterville Valley’s Marketing and Communications Coordinator. “We made a big effort with NASTAR last season and this can only help increase the interest.”

Across the country, 109 ski areas in 25 states currently participate in the NASTAR program.

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About the Author: Gary Black