Guns a' blazin' at Copper

By Published On: October 2nd, 2012Comments Off on Guns a' blazin' at Copper


As snowmaking began today (Oct. 2) at the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center at Copper Mountain, the resort announced a contest to provide VIP access to the world-class training venue with an exclusive opportunity to ski with the team prior to the opening this fall.

Copper Mountain season pass holders (as well as Copper Four Pack, Rocky Mountain Super Pass and Super Pass Plus holders) can enter on Facebook to win VIP credentials that provide lift access for two, a venue tour from a U.S. Ski Team athlete followed by open skiing and lunch with the team. Enter for a chance to win here.

The game-changing Speed Center is utilized by elite-level athletes and features the only full-length downhill training available anywhere in the world during the month of November.

“Copper Mountain stepped it up with the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center,” said Ted Ligety. “It will be cool for the U.S. Ski Team to hang out and interact with Copper Mountain skiers while showing them first-hand what the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center really means to us.”

The venue features 87 HKD automatic snowmakers, two miles of World Cup supply A-net with steel structures, five miles of B-net and fencing set on 4,500 netting poles — an infrastructure that parallels World Cup race hills across the globe in both safety and snow condition.

“U.S. athletes are incredibly fortunate to have this level of support from Copper Mountain and its skiers,” said Alpine Director Patrick Riml “Not only do our Olympians have a world class facility in the U.S. Ski Team Speed Center, but our regional club programs are also able to utilize World Cup-level training very early in the winter season.”

Mother Nature and the 87 dedicated snowmakers will ultimately determine the event date, but updates on snowmaking progress and an official date announcement will be made on Facebook and Twitter.

The Audi FIS Alpine World Cup season opens Oct. 27-28 in Soelden, Austria and swings to the U.S. Nov. 24-25 with the Nature Valley Aspen Winternational in Aspen followed immediately by the Audi Birds of Prey races in Beaver Creek.

For the complete Speed Center story, check out the season’s second installment of Ski Racing Magazine, due out in early November.

Photos: Copper Mountain
GM

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About the Author: Geoff Mintz

Geoff Mintz is a former alpine ski racer who cut his teeth at Ragged Mountain and Waterville Valley, N.H. After graduating from Holderness and UVM, he relocated to Colorado, where he worked on the hill prior to pursuing a career in journalism. Mintz served as associate editor for Ski Racing Media from 2011 to 2015. He later reconnected with his local roots to manage all marketing and communications for Ski & Snowboard Club Vail before resuming work at SRM as editor-in-chief.