Masters: Major events schedule opens in West

The 2009 Masters major event competition opened at Park City Resort in Utah with a super combined event, a masters racing first. It was a user-friendly super G on the Payday slope, then a slalom run on the lower half of the hill. With perfect weather and conditions, the racers loved it.The 2009 Masters major event competition opened at Park City Resort in Utah with a super combined event, a masters racing first. It was a user-friendly super G on the Payday slope, then a slalom run on the lower half of the hill. With perfect weather and conditions, the racers loved it.

Stevo Lindemer (CN) was the fastest man overall with class 6 racer (50-59) Bob Skinner (IM) a close second. Dana Alexandrescu led an Intermountain sweep of the top three with class 1 Jenny Badger 2nd and Dasha Kadulova 3rd.  

The weather turned on day two. Fog set back start time after start time but USSA TD Walt Evans and referee Phil McNichol would not take no for answer and all racers made their run by 3 pm. It was a long race. Men’s overall winner was Rocky Mountain’s Erik Klemme, Top woman was Dana Alexandrescu just .04 ahead of Jennifer Kaufmann (RM).

According to expert speeder Rick Slabinski, who was second overall and won his class, the super G was a real wax race. “It was because of the conditions. It was very warm, and the snow was pretty wet, with a little new snow on top of that, pretty slow conditions if you don’t have the right wax,” he said. “Slabby” added that racers were spending a lot of time checking out different waxes.

But the constant presence at these Regionals was someone who is no longer here. Gary Loritz, whose birthday was Feb. 5, died two years ago of Lou Gehrig’s disease. He loved the speed events, and was commemorated as a consummate Masters racer who loved to voice his opinion, yet never held a grudge.

It took people time to realize that a confrontational approach was just his way, and behind the “Grrrrr” facade was one of the kindest, most gentle of men.

To celebrate his passion for fast skiing, the Loritz Cup, now a top Intermountain Award, was given at the awards party for Thursday’s combined and Friday’s super G. Factoring in the results with an age handicap; everyone has a chance to win the Cup, even if they didn’t make a podium. But the winners still turned out to be the perennial champions; head Masters coach Bill Skinner and Intermountain’s Nancy Auseklis.

On Saturday and Sunday the racers moved to the Olympic race arena at Park City for the GS and slalom events. CB is as challenging a GS venue as can be found. The A/B men ran from the top in fogging conditions. It was the tough guys of the Rocky Mtn. division that stepped up to the plate and knocked out of the park. Kevin Hendrickson and Scott Tanner of Steamboat led the field. Bob Skinner, the local PC Masters coach, filled out the top three against as a tough a field of masters in memory.

The C/D group featured slalom on Picabo. Knut Olberg (PN) lead the D group with Tom Kronthaler (IM) just .06 ahead of Bob Sarchett (IM). The field of 43 ladies had their work cut out for them on Picabo with flat light, hard snow and big wet snowflakes. Dana showed the home court advantage and smoked the field; Jennifer Kaufman again took second a fair distance back.

Sunday the weather improved and groups switched events and playing fields. C/D older men and ladies took on CB run from a slightly lower start. Still battling flat light Olberg could not be beat and Kronthaler again second but Rauli Karjalainen (IM) found himself standing with the big guns, for a career first overall group podium in third.

Mixed snow conditions on the slalom hill and the desire to close the series going all out narrowed the A/B men’s field. Only 36 of 57 starters finished both runs. Pacific Northwest’s SL specialist Tim Hill was fastest both runs, Mike Shklovski (CN) was second with Bob Skinner again getting on the overall podium.

The Skier’s Edge Western Region team was named, outfitted, photoed and the 2009 Western Championships were a wrap.

The next Masters major events take place at Aspen with a SG and DH leg in the Molecule F National Speed Series. The Skier’s Edge Eastern Region Championships take place Mar. 5-8 at Whiteface NY and the granddaddy of Masters event the Skier’s Edge Nationals Mar. 23-28 at Sunday River, Maine.

2009 Skier’s Edge Western Region Team
complete results https://ussamasters.org/
Class            Female                                                      Male
1        Jenny Badger (Park City, UT)                           Nick England  (Park City, UT)
2        Dana Alexandrescu (Park City, UT)                Andy Baillargeon  (Park City, UT)
3        Dasha Kadulova (SLC, UT)                             Scott Tanner (Steamboat, CO)
4        Heather Black (Sun Valley, ID)                        Steve Balog (Park City, UT)
5        Donna Allen (Park City, UT)                             Tim Hill (Bend, OR)
6        Victoria Valar (Elizabeth, CO)                          Bob Skinner (Park City, UT)
7        Charlene Braga (Truckee, CO)                      Jim Bergseng (Ogden, UT)
8        Marcie Pettigrew (Mammoth, CA)                  Tom Kronthaler (Snowbird, UT)
9        Nancy Auseklis (Sun valley, ID)                     Knut Olberg (Sammamish, WA)
10        Marietta Frinell (Mammoth, CA)                   Keith Thompson (Sun Valley, ID)
11        Virginia Reed (Sun Valley, ID)                      Harold Wescott  (Graham, WA)
13                                                                                  John Droege (Sun Valley, ID)