SR's Black receives FIS Journalist Award

Gary Black Jr., longtime publisher of Ski Racing Magazine, received the International Ski Federation (FIS) Journalist Award Friday night. The award honors his many contributions to international ski competition. U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association President and CEO Bill Marolt, also a vice president of the FIS, made the presentation from the sport's international governing body at the Sky Hotel during the Audi Aspen Winternational.
ASPEN, Colo.— Gary Black Jr., longtime publisher of Ski Racing Magazine, received the International Ski Federation (FIS) Journalist Award Friday night. The award honors his many contributions to international ski competition. U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association President and CEO Bill Marolt, also a vice president of the FIS, made the presentation from the sport's international governing body at the Sky Hotel during the Audi Aspen Winternational.
    Black, a University of Pennsylvania graduate, began his journalist career with Baltimore's esteemed daily newspaper, The Sun. He bought Ski Racing following the 1984 Olympic season; he sold the magazine in 2003 but reacquired it a year ago, moving it to headquarters in Salt Lake City.
    He has been an active member of the FIS Mass Media and Public Relations Committee for nearly two decades and as a journalist representative on the Alpine World Cup Committee. Black also is a trustee of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team Foundation.
    The FIS Journalist Award is given to honor the contributions of a journalist in coverage of international ski and snowboarding competition. Previous U.S. winners of the award include:

2003 – Mike Clark, The Associated Press
2002 – Peter Diamond, NBC
2002 – Joe Jay Jalbert, Jalbert Productions
2001 – Anita Verschoth, Sports Illustrated
1999 – Charlie Meyers, Denver Post
1998 – John Fry, Ski Magazine
1997 – Bob Beattie, ABC/ESPN
1996 – William Oscar Johnson, Sports Illustrated

    "We're especially proud to present Gary with this award. His leadership of Ski Racing over two decades has brought excitement to the sport in America. And he has established his publication as the leading journal of the sport worldwide," said Marolt. "Gary is a noted journalist, but also a great leader of our sport who has been able to use his position to build a stronger sport."
    Christian Knauth, FIS marketing and communications director, said, "This is an award that recognizes exemplary representatives of the media for their long-term contributions to the sport of skiing. As award recipient, Gary Black follows in the footsteps of the first recipients Pepi Aussersdorfer and Stefan Maslonka in 1993, and his U.S. colleagues such as John Fry, who have demonstrated both national and international engagement for the benefit of the sport."
    Black began skiing as a youngster on a pair of cut-down 10th Mountain Division skis owned by an uncle in World War II. "We kids would side-step up this hillside [outside Baltimore] owned by this great opera singer, Rosa Ponselle. It was maybe 75, maybe 80 feet of vertical," he laughed. "I was 4 or 5 and that started it."
    His passion for skiing grew as he grew and Black eventually skied a lot in Europe. He was inducted into Austria's noted Ski Club Arlberg after numerous visits and assistance for the club. "This is a great sport and can bring so much fun," he said.
    His work with FIS committees started at the FIS Congress in Istanbul in 1988 when former FIS Council Vice President Hank Tauber nominated him for the media group. He was added to the World Cup panel several years ago at the urging of Alpine Press Coordinator Patrick Lang. "Many members represent race venues or national teams," Black said, "and I'm glad to work with Patrick and others as an outside arbiter. We can play that role because as journalists we have more of an objective perspective."
    Black and his wife Heather live in Sun Valley, Idaho, with their daughter Alexandra, a young racer in the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation program. . He has two grown daughters, including current Ski Racing Publisher Amanda Black.