This Tradition Runs Deep

For the Jackson Hole Ski and Snowboard Club and the entire Wyoming town surrounding it, ski racing culture is almost as strong as the spirits of the wranglers and bronco busters who roam the Old West. And nothing proves this more simply than the annual Jackson Hole Town Downhill.

Earlier this March marked the Town Downhill’s 35th go at putting on one of the few remaining non-sanctioned community downhill ski races in the country. With coaches, pros, and long-time Jackson Hole residents all gunning for the $1,000 cash prize, the event always draws a crowd. It also serves as the second of three legacy events that make up the Triple Crown in the “town series”. Top placers from the Moose Chase (a Nordic race), the Pole-Pedal-Paddle, and the Town Downhill will vie for the Triple Crown – a modern day Skimeister award.

“There’s a multi-sport element here in Jackson Hole,” explains Brian Krill, executive director of the Jackson Hole Ski and Snowboard Club (JHSC). “Local communities have a hard time keeping the vibe and culture of competitive ski racing alive. [The Town Downhill] is vitally important to keeping the culture of alpine skiing alive at every level of the community and not just with the kids in our club, but also with the parents of former athletes and ski racers from 60 years ago!”

It’s Krill’s opinion that there are too few events like the Town Downhill being hosted around the nation. As the former USSA director of sport education and club development, Krill has made it his mission to continue to inspire ski racing communities to embrace the culture and commitment surrounding the sport.

In the two weeks leading up to the Town Downhill, U12 and U14 athletes from JHSC side-stepped up the infamous Snow King Chute next to legendary old-timers who have been attended the event for decades. It’s tradition that they manually groom the heart-rending vertical start on Mini-Hahnenkamm. “It’s the one of the few times I’ve seen 60-to-70-year-old men telling stories of the Town Downhill alongside the U12s” says Krill.

The Mini-Hahnenkamm is named after the true Hahnenkamm in Kitzbuhel, Austria, for good reason. “I would be surprised if there was a more ‘come one, come all’ race in the country,” laughs Bridger Call, and venue director at JHSC. “I can tell you from experience that top section is enough to get your heart pumping. It’s a real downhill compacted into a 50-second course with a lot of vertical.”

Zack Schwartz, a former JHSC racer and current coach, took home the cash prize this season with a total time of 1:42.10. “I was pretty shocked with how close my athletes came to my time this year,” Schwartz notes. “[The race] has the scariest five-gate start of any downhill that I’ve ever done throughout my FIS career and all that. There is an element of risk that isn’t present at any other sanctioned races and because of that it can be a bit gripping.” Schwartz has won the Town Downhill pro division on three separate occasions. He missed last year’s race, but took the gold in 2014, 2015 and 2017. “I can remember as a kid looking up to a coach of mine who was winning the Town Downhill each year. It’s pretty cool to be that coach now for my athletes,” says Schwartz.

The podium finishers in the open pro division were all within 0.30 seconds of each other. On the women’s side, Annie Rendall, JHSC U14 coach, placed first. “The most exciting part of the race for me was being able to race the athletes that I coached this year and athletes that I have coached in winter’s past,” remarks Rendall.

The Town Downhill hosts over 10 different categories including amateur, pro, and even a snowboard division. Full results from the 2017 event are available here.

As a sponsor of the event for over 12 years, Adam McCool won the over 50 category and has also been racing the Town Downhill for its entire 35-year history. “It felt pretty darn good to win my division this time,” says McCool. “My hope is that we can make this event something even bigger than it already is. We want to grab pros’ attention around the nation and get them out here.”

For U.S. Ski Team alumnus Marco Sullivan, the course was an eye opener. “It’s a really fun grassroots event,” says Sullivan. “It is by no means an easy course coming out of the top of the pro start. I was nervous last year and have the utmost respect for all the racers who were putting on downhill skis for the first time all season.”

Due to anticipation of rainy weather on Sunday, the club pulled off the entire event on Saturday with a race to be remembered.

“Ski racing helps our local kids get through their teenage years and have fun,” says Rick Hunt, a third generation “Jacksonite” whose company Fish Creek Excavation has been the title sponsor for the Town Downhill for the past 12 years. “In my mind, ski racing is as big of a part of our community heritage as being a cowboy is in the rodeo, or even a mountaineer up in the Tetons.”