Junior ski races at Big Mountain this weekend
FVSEF racer Buren Brust starting in 2019 Whitefish Mountain Resort U14 competition. (Photo credit Tim Hinderman)
The Flathead Valley Ski Education Foundation will be hosting three days of junior ski racing at Whitefish Mountain Resort this weekend.
The event, sponsored by Sportsman Ski Haus, is scheduled for Jan. 24–26 and will be for male and female U8-U16 (ages 6 to 15) competitors. These races are part of the nationwide U.S. Ski & Snowboard Youth Ski League Series and will be qualifying races for U14 competitors attending the Western Region U14 Championships to be held in March at Mammoth Mountain, California.
The events are sanctioned events within the Northern Division of the United States Ski & Snowboard Association. The Northern Division includes all of Montana and parts of Wyoming and South Dakota. Competitors for these events will be coming from ski clubs from throughout Montana including Anaconda, Big Sky, Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Great Falls, Helena and Missoula as well as the Flathead Valley.
The United States Ski & Snowboard Association is the governing body for all amateur ski racing in the United States, as well as the U.S. Ski Team that competes throughout the world every winter.
On Friday, Jan. 24, there will be Slalom races on Nice Day run starting at 10 a.m. On Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 25 and 26, there will be Giant Slalom races on Ed’s Run starting at 10 a.m. All race courses are accessed by Chair 2 and can be easily viewed from the Upper Base Area near Ed and Mully’s Restaurant.
More than 20 local junior skiers representing the Flathead Valley Ski Education Foundation will be competing in this event. FVSEF is a nonprofit community-based organization that promotes athletic, academic and personal excellence for Flathead Valley youth through participation on the Whitefish Mountain Race Team. FVSEF is celebrating its 48th year of supporting student athletes, while this season marks 81st anniversary of ski racing on Big Mountain.
Volunteers are needed for a number of on-hill duties during the upcoming races. All volunteers will receive a lift ticket if needed for race course access on race days as well as a complementary lift voucher that can be used anytime later this season.
For more information or to volunteer, please contact Tim Hinderman at 406-885-2730 or email tim.hinderman@fvsef.org