FVSEF hosts ski racing at resort Jan. 16-17
A bit of sun highlights Big Mountain through parted clouds as viewed from downtown. (Heidi Desch/Whitefish Pilot)
The Flathead Valley Ski Education Foundation is hosting two days of junior ski racing at Whitefish Mountain Resort on Jan. 16-17.
The event, sponsored by Sportsman Ski Haus, will be for male and female U16-U19 (age 14 to 18) competitors. These races are part of the nationwide U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association’s nationwide competition calendar. The competitors will be vying to qualify for Western Region championship events to be held at Mammoth Mountain, California, and Schweitzer, Idaho, in March.
The events are sanctioned 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 US Ski Team that competes throughout the world every winter.
Both races will be Giant Slaloms held on Ed’s Run starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 16 and 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 17. The race courses are accessed by Chair 2 and can be easily viewed from the Upper Base Area near Ed and Mully’s Restaurant.
The weekend events will be preceded by slalom races for the same field of competitors at Blacktail Mountain Ski Area on Jan. 14 and 15.
Eight junior skiers representing the Flathead Valley Ski Education Foundation will be competing in these events.
FVSEF is a nonprofit community-based organization that has been supporting student athletes in the region since 1973.
Volunteers are needed for a number of on-hill duties for both events. 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 tim.hinderman@fvsef.org