For the week of February 20 - 26, 2002

Rotarun Ripper generates $1,600 for patrol

Cold night, fun time for 63 racers

---

Sixty-three racers had their hands full Friday night when the 2002 Sun Valley Telemark Series invaded Hailey’s Rotarun Ski Area for the nighttime Rotarun Ripper.

A five-hour drive away from the Winter Olympics, they had to make their own fun—while raising more than $1,600 for the Galena Backcountry Ski Patrol.

They had to brave the darkness, the poma lift, the hamburgers and hot dogs and free-flowing refreshments. They had to endure the cold temperatures while rocketing down the mercury-lit slopes at Rotarun.

Things are tough all over.

Dead Last Tim Marsano, for instance, claimed that triple-digit time was because the French judge was forced to keep the clock running for his run.

As the pack of intrepid telemarkers made their way down the hill, things got worse. The timing froze up, batteries went gaflooey and the peppermint schnapps supplied by Kate Hasterick, well, it was just gone.

However, Bucky Biechele, Lenny McFenster and Benj Tromberg came to rescue with stop watch starts and the racers finished the course nearly as fast as they plowed through 100 burgers, 40 franks and a keg of beer.

Tired and cold but still thirsty, the mob of midnight bombers retired to Sun Valley Brewery where the awards booty was handed out like candy at Halloween. Holly Welch won the K2 Work Stinx.

Big winners at the big party:

·  Women: 1—Second run Gretchen Flint 51.21. 2—Schnappsmeister Kate Hasterlik 53.00. 3—Budding race director Tona Leiseth 53.73. 4—On her way to France Julie McGregor 54.50. 5—Just plain fabulous Jessica Dunn 56.44.

·  Men: 1—Blazing Rob King 50.25. 2—Not related John King 50.37. 3—Little buddy Chris Page 51.00. 4—Danny Walton 52.00. 5—Hawaiian man Phil Morich 52.26.

·  Snowboard: 1—Bruce Smith(ers) 55.54. 2—John The Man Vladimiroff. Snowblades: 1—Tim East 59.37. Invisible men: Jim Kjelland and Jeff Mintz, who claimed at Apple’s they were coming to boot ski but they must have been scared off by the steeps of Rotarun.

Galena Backcountry Ski Patrol director Michael Kraynick thanked the many sponsors and others like Lance Levy, Rick Allington, Lenny McFenster, Robin Gavelin, Nancy Linscott, Benj Tromberg, Taul Paul, Mary Hogan, Denise Jackson, Randy Hess, Bob Logan, Mike Hattrup and K2 and Andy Munter at Backwoods.

Other series events are the Dollar Mountain giant slalom March 3; and the Hawaiian Nationals April 6 on Baldy.

 

 

 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.