For the week of April 3 - 9 , 2002

"Surefoot" turns into a sure thing

Janss Pro-Am Classic a big success

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Where can you have a Tyler Palmer lookalike contest, honor many of skiing’s all-time greats, listen to Olympic sportscaster Tim Ryan and see your friends dressed in togas?

Ruben Macaya (left) and Tyler Palmer give a Norse salute during Saturday’s awards banquet. Macaya, Lane Monroe, Michel Rudigoz and Pat Savaria were singled out for a combined 37 years of gray hair coaching. Express photo by Willy Cook

At Saturday’s Limelight Room awards banquet of the fifth Bill Janss Pro-Am Classic, a major fundraising activity of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF).

The 2002 Janss Pro-Am Classic staged last Thursday through Saturday on Baldy surpassed last year’s fundraising record of $90,000, according to event director Kate Berman, helped by Lucy Chubb.

Gretchen Palmer (left) learns some mythology from a pair of skiing’s Gods, Terry Palmer (center) and Kenny Corrock. Express photo by Willy Cook

Berman gave plenty of credit to "over 100 volunteers who made this event happen, and made it the most successful ever." She added that the costumes were outrageous.

The Janss Classic honors the memory of 1964-77 Sun Valley owner Bill Janss. This year’s theme was "The Gods and Goddesses of Skiing and Snowboarding." There were 22 six-member teams participating.

Local ski boot fitter, "Surefoot", won the Janss Pro-Am Classic, edging out last year’s championship team "Friends of Janss."

Headed by former Ketchum resident, U.S. Ski Teamer, and pro racer Billy Shaw, Surefoot donated most of its "team buy-in" proceeds to a scholarship fund for a gifted athlete.

Phil Puchner, 80 in June, wears the headgear of Saturday’s awards party. Puchner’s skiing roots date back to the wartime 10th Mountain Division and Dartmouth College. Express photo by Willy Cook

On Shaw’s winning "Achilles Heels" team were Dan Hunt, Keith Battista, Cheryle Hall, Susan and James Ferguson.

Members of the runner-up "Friends of Janss" squad were Mark Masur, John Gudmundsson, Brent Hansen, Peder Monsen, Fay Monsen Kirby and Kenny Corrock.

Third-place honors went to Team Ice-is, a group of local supporters captained by former Olympic silver medalist and alumnus Christin Cooper.

Cooper’s teammates were Kelly Lewis, Heather Black, Heather Minor, Kiki Tidwell and Happy Hawn.

The Janss family was out in force last weekend, Glenn Janss ruling her talented roost with typical Janss style. Express photo by Willy Cook

Cooper, who spoke with 2002 Olympic co-host Tim "Where’s My Audio Guy?" Ryan at the awards banquet, fondly recalled her experiences growing up ski racing, and the life she has because of it.

Without the support of the local community through donations and fundraisers, winter sports programs like the SVSEF wouldn’t exist, she said.

The Janss Pro-Am is the largest fundraiser supporting the SVSEF alpine, snowboard, freestyle, and cross-country ski teams for nearly 400 children in the Wood River Valley.

For the third year running, "TEAM R", comprised of former and current SVSEF coaches won the Janss Speed Cup at the event. They were Hank Minor, Pat Savaria, Karoline Droege, Adele Savaria, Nick Lewis and Pat Bauman.

The Speed Cup is awarded to the team with the fastest raw speed coming out of the handicapping runs.

Raising their cups at the Janss Pro-Am Classic awards dinner were members and friends of the runner-up "Friends of Janss," team. Express photo by Willy Cook

Other big stars at this year’s Janss Classic were Tamara McKinney, Doug Lewis (posing as Barbara Ann Cochran),  Monique Pelletier, Tyler Palmer, Terry Palmer, and Alison Kiesel, along with pro racers Mark Tache, and Scott Hoffman, Mark Stiegemeier, Mike Frost, Terry Ahola, and Hans Standteiner.

Sun Valley "ski gods" Michel Rudigoz, Leif Odmark, Chuck Ferries, and Phil Puchner of Bellevue were honored at the awards banquet.

Tenth Mountain Division veteran and Dartmouth College ski captain Puchner, 80 in June, has competed in 15 American Birkebeiners.

Title sponsors were Sun Valley Resort, Smith Sport Optics, and First Bank of Idaho.

Topping the auction items was one week at a luxurious spa near San Diego, donated by Jim Cimino. Other items included ski packages, travel, gourmet dinners and a health club family membership.

For more photos of last weekend’s event, check the April 17 Local Life edition.

 

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.