Sunny skies and fast snow greeted racers on the final day of the 26th annual Soldier Mountain Downhill on Wednesday, with 45 competitors testing their quads down the 1,400-vertical-foot course at Soldier Mountain Ski Area, north of Fairfield.
"It was a great course, really fast, you could catch a lot of air off the bumps," said Richard Slabinski, 46, of Park City, who posted the fastest time of the day in 1 minute, 26.56 seconds. Linda Crowell, of Incline Village, Nev., was the fastest woman with a time of 1:37.75. Crowell was racing in Class 6 (50-54 years old).
Wednesday's two downhill races, which were part of the USSA Intermountain Masters Series and drew competitors from all over the country, capped off three days of racing and clinics at Soldier.
On Monday, a downhill clinic was provided by race director and former pro-skier, Ken Corrock, and downhill specialist and ex-member of the U.S. Ski Team Development Team, Matt Murphy.
On Tuesday, 75 local racers flew down the course—top speeds were in excess of 60 mph—in the Sammis/Camas Cup, held in memory of Brett Sammis, who died at the age of 31 following a ski accident on Sun Valley's Bald Mountain in February of 1997.
For the third time in four years, Skip Merrick, the 1990 U.S. National downhill champion, posted the fastest men's time in 1:27.08 to win the cup. He was followed by Jonathan Jessup (1:27.68) and Luke Chaney (1:28.62). Charlie Baser was the fastest woman with a time of 1:36.15, followed by Linda Crowell (1:38.91) and Joan Zwingenberg (1:41.24).
Tuesday's large field buffed out the course and forced more oxygen out of the snow, which makes the surface faster. That combined with warm daytime temperatures and a cold night made the course particularly speedy on Wednesday.
"It was fast today, a lot faster than yesterday," Corrock said Wednesday.
But aside from a slightly injured shoulder, no major falls or injuries occurred. In the past, racers have broken ribs, legs and other assorted bones from high-speed falls.
Racers ranging in age from 21 to 76 battled the course—a mix of hold-your-speed flats and steep
Rollers—on Wednesday, with the most-inspirational award going to Park City's Gary Loritz, who was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease in July, 2005, and was racing for probably his final time.
"He's totally amazing, he's the toughest SOB I've ever met in my life," said Loritz's girlfriend,
Kristie Fails. "Fifty percent of people diagnosed with ALS (Gehrig's disease) die within 18 months, and most are in a wheelchair by this point.
"He won't quit, but this is probably his last hoorah."
Loritz, 56, who was skiing on a pair of U.S. Ski Team member and friend Erik Schlopy's downhill skis, posted times of 1:42.96 and 1:43.63 on Wednesday.
Seventy-six-year-old Gaetano Demattei won his division (Class 11) with a time of 1:42.31, which was faster than some Class 1 (21-29 years old) men racers.
Corrock said the event this year was "great" and he credited Soldier Mountain for allowing the races to take place. Soldier is open to the public Thursday's through Sunday's.
"I'd like to thank Soldier for putting it on, we've been lucky to do this over the course of many, many years," Corrock said. "It's a great crew that works on this race, and with the mountain being closed, we're able to put on a great, safe event."
Wednesday's winners by class:
First Run
Men
Class 11 (75-79): Gaetano Demattei, 1:44.50
Class 10 (70-74): Marvin Melville, 1:37.76
Class 9 (65-69): Keith Thompson, 1:37.85
Class 8 (60-64): Fitz May, 1:36.52
Class 7 (55-59): Victor Roy, 1:34.15
Class 6 (50-54): Walt Halverson, 1:33.46
Class 5 (45-59): Richard Slabinski, 1:26.56
Class 4 (40-44): Deeder Peterson, 1:30.27
Class 1 (21-29): Jonathan Jessup, 1:29.12
Women
Class 8 (60-64): Nancy Auseklis, 1:41.92
Class 6 (50-54): Linda Crowell, 1:38.50
Class 5 (45-49): Joanne Zwingenberg, 1:40.34
Second Run
Men
Class 11 (75-79): Gaetano Demattei, 1:42.31
Class 10 (70-74): Marvin Melville, 1:37.89
Class 9 (65-69): Keith Thompson, 1:37.59
Class 8 (60-64): Fitz May, 1:33.99
Class 7 (55-59): Victor Roy, 1:32.35
Class 6 (50-54): Walt Halverson, 1:32.36
Class 5 (45-59): Richard Slabinski, 1:27.28
Class 4 (40-44): Deeder Peterson, 1:30.23
Class 1 (21-29): Jonathan Jessup, 1:28.74
Women
Class 8 (60-64): Nancy Auseklis, 1:41.61
Class 6 (50-54): Linda Crowell, 1:37.75
Class 5 (45-49): Joanne Zwingenberg, 1:40.99
Linda Crowell, of Incline Village, Nev., and Richard Slabinski, of Park City, Utah, recorded the fastest times of the day in the Soldier Mountain Downhill on Wednesday.
