Nerds, hordes of cheerleaders, honor roll students, football players, drop-outs, janitors and juvenile delinquents. They were all dazed and confused and willing to party for a good cause Saturday during the 12th annual Janss Pro-Am Classic.
"High School Reunion" was the theme of the Janss Classic fundraiser for the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation March 5-7. Skiers and snowboarders teamed up with former Olympians, Pro Tour and World Cup ski racers for three days of ski racing and parties.
Title sponsor was Thomas Weisel Partners.
Ever since Sun Valley Olympic silver medalist Christin Cooper and husband Mark Tache dreamed up the idea 12 years ago, the Janss Pro-Am has become the most important benefit for the SVSEF, founded in 1966. The 42-year-old organization is now seeing its third generation of student/athletes, SVSEF executive director Don Wiseman said Saturday.
They are supported by events like the Janss Classic and the efforts of over 200 individual volunteers who helped out last weekend in Sun Valley.
Here are the top results:
Saturday's first-place team, moving up a spot from last year, was Team Cutthroat/Community School (9 points) with pro Petr Kakes, John Braafladt, Jen King, Laura Kennedy and Stacey Straley.
In second place was SV High School Cheerleaders/SV Company (8.5 points) with pro Tyler Palmer, Rick Hickman, Steve Haims, Ashley Brown and Katie Dondero.
Third place went to Fast Times (7 points) with pro Reggie Crist, Phil Erlanger, Cordy Snyder, Greg Norton and Jim Grossman.
Fourth place went to pro Toni Standteiner's Dazed and Confused/Smith Sport Optics group (5.5 points) with Dean Carlson, Chris Cummings, Kelly McGarry and Cathy Wellner.
Other award winners:
Speed Cup king was Napoleon Dynamite with pro Zac Crist, sponsor Kipp Nelson, Steve Brown, Robin Sarchett and Nick Maricich. They had the fastest combined raw time in Friday's handicapping runs.
Fastest amateur female—Ashley Brown of SV High School Cheerleaders (21.15 seconds). Fastest male—Sean Higgins of Friends of Janss/Team Preppy (19.09).
Most Enthusiastic—Susan Swig and her wigs from Drop-Outs, and Phil Erlanger of Fast Times, who raced all day Saturday with a broken right hand and sprained left thumb. He got his award, both hands casted.
Best Crash, female—Bree Wetmore of Hogwart's Chess Club. Best crash, male—Glenn "GT, In the Fence," Thomas of Grease.
Most Inspirational—Community School pro Petr Kakes and his teammate Stacey Straley.
Prom King and Queen—Rufus and Liz Brown of Grease. Honorable mention went to Tyler Palmer, who dressed as a female cheerleader and resolutely played the part.
And a drum roll for the Best Costume prizes:
1—Coolidge High Class of '27/Ketchum Chiropractic with pro Bob LaPoint, Tom West, Julie Daniels, Chris Orr and Alison Orr.
2—The Football Team/Koth Sports Physical Therapy with pro Adele Savaria, John Koth, Alysia May, Sten Sorenson and Pete Smith.
3—Holzman's High School Cheerleaders/Steve Holzman with pro Langely McNeal, Kathryn McNeal, Eltiena Campbell, Karoline Droege and Karen Tietje.
Check today's Web site for a full list of Janss Classic teams.
Here are the other Janss Pro-Am teams in a classic year:
Teen Wolf "Beavers" with pro Mark Stiegemeier, Richard Riordan, Neil Desai, Joe Petrowski and Dana Torrey;
"Buck Hunter Club" Reunion with pro Kyle Wieche, Lisa Firestone, Jennifer Middleton and Andrew Fritz;
Hogwart's Chess Club with pro Chan Morgan, Lynn Whittelsey, Jason Poston, Suzanne Finch Williams and Bree Wetmore;
Acorns/Future Farmers of America with pro John Walsh, Brian Barsotti, Alex Higgins, Leroy Kingland and Rick Moore;
Class of '78 Freestyle Team with pro Ruben Macaya, Charlie McWilliams, Bernie Curry, Jay Hagenbuch and Kim Hagenbuch;
Hummer's Honor Roll with pro Sondra Van Ert, John Hummer, Aaron Blaker, Lisa Henak and Don Wood;
A/V Club/Plum with pro Tamara McKinney, Justin Ross, Mark Breen, Ted Schwartz and Dylan Welcome;
50 Years of High School with pro Viki Fleckenstein Woodworth, Russ Porter, Phebe Thorne, Heather Black and Trudi Schneider;
Risky Stimulus/Wyoming Inn with pro Craig Sabina, Tod McClaskey, Orlie Sather, Greg Vernoy and Steve Berrey;
Rodeo Team/Thomas Weisel Partners with pro Carl Rixon Jr., Janet Barnes, Kipling Weisel, Holley duPont and Chris duPont;
Revenge of the Nerds/Roosevelt Grille with pro Heather Flood-Daves, Cameron Leady, Keri Desler, Ginger Shields and Warwick Phillips;
Drop-Outs with pro D.J. Hart, Connie Smith, Penny Eagan, Susan Swig and Jim Ruscitto;
Grease with pro Will Hovey, Janet Appleton, Liz Brown, Glenn Thomas and Rufus Brown;
Science Club with pro Hans Standteiner, Towny Gray, Mike Lafferty, Stewart Honeyman and Randi DuBois;
Janitors with pro Edie Thys Morgan, Andy Jones-Wilkins, Abbi Fisher-Gould, Reinhard Siller and Doran Key;
Travel Club with pro Ricardo "Tincho" Klenk, Alan Pennay, Dan Hunt, Adi Erber and Cam Cooper;
Friends of Janss/Team Preppy with pro Kim Taylor, Peder Monsen, Sean Higgins, Mark Masur and Brent Hansen;
Le French Club with pro Biche Rudigoz, Mike Turzian, Brian Daluiso, Aaron Blaser and Michel Rudigoz;
Juvenile Delinquents with pro Hilary Lindh, Jack Bunce, John Campbell, Jen Campbell and Kelly Kipling;
Physics Club with pro Tom Shanklin, Mark Burton, Chase Gouley, Blake Barrymore and Greg Levin.
Announcer Kevin “It Wouldn’t Be a Race without Tyler Palmer” Clarke introduced the winning teams and awards during Saturday’s awards banquet in the Sun Valley Inn Limelight Room. Taking second place in the 2009 Janss Pro-Am Classic was the SV High School Cheerleaders/SV Company team with, from left, pro Tyler Palmer, Steve Haims, Ashley Brown, Katie Dondero and Rick Hickman.
Photo by Willy Cook
