For the week of January 15 - 21, 2003

Town Series returns January 22

Wednesday ski racing

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If you’re an average skier, you’ll like this angle—and you might win a nice prize or two.

"The thing about the Town Series is you can be in the back of the pack and be on the team that wins," said Barry Irwin of the Sun Valley Race Department about the handicapped racing format.

For the 11th year, Sun Valley Company and Budweiser are sponsoring the seven-week Town Series starting Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 11 a.m. on Baldy’s Cozy ski run.

The 2003 Town Series series runs Jan. 22, 29 and Feb. 5, then takes a two-week break before resuming Feb. 26, March 5, 12 and 19.

Each week, racers are judged on their best of two runs, although in Weeks 4 and 7 there is a mandatory two-run finish that "shakes up the field," Irwin said.

At the end of seven weeks, the names of racers on the top five teams (or 20 racers) are placed in a hat—and four season ski passes are drawn from those 20 names as the grand prizes of the Town Series.

Cost is $340 for each four-person team, which includes the weekly racing events and seven post-race parties.

The parties, held at different bars and restaurants in Ketchum, are one of the main attractions. Each week, Town Series skiers enjoy food and beverages and also can win prizes including hats, goggles, ski poles and gift certificates.

Sign up now at the Warm Springs Race Desk. The team entry fee rises to $360 on the day of the first race, and if you register late or miss a week you’ll probably not have a chance for the grand prizes, according to Irwin.

About 120 to 130 racers have participated in the Town Series the past few years.

 

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.