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  1. #1

    Racing program at Sugarbush

    Edit Split out the racing parts from the Torchlight Parade thread, as they seem to be taking a life of their own. - Lostone





    I just hope they blow Spring Fling SOOON! We are supposed to have two races there this Satuday 1/6 with 70+ entrants likely. No sign the mountain is preparing for that though. I guess I\'ll take this time to voice one of my few dis-satisfactions with SB. Racing, even though GMVS is here, seems to take a back seat to all else. It\'s not this way at other areas when they can possibly avoid it. Inverness not being blown, even halfway across, for GMVS? No effort to get NASTAR up and running over Xmas? No open training courses, ever, anywhere? No junior race program? No more BIG races? It seems we used to have a racing heritage here, which has disappeared with the exception of GMVS. I know this is a question of priorities, and it\'s not my mountain, but I do know that other areas cater to the racers and potential racers WAY more than here. I like it here, but I love to race and love everything about it, so I am considering a move next year to get more gate time in. GMVS has been nice enough to let me train with them a few times but can\'t do this for everybody, or on a regular basis. At Smugg\'s they have a public SL and a GS course set every possible day on Sterling, with a radio check-in for \"clear\" - it\'s great! Why can\'t we do that?
    Altitude is Everything

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by Lostone
    1) Pretty sure the trail suggested was supposed to be Easy Rider, by the Village Double.

    B) As to the racing and snowmaking comments, remember those trails were brown a week ago, not because they didn't want to make snow on them, but because it was warm, and we had rain. It is hard for them to move onto other trails, when the ones they have open are being wiped out by said warm and rain.

    Just keep it cold, and they'll get things open as soon as they can. Better yet, get us a couple feet of snow and they can open almost everything.
    Exactly, on all accounts.

    Given the horrifying early season conditions, the focus was on keeping the mountain open. What's the point in blowing snow on the widest trail at the resort (which would take just about all the horsepower at ME) and risking losing the rest of the hill? Stay open first, accomodate the extras later. Racing is one of the many small (yet important) portions of what makes up the resort. I guarentee that they will do everything to get things running. Just cut a little slack based on the crappy hand Mother Nature dealt in November and December.

    The weather is improving. Looks like (after Monday) the warmups are gone, and Winter will be here to stay. In a couple weeks we'll all forget about these little early season issues.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by BushMogulMaster
    Quote Originally Posted by Lostone
    1) Pretty sure the trail suggested was supposed to be Easy Rider, by the Village Double.

    B) As to the racing and snowmaking comments, remember those trails were brown a week ago, not because they didn\'t want to make snow on them, but because it was warm, and we had rain. It is hard for them to move onto other trails, when the ones they have open are being wiped out by said warm and rain.

    Just keep it cold, and they'll get things open as soon as they can. Better yet, get us a couple feet of snow and they can open almost everything.
    Exactly, on all accounts.

    Given the horrifying early season conditions, the focus was on keeping the mountain open. What's the point in blowing snow on the widest trail at the resort (which would take just about all the horsepower at ME) and risking losing the rest of the hill? Stay open first, accomodate the extras later. Racing is one of the many small (yet important) portions of what makes up the resort. I guarentee that they will do everything to get things running. Just cut a little slack based on the crappy hand Mother Nature dealt in November and December.

    The weather is improving. Looks like (after Monday) the warmups are gone, and Winter will be here to stay. In a couple weeks we'll all forget about these little early season issues.
    I get the above points of course - but if you read my entire post, the point is more that racing is unfortunately not taken as seriously here as at other areas - regardless of this year's conditions. And I said why not blow snow on HALF of Inverness, not the whole trail - which by the way wouldn't be a problem if we had morw "snowmaking horesepower". It's not like GMVS doesn't contribute anything to the mountain. Also, I have friends who chose to go to Killington, even though they like SB more, because they can put their kids in the racing program there. So there are entire families (many) going elsewhere and spending all their money there BECAUSE of the racing programs - and not just Killington. And there is my point - racing is treated as an "extra" and viewed as "small" when it can be a HUGE income producer for the areas that tap into it.

    Edited to fix formatting. - Lostone
    Altitude is Everything

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by sugarboarder
    I get the above points of course - but if you read my entire post, the point is more that racing is unfortunately not taken as seriously here as at other areas - regardless of this year\'s conditions. And I said why not blow snow on HALF of Inverness, not the whole trail - which by the way wouldn\'t be a problem if we had morw \"snowmaking horesepower\". It\'s not like GMVS doesn\'t contribute anything to the mountain. Also, I have friends who chose to go to Killington, even though they like SB more, because they can put their kids in the racing program there. So there are entire families (many) going elsewhere and spending all their money there BECAUSE of the racing programs - and not just Killington. And there is my point - racing is treated as an \"extra\" and viewed as \"small\" when it can be a HUGE income producer for the areas that tap into it.
    I see. I had interpreted it as though you were basing your thoughts on this year alone.

    You make some good points, but I still don't think it's quite as important as you do, but that's just a matter of opinion. It's definitely a revenue maker, especially in F&B.

    By the way, sugarboarder, is there a reason that there is always a backslash (\) by your quotation marks? Or am I the only one who sees them??? I only ask because it scews up the BBCode formatting.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by \"BushMogulMaster\"
    By the way, sugarboarder, is there a reason that there is always a backslash (\\) by your quotation marks? Or am I the only one who sees them??? I only ask because it scews up the BBCode formatting.
    Yeah, I think this is happening when I browse through a PHP proxy, which I prefer for security.
    Altitude is Everything

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by sugarboarder
    Yeah, I think this is happening when I browse through a PHP proxy, which I prefer for security.
    Yup... that would do it.

  7. #7

    Race?

    I'm pretty sure it's a mogul comp on Sat/Sun.
    They'll blow some snow and build the bumps by hand.

    The race course will get open as soon as they can. I know that Matt O'Brien is chomping at the bit and ski bum races are supposed to start this Thurs.
    "It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others."

  8. #8

    Re: Race?

    Good Morning Sugarbush it's 2007! (Editors note: I did think of this at 8AM, I'm just a slow typer. Even tho this post is from geezerland me and the wife partied at First Night Burlington till the wee hours getting back home minutes before the freezing rain hit. Whew!

    BTW, local Elizabeth Von Trapp kicked standing room only butt at the Flynn and that was just one of the incredible performances we got to see at 2 bucks a pop at diferent venues all around downtown.


    Quote Originally Posted by Bubba
    The race course will get open as soon as they can. I know that Matt O'Brien is chomping at the bit and ski bum races are supposed to start this Thurs.
    Ya got that right! Those geezers are serious competitors! I'm so excited that after all the years working at the Bush I think I have Thursday's off and I can now join the coolest bunch of skiers you could ever want to meet. I was just talking to my most favorite co-worker, I think Bob is about 74, still gets in 40+ ski days. His take on this is that if the weather cooperates the snowmakers will get over there before Thursday to be able to race. We don't really have any solid facts or inside knowledge just our gut feelings. We know the snowmakers want to take care of it and when they can they will.

    The racing thing at the Bush is pretty interesting. I had a short(2 seasons) but eye-opening experience as a JH/HS ski coach which had an elite program in Maine. Half of my kids skied on the school team during the week and every weekend they went to the huge top notch racings programs at either SR or the Loaf.

    I really don't know the exact numbers in the racing programs at the Bush but having such a close relationship with a prep school with an elite racing program(one of many in NE) is fun to see. Having legends like Doug Lewis and John Egan on board means that the programs will only get better. Egan has really expanded the season long programs just as one small example. Heck, they now even have a 55+ season long program where people of my generation(big cough) can get alittle wild or get better in the bumps with some great coaches to show them the way.

    I think the Bush has an awesome and growing racing/skiing program, diferent than SR, the Loaf, Shawnee Peak(check that place out on JH/HS racing night) or Kmart.
    www.firstlightphotographics.com
    Sugarbusher since 1970
    Skiing is a dance, and the mountain always leads.

  9. #9

    Re: Race?

    Quote Originally Posted by ski_resort_observer
    Quote Originally Posted by Bubba
    The race course will get open as soon as they can. I know that Matt O'Brien is chomping at the bit and ski bum races are supposed to start this Thurs.
    ...if the weather cooperates the snowmakers will get over there before Thursday to be able to race. We don't really have any solid facts or inside knowledge just our gut feelings. We know the snowmakers want to take care of it and when they can they will. .
    If they let us race Thursday then then should let the USASA alpine races go on on Saturday - which they apparently have already cancelled...why cancel if there is still a possibility of racing?

    Quote Originally Posted by ski_resort_observer
    I think the Bush has an awesome and growing racing/skiing program...
    Really? Growing maybe, but "awesome"...no.

    Quote Originally Posted by ski_resort_observer
    Ya got that right! Those geezers are serious competitors..
    Watch the geezer comments - I'm 44 - and there are "others"! It's actually open to any age...come on down!
    Altitude is Everything

  10. #10
    This one was probably being written as I was splitting the topics. I have moved it here the only way I could. - Lostone


    Quote Originally Posted by ski_resort_observer
    Quote Originally Posted by sugarboarder

    Watch the geezer comments - I'm 44 - and there are "others"! It's actually open to any age...come on down!
    I realize that kids like you and younger race, they need you guys to smooth the course before the more experienced racers hit the run. I also hear the social hour after is fun too.
    .
    Two roads diverged in a wood,

    and I- I took the one less traveled by,


    And that has made all the difference.

  11. #11
    ROFLMAO.....when I finished editing my post I found myself in the wrong thread and all alone.
    www.firstlightphotographics.com
    Sugarbusher since 1970
    Skiing is a dance, and the mountain always leads.

  12. #12
    Kinda like, you hadn't moved, but the room had changed?

    Sorry!
    .
    Two roads diverged in a wood,

    and I- I took the one less traveled by,


    And that has made all the difference.

  13. #13
    At first I was thinking "gee, I haven't had an LSD flashback from the 60's in years....
    www.firstlightphotographics.com
    Sugarbusher since 1970
    Skiing is a dance, and the mountain always leads.

  14. #14
    So much for keeping the thread on topic - LOL - how about a "I'm lost on the skimrv forums" thread?

    Anyway - I'll add to this topic tomorrow...I'm just too damn pissed off right now and need to think about how to say what I want , no need, to say in a decent manner.

    I'm really starting to hate this place (Sugarbush), which is too bad...I love the people, have loved the mountain for 20 years, but the BS is so deep it's like a powder day with BS face shots sometimes. It's the MRG effect.
    Altitude is Everything

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by sugarboarder
    "but the BS is so deep it's like a powder day with BS face shots sometimes. It's the MRG effect."
    I know your irritated. But, that is one of the funniest lines I have read in a while. I almost spit my coffee all over my monitor!
    "Quietly Heartbroken Tennis Player."

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