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Show Wednesday, March 17, 1976 Page 6 I o)((j)P by Jim Tedford The positioning of our hands can have a lot to do with our skiing ability. The body will tend to follow the hands. If the hands are in the right place the body will follow, if the hands are positioned poorly, likewise, the body will be positioned poorly. Here are a few tips for correct hand positioning. 1. We should keep our hands about waist high and in front of us slightly. This will tend to keep the weight on the front of the skis. 2. Hold the hands more over the outside ski. This will keep the weight over that ski. ; 3. Pretend you are holding a sign between your hands. The sign states your relative inexperience on skis and you want to warn all the skiers downhill from you. This will keep your upper body facing generally downhill in its correct position. NEXT WEEK: Balance. Th2 c!ii trailo ct C52r rtZssntain orent givzn namso. TTfcsy enm tfeszi. 'iziovin'j snivf 1 ; -v ;.;.: .."'! 0 Xf 0H! 12 VI 7 VI Tr I I 26ttw sweets rtrryi : u f7 V 30 zZt J When we IV open a new l VJ trail at L I I Copper, we always have a big name-the-trail contest. Pretty soon, the trail has inspired someone to submit just the right name and he or she has won a season pass to the great ski mountain in a state of great ski mountains. The mountain like every trail on it lives up to its billing. And the way Copper's laid out makes it more enjoyable for everyone. Experts ski on one end of the mountain, intermediates in the middle, and beginners on the other end. (A note to beginners: You can ski high on the mountain, so. you'll enjoy the same spectacular scenery as the experts. ) Plan to ski Copper this winter. The great mountain with the cozy village right at its base is just IVt hours from Denver. We'll have more new trails this year. And each one's going to have to earn itself a name. . Send me your brochure about skiing, lodging, the village, special rates and package plans at Copper Mountain. Tell me about the new condominiums still available for purchase. Name. Address. City State. .Zip. COPPER MOUNTAIN Phil Mahre Takes Second In Aspen World Cup Slalom ASPEN, CO.--The U.S. continued to shine in World Cup competition a Phil Mahre edged over Italy's stars Gustavo Thoeni and Piere Gros for 2nd place in the Aspen World Cup Men's Slalom. Phil, starting from the second seed, nearly duplicated his twin's performance per-formance of the weekend before at Copper Mt., Co, when Steve took second in the Men's Slalom event; Phil took 2nd in the Men's Giant Slalom there. Ingemar Stenmark won the Slalom event run on Aspen Highlands on Suncay with a combined time of 1.49.76 for the two runs. Phil, who was 4th after the first run behind Italy's De Chiesa and Thoeni, had a superb 2nd race, the third fastest of the day, and moved into 2nd place with a time of 1:51.34. Combined with his earlier season World Cup results, Phil took 7th place in the 1976 Men's - World Cup Slalom standings and Steve tied for 8th in the Slalom standings. Not since 1973 have U.S. men r penetrated the top lfl in World Cup Slalom. Phil also holds 9th place in the 1976 World Cup Giant Slalom standings, just behind Greg Jones, and is tied for 12th place in the Overall Title. With one more World Cup race scheduled for Mont. Ste. Anne, Quebec, this week, a Giant Slalom, Phil stands a good chance of improving hfs standing. Regardless, his 1976 performance, per-formance, his first year on the World Cup, will be the best by a U.S. male Alpine competitor in three years. In that same race,. Cary Adgate tied for 9th with Heine Hemmi, with a time of 1:53.61. Other strong U.S. showings were Greg Jones, 18th, Pete Patterson, 22nd, and Ron Fuller, U.S. Can-Am'er Can-Am'er from Squaw Valley Ca. 23rd. The rest pf the U.S. Men's Team had unfortunate problems with flat light and a difficult series of gates on the first run, etc. and did not successfully complete the race. In face, 46 of the 73 competitors failed to complete com-plete the two runs. In the women's Giant Slalom the day before, won by Lise-Marie Morerotf of Switzerland in 1.28.10 who clinched the 1976 World Cup Giant Slalom title, with her victory, Viki Fleckenstein, running in the 25th position, captured 5th in 1.29.96, her best World Cup result this season. Cindy Nelson, racing in 2nd position on the quite soft snow, took 7th place in 1.30.41. , . And in the season's final World Cup Downhills viewed by 5,000-6,000 spectators on. Ruthie's Run on Friday, March 12, the inimitable Franz Klammer of Austria claimed another victory and the 1976 World Cup Downhill title. U.S. men, hampered by wax problems in the fresh snow did hot fare well.-. But for the U.S women, at least Cindy Nelson; the downhill was Jgogd!Taee,9jeindyi tied fdr 4th 'with Austria's Monika Kaserer with a time . of 1.23.30. Both were 1.06 seconds behind the winner Brigitte Totschnig of Austria who moved ahead of Bernadette Zurbriggen to claim the 1976 World Cup Downhill. Nelson finished 7th in the final downhill standings. stan-dings. She also holds 5th in the World Cup Giant Slalom standings and 7th in the Overall Women's standings . With one more Giant Slalom for men and women remaining in the traditional World Cup slated to be run at Mont Ste. Anne, Quebec, March 17 -18 and the parallel competition, March 20 - 21, the U.S. stands only 26 points behind France, now in 5th place, and has a good chance of beating the traditional Alpine power in the Nation's Cup. Copper Mountain Resort Association j 300 Solitude Station Copper Mountain, CO 60443(303) 668-2882 J Anba and Innsbruck Outfits NEXT TO THE GONDOLA - RESORT CENTER L I with Craig Altschul Where's the Joe Namath of skiing? Huh? Where? How come we have a sport with some five million participants and the biggest folk hero most of us have is the TV weatherperson? , Why does football, baseball, golf, tennis, basketball and every other sport hae a half dozen Super Stars? Why? '. " There must be a reason. I was thinking about this subject the other day on a long chairlift ride (my best thinking is done on long chairlift rides, you see) and at the 14th pole, I had figured it out. It's because nobody out there who doesn't ski likes us... understands us... or can identify with us. If they could, we'd have some Super Stars, too. Sure, we skiers can have a bit of flighty identification with the few charismatic freestylers we see on Wide World of Sports or, if we happen to be at the right mountain at the right time, on the slopes. We can vicariously race the downhill course somewhere in the tip-top of far-away Austria as we watch it unfold on television. And, we can even imagine ourselves in head-to-head combat on the grueling professional circuit. ' But, out there in televisionland, Gramps looks at Grandma and says, "Look at them crazy kids." Mom looks at Dad and says, "Johnny is not going to take up that dangerous sport." We need to know why, that after all these years, perhaps we could count the legitimate stars of skiing in our country on one hand. (Well, maybe we don't exactly NEED to know why, but on a chairlift, what else is there to do?) A legitimate "star" to me is someone who excels far ' beyond the sport... who has the charisma... the charm... the personality... the sense of humor... the gift of conversation beyond banality... the willingness to fly thousands of miles for a single TV interview and then get to the studio at 5:30 a.m. for taping... the looks... the feel of a star... a thorough professional. Notice the one word I never used? Champion. It is NOT absolutely necessary that the "star" is the champion... the VERY BEST IN THE WORLD in what they do. Sometimes, and skiing seems to reflect this, being the best is almost meaningless. Who are our Stars? Easy... here is SKI TIPS little' (very-short) list. of the five persons who, I believe, feve really achieved (or are , close.' to acMeying)1 1 legitimate stardom from '(not iieessariiy lN) 'kmkg!'1 The list is in order of their impact. ; 1. Jean Claude Killy : Here is the closest anyone ever got to being a "Super Star" in the USA because of skiing. The Frenchman was widely known outside the ski affecionado world as a sex symbol and because he had (and has) the magic of charisma, he has endured Jong after he was effective around a slalom pole. Prediction: His star will slowly fade away unless he can land some major new TV exposure in the U.S. 2. Stein Eriksen : Though not nearly as widely known as Jean Claude, the slowly aging skimeister still 'causes female gasps at his home base in Utah. Eriksen, once called arrogant and cool, changed his style with his Utah, move and now holds onto his second place spot on bur star list because of carefully jchosen personal appearances and a legion of people who respect and admire him. Prediction: His star, too, will fade slowly away without new exposure, t 3. Susie Chaffee: Here is the new "Star" who, with Duvillard On His Way To World Pro Skiing Tittle proper guidance, will become our first real female ski star. Largely due to her outspoken views on womens' roles in sports, her association with Billy Jean King, and her famed Olympic confrontation with Avery Brundidge, she slowly gained her fame..: and her poise. Not yet a household name.. her Ultra Brite commercials have a whole nation giggling about her love life. Her undenied beauty and charisma give her a real shot at stardom for skiing. And, remember... when it comes to freestyle... she's excellent, but NOT close to being the champ. Prediction: Possibly the first "Super Star" of this era... maybe. 4. Wayne Wong: No male skier since Jean Claude and Stein have been able to capture the young generation's fancy like Wong. Charming.:, almost shy in manner... and an incredibly polished professional performer... Wong has what it takes. His Pepsi Cola commercials won his early fame and whether or not he ever wins another major freestyle contest, he's got what the others lack... star appeal. With judicious, properly placed exposure, Wong's star will continue to rise... not to super-status like Susie's potential might rise... but up high. 5. Rudi Wyrsch: Here's the under-heralded top banana of the sport... the irrepressible Clown Prince of Skiing. He has neither the management nor the backing to become the star and hero he deserves to be... but he is a true star in his own right. He is a professinal entertainer on skis. He is a "pied piper" to kids. He skis down tall buildings in a single bound... He'll appear on television at the drop of a camera. .. He is a tenacious performer's performer and a public relations person's dream. He is presently providing the frivolity for Taos Ski Valley in New Mexico. He is probably the most charmingly silly performer since Charlie Chaplin... but few outside our ski world . know him. I wish they could. Prediction: Western audiences may appreciate him more than Vermont's Mount Snow management did. His star may yet really rise. Are there others? I think hot... Genia Fuller, freestyle's lady champion is the undisputed champ on skis... but as a star, she misses. Perhaps it's age... perhaps it's attitude... but she misses. Only Penny Street, the tall, red-headed female skier seems to have a chancy i,. Jjuonly ;wspme,r$al bac$ng.anE me pro slum? world nas generated or, Kashiwa as a possible survivor to stardom (because of his success on TV s Super Star programs, however, and not the pro circuit). Hugo Nindl was a fizz and the Bob Beattie pro tour, while still (in this reporter's unhumble opinion) the best show in skiing, has failed to generate a modicum of real fan interest. This is written prior to the Olympics, but we fail to see a real star emerging (here, unless Cindy Nelson comes really alive in the next few years. She has some possibilities. Then, friends, there's me. I though about it as I got to the top of the chairlift. Here I was, analyzing the dearth of ski stars in our sport and I forgot all about myself., y:-;-.i":, ; y - I should have added my name to the list. To prove my stardom, I leaped from the chair at the ramp. I guess I have to tell you, my skis crossed and I tumbled down the hill. So much for stardom, I thought, as I tried to remember to keep those SKI TIPS up. The Ultimate In Hot Dog Skiing Henry Duvillard's dream has turned into a nightmare for every other racer on the World Pro Skiing tour. After twice placing second on the World Cup's circuit 1971 and 1972 and once second overall as a rookie on the WPS trail in 1975, the Frenchman French-man is finally going to finish first, or so it seems. Certainly nobody knows just exactly how to stop him from ascending the pro throne. " With double wins at the McDonalds Cup here, March 6-7, the "Megeve Marvel" tallied another 50 points and $8,000. To date, he has banked $47,900 in eight weekends (15 .events), while number two Swiss Josef Odermatt trails with 183 points, $21,100. Seviously, Midwest racing d. exasperated Duvillard. Last season he struck out in both the giant slalom and slalom at Alpine Valley, Wi., and earlier this campaign, Mt. Holly, MI thwarted him. But Afton Alps, 45 minutes east and north of the Twin Cities, met all Duvillard's prerequisite it was steep and icy, though small (310 feet vertical). Giant Slalom Duvillard tied his own incredible record of ten single-season wins by stealing the McDonalds Cup' giant slalom. Austrian Werner Bleiner, returning from a three-week business furlough in Europe, scooped up $2,500 for second. Perry Thompson of Mammoth, Ca., slid in for third-place money of $1,500 and Paul Carson of Blue Mtn., Ont. handled fourth for $1,000. Slalom Rewriting ' the World Pro Skiing record books, Duvillard claimed his eleventh single-season victory vic-tory (21 lifetime) and his fourth weekend sweep in a single season (six, career). Number two ranked Josef Odermatt claimed second in the slalom, followed by New Hampshire's Tyler Palmer in third and Japan's Masayoshi Kashiwagi in fourth. How do you describe a skiing dog? He skis on all fours, wears specially made skis, boots and a jacket; and skis with his master, Dr. H. Clagett Harding of Portland, Oregon. During Schmalz's 9 years of skiing, he has skied resorts in the United States, Canada, and Europe and was named the official Mascot of the 1972 Winter Olympics at Sapporo, Japan. This year Schmalz and his master skied Park City's mountains: Sunday and Monday, March 14 and 15. Following is a fact sheet provided by Dr. Harding: History - Born Oct. 11, 1966. Registered, long-haired Dachshund. Began skiing December,' 1967. Skiing Data - Schmalz uses specially designed skis, 101 cm long, red plastic buckle boots and special light-weight release bindings. He can ski alone on gentle slopes where there is a safe "run out." He can snowplow turn, and he is presently being trained to go through slalom gates. He can walk with skis on level terrain. He can reliabily jump over moguls or small hills., If snow, weather and spirit is right, he will jump alone. He negotiates in-' termediate slops with ease when on a leash. His greatest distance in one run is . 6 kilometers (3Vfe miles). He has skied well over 200 miles: Usual Pet Tricks - Rolling over, sits up, takes a bow, eats from the end of his nose, jumps through a hoop. ' Unusual Accomplishments Speaks, counts and does the above tricks to English, German and , Japanese command. Can pull a rope through a hole in a ball after untying a square knot. Plays tic-tac-toe, ice hockey, basketball, ( with a baloon), and walks a tightrope. In answer to the question. "Does he really enjoy skiing?" Dr. Harding says: "Most animnals love motion without effort such as a car or wagon ride, and the faster we ski, the faster his tail wags. II the snow is wet or slushy, he will lie down and won't ski. Whenever a member of the family picks up skis, he wil' run to his storage corner anil uraK uui ni i-iiiihivii (sweater, boots, sW- .," |