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Show - - - - . ...... 7 ., t ,J f V- V V J -ST 1 J -1 -V , Page 6 Wednesday, March 31 , 1 976 . r v. .1 Lightning Strikes Twice I t I Those of you who have followed this column over the past winter have perhaps perceived a certain disdain on my part toward snowmobiles. Now I must confess. I overstated my case. I actually ac-tually don't dislike snowmachines or their owners. In fact, I may purchase a Skidoo or Arctic Arc-tic Cat in the near future. "What?" you hard-core ski tourers may ask, "Has Midler deserted the cause of physical fitness, fit-ness, clean air and righteousness and given into the cartel forces of gasoline, oil, smog and all else evil?" The narrow-minded might judge me as such. But please, dear readers, allow me an explanation. ex-planation. My life has changed a lot since winter began. The photo of the skinny chap atop this column is the Yam Muller who started the ski season. A picture of the present-day Yam might not even fit on the page. You see, I've gained a little weight. My intentions were noble, to be sure. I enjoyed ski touring and decided to go into the business of turning other people onto; the joys of crosscountry. cross-country. My old pal Steven and I procured a small shop, bought a lot of skis, boots and poles and went into the rental business last November. . Business boomed! I doubt few of you realize the fortune there is to be made in the touring business. Day after day we rented out all our gear and raked in the bucks. The bank account grew.' It was very rewarding to see so many new people on skis. I felt good about the project. I knew we'd done the right thing. But the busy business allowed me little time to ski. I'd get up early, grab a snack and go to the shop. Get it opened up and take care of the early business, then catch breakfast. Rent out a couple more pairs of skis and get something for brunch. Sell a few tubes of ax and a pairtrf gogries, then off to lunch. After lunch the blgUrgerof half -day rentals would go out, then I'd close the shop at 2 p.m. for an afternoon snack and siesta. Open again at 4 p.m. to take in rentals, then close for the day and head into Park City for a big dinner. din-ner. After dinner there was always the bookwork and of course I'd need a big bowl of popcorn, couple of beers and some Oreos to get me through that. Before bed a bowl of Grape-nuts topped with ice cream and chocolate sauce always tasted good. That's how it went all winter. Full-bore business and eating, no time for skiing. I enjoyed it, but the side effects were obscene. I added 65 pounds in twelve weeks to my skinny frame. Pro Ski Rules To Change The International Ski Kacer's Association (ISRA Board of Directors recently approved the most sweeping change in the World Pro Ski format since the inception of the sport in 1970. Head-to-head, dual-challenge racing will, commencing with the LangeCupat Sun Valley, ID., March 27-28, open with a round of 32 racers in both the giant slalom and slalom events. Hob Beattie. executive director of the ISRA. praised the format change. "World Pro Skiing's trademark is dual-challenge racing. The round-of-32 concept means more dual-challenge racing every weekend, a more exciting ex-citing day of viewing for the spectator, and a greater opportunity for the pros to be money winners.. Morning racing on Saturday and Sunday won't just be preliminary qualifying anymore," Beattie continued, con-tinued, "it will become a key part of the championship rounds of competition." The new format calls for the morning matches to be exclusively dual-challenge, starting with a round-of-32. The 16 winners from the round-of-32 will, following a lunch break, duel in afternoon af-ternoon head-to-head matches mat-ches starting with a round of in. in a $30,000 competition. Racers defeated in the round-of-32 will earn $100; racers defeated in the round-of-16 earn $300 (previously they earned $400); losers in the quarterfinals bank $500 (previously $700); prize money- for '.the top four platings refrains unchanged: First - $4,000; Second - $2,500; Third -$1,500; Fourth - $1,000. The point system,' at least for the remainder of the 1976 season, will not change: only the top 16 skiers earn points. ' Side-by-side elimination time trials on the day preceding the first dual-challenge dual-challenge matches will determine the 28 qualifiers who will ski with the exempt top four in the slalom and giant slalom rounds-of-32. The side-by-side eliminations will be run alternately on giant slalom and slalom courses, starting with a slalom at Sun Valley. The top 16 skiers who qualify for the round-of-32 will be seeded. Points in each individual discipline, rather than total combined points from both giant slalom and slalom, will be used to determine the top 16 seedec racers in each event. PRO NEWS ' The family of Spider Sabicl. has set up memorial fund for the benefit of the Junior Ski Training Organization. Contributions should be sent to:- , ;,:' The Spider Sabich Memorial Fund, . ... c-o River City Bank , " r P.O. Box 1477 ; Placerville, QA 95667 II Win ; by Yam Muller Park West Touring School The weight didn't bother me until last week when I finally found time to take off a couple of hours to go skiing. I snapped on my trusty old boards, headed down a small incline, fell forward for-ward and broke both skis off at the tip. I almost cried. . But a man has to face the facts. In my present ; physical condition it was obvious I could no longer be a skier. I knew that if I wanted ever ; again to see the backcountry I so dearly loved I'd have to find another way. I stole away after dark one evening last week and headed up the Guardman's Pass Road. As f many of you know, this road serves as a snowmobile trail in the winter. There were some snowmobilers at the r. trailhead, sitting on the backs of their machines ; garbed in sinster black zip-up suits. They were drinking beer and talking in a foreign tongue. I -picked up some of the words like "bore," 1 "stroke," "440," and "liquid-cooled" but couldn't make heads or tails out of the sentence ' structure. ,': ; One of them saw me, and asked in my own a language, "What do you want, fatso?" ; v I started shaking like a bowl of jello topped i with whipped cream and a cherry. "Ima... Ima... ' I am a ski tourer, sir," I squeaked. The group booed and sneered. .;. ' 'But.. . but I want to learn to snowmobile ! " , They cheered and handed me a beer. Moments later the idle machines roared and whined to life. I climbed aboard and was whisked off to the summit. ' The experience was exhilarating. . We covered more ground in a few minutes on a !i snowmobile than a ski tourer could huff and puff ;'j across in hours. I cringed to think of all the time" I'd wasted traveling at; a snail's pace on skis , when I could have seen so much more speeding along on a snow machine. ' At Jirst the raucous noise and heavy blue exHausf bothered me. But soon the different-toned different-toned roars of the various sizes and brands, of machines blended harmoniously into a motor symphony. It became music of a sort. And I got used to the exhaust fumes in much the same way a person has to get used to drinking beer or coffee. cof-fee. At first you can't stand the stuff, then you learn to tolerate it and finally really enjoy it. I found myself breathing deep as we sped along to ingest a full measure of the heady aroma, giving me a true natural high. Needless to say, I was sold on snowmobiles. Tomorrow morning I'm going to Heber to lay . : down some bucks on the best snow machine I can ' find. Appropriately, tomorrow is April Fool's Day. $30,000 Offered in Pro Race's Hawaiian Tropic Championships The finale to the 1976 professional ski racing season, the $30,000 Hawaiian' Tropic World Pro Skiing Championships, will attract an international field of dual-challenge dual-challenge racing's foremost competitors to this resort for giant slalom and slalom racing on April 3-4, respectively. respec-tively. Before the cameras of ABC's Wide World of Sports, 1976 WPS champion Henri Duvillard will battle against number-two-rated Swiss Josef Odermatt and number three ranked American Bob Cochran, both of whom struggle to stop the record-setting record-setting Frenchman from claiming any more victories this season. In 1976, head-to-head matches, Cochran and Odermatt have each succeeded suc-ceeded only once in beating the indomitable "Dudu." While Cochran triesj to outdo . the frenchman, though, he must also fight off a hard-charging attack from r. '-' number four pro Tyler Palmer and number five racer Perry Thompson, each Americans. All three of these hot shot young skiers are in contention for third overall, a final placing redeemable for bountiful bonus bucks from joyous manufacturer sponsors. In fact, only Duvillard and Odermatt need not worry about dropping a notch or more in the overall standings at the Hawaiian Tropic World Pro Skiing Championships. Every pro now slotted in the top 20 in the standings could, with a points-productive weekend, move into a top ten final placing. The final standings in the Dodge Aspen Manufacturer's Team Competition will also continue to shift up until the final runs of head-to-head racing at Vail. Dynastar may have locked up first place in ;the ski category, but the runnerup contest between OlinandRossignolisfarfrom over. - ... The Tuesday, March 23, Town Employee Race sponsored by the Park City Ski Corporation saw hundreds of local skiers display their racing skills. . The results were as follows: , Pro Class 1. Bob Whitney 2. Stein Ericksen , 3. Mike Watts A Class t 1. Gasthaus: Tonv Tydeman, Richard Wiggens.SueDishell. 2. Qits: John Whitely, Skip McKinley, Sue Hymens. ; 3. Skyline Realty: Lowell Brown, Harry Reed, KathyWilking. . B Class . .. ; 1. Stein Ericksen I: Buzy Johnson, and Dick Buffet. J; 2. Treasure Mt. Inn : Bill Shorter, Dick Walter, and Kris Smith. " . 3. Water Buffalo : Tim Kenrella , Kevin Kurss, Roberta. CClass 1. The Christopher: Jeff Whiling, Kent Wisson, , Sue Hughes. ' 2. Weak III: Dennis Miller, Arnie Sing, and -Debbie Totora. ' ; " 3. Immaculate Conception: Mike.Young, John ' Louden and Joy Pollahof f . '.", . A party with free beer and an award presen-' tation followed the race. . , ; f Racer Axel Dental "4 rjorfiTs largssi car insurance companion . pod value..'.' It seems when you consistently offer better service and protection, at low rates, the word gets around. Drop by or give me a call. You'll find there's a world of , ; difference with State Farm. ' 2'V ' -. In the Silver King State Bank 649-9161 v : 649-8441 Like a oood neighbor, State Farm is there. MX T SfTATE FARM WtrraMJ.ftii Home Office: Bloomington. Illinois SB a. 2 Photo: Scott Nelson PARK CITY Lightning strikes twice, or so they say,',', and this seems to be the case 1 with U.S. Cross-Country Team member John Mike Downey who fans will remember placed 2nd behind Norwegian Audum Kolstad in the American . Birkebeiner IV, Feb. 21 at Mt. Telemark, , Wise. -; ' ' The Nordic world did a double take j on . Sunday, March 21, exactly one month later, as Downey followed Kolstad across the finish line , in the 55km Norwegian Birkebeiner in Lillehammer, Norway. Not only was this a replay of " events, but it marked the highest results ever for an American in this internationally reknowned ! race. Coach Martin Hall and Olympic (silver;medalist Bill Koch were on hand to help teammate Downey with waxing and his pack for the three hour race. , ; v Audum Kolstad was the Conditions For GS Sunshine and an abundance of snow favored Mont St. Anne, Quebec, but final giant slalom competition of . the 1975-76 World Cup Circuit commenced under what U.S.. officials considered the most technically difficult conditions con-ditions of the season. Zero degree temperatures rendered the course extremely ex-tremely hard and ; icy and considerably , .f narrowed the lield of competitors after the second race. This didn't stop U.S. giant slalom specialist -. Greg Jones, however, as he i climbed from first ' run 8th place to edge . out overall World Cup leader Ingemar Stenmark for 4th place in the event. ' v . :-.' i Teammate Cary Adgate scored a 7th place , and brought the day's tally to two fortJWWJS.J1 initheJtop;ten7' form'ance by 'our Jiiett's' Alpine Team. Greg now THE CORNER STORE'S 2ND ANNUAL TOWN COOKIE MONSTER CONTEST WHO CAN EAT THE MOST COOKIES? Sunday, April 4th, in Front of the Corner Store 2 Divisions Men & Women $1.00 Entry Fee Sign up at the Corner Store, Entries Will Be Limited Prizes and Video Replay After Contest Anba Innsbruck mm: NEXT TO THE GONDOLA victor over a field of 2,800 who turned out for this traditional citizens . race which dates back many centuries to a ; legend of a flight in the night ; by two soldiers on skis ; carrying an infant Norwegian prince to. safety during the Scandinavian Wars. - The winning time was 3 hours, 12 minutes and John Mike clocked , in at 3 hours, 17 minutes. ; . This is a . tremendous achievement for the 21-year old from Butte, Montana who joined the U.S. Team only last year. His 1975 record includes' 2nd place finish in the , 15km at the Eastern Championships and. 4 th in the 15km at Stofadelens, Sweden. Downey looks to be a strong contender in international cross-country . competition and testimony to the depth of talent which is beginning to emerge from the United States Nordic Ski Team. Finale moves from 9th position after ' his brilliant victory at Aspen last weekend, to 6th in final giant slalom standings. :r Phil Mahre, who was one of a great many forced out of the race at Mont St. Anne, still maintains a strong 10th in giant slalom, for the season. This means 'the United States will have two men ranked in the top ten in giant slalom; the first time for this country in World Cup competition since 1971. Transportation difficulties and fatigue suffered by European.' team members forced a one day postponement, post-ponement, of the-; races originally scheduled for March 17. A day's rest obviously ob-viously put Heini Hemmi in top form as he thrilled spectators with a second run TeffliHistent of m-TMXffipjc ttftitti4oe JoOre . place ovef "PlefTJ "TlrOs4 8ffif Ernst Good. 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