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Show —— FEBRUARY 1997 The Utah Nordic Alliance TUNA On Skis y itself, the word “Tuna” doesn’t conjure up snowy alpine images and sleek skiers gliding along under their own power across hill and dale. But The Utah Nordic Alliance, bearing A passionate the acronym TUNA, is exactly that: an organization born of friendship and dedicated to furthering Nordic skiing. hunger Nordic skiing translated to Utah parlance might be called crosscountry skiing. These days, it might be called track skiing. And track skiing can be broken down further to classic and ski skating. and thirst. An award But restaurant. Ae hoa wo rN ut SO bo ts ier tone w we get too bogged teorelo Oanimsure $50 for a lift ticket and $5 for a bowl of chili, it is refreshing to see a group of skiing advocates who want nothing more than to slide across the snow and help organize others who would do the same. As the Salt Lake Olympic Organizing Committee (SLOC) seeks a Qin lacs MSEGD 5) 173 before down in semantics, it ought to be noted that TUNA is not in existence to make money. Nobody at TUNA seeks to get rich or even turn a buck for that matter. TUNA is a non-profit organization that exists simply for skiing - period. In these days of big bucks sports, where ski resorts charge as much as winning broadway, permanent site for crosscountry and biathlon Olympic events for the 2002 Games, TUNA has a voice as the orga- nization that could have the largest say in how the facility is kept and used following 2002. But it wasn’t always that way. TUNA had its roots almost 20 years ago as a group of friends who liked to get together to crosscountry nize ski races. Actually, TUNA small who Nordic was grew out of two recalls one Dave Hanscom, the founders Vest * Fall Creek Vests * Fleece Tights of Utah sport. By the mid-’80s both the Utah Nordic Ski Association and the Park City Nordic Ski Club were dwindling. Along the way, Hanscom, Wyoming Wear makes layering for Nordic skiing easy — light weight, breathable fleece, and wind resistant suplex nylon combined with stylish simplicity 518 Historic Main © Park City, Utah & Jackson Hole Wyoming more like a sporting magazine, includes articles on such things as the latest equipment, special ski tours, race results, avalanche information, and tips on how to improve your skiing technique. TUNA prints about 2,000 a month, except for the summer and distributes the “TUNA local sporting goods shops. Hanscom notes that season, News” the to organiza- tion has grown about 10 percent a year for the past several years. He credits the newsletter and the relatively new skate skiing for the boon. “It’s amazing how skating has attracted so many more people. It’s easier to learn and doesn’t require Waxing.” But while TUNA has operated its track at Mountain Dell, the location is not optimal because of varying snow conditions at the 5,800-foot level. That is why Hanscom and many TUNA sup- porters were hoping to see a permanent crosscountry facility built at Little Dell, north and east of the Mountain Dell golf course in neighboring Hatch Canyon, where snow conditions are much better. “There are a lot of good things that Erickson, Miller and others decided to combine the two organizations, hoping that they could create a critical mass that would propel the organization and could happen if we had a permanent facility,” Hanscom says. In the mean time, TUNA has crosscountry skiing. Pine track in Park City and some 801-645-9427 hosted many of its races at the White at the says he plays only a limited role in TUNA. “And now it has really blossomed.” TUNA now has about 400 mem- Solitude touring center in Big Cottonwood Canyon. With an Olympic facility the future could be very bright for Nordic skiing, thanks to the folks at TUNA who love the sport for its own bers, sake. @ “It worked,” PAGE in the Uinta Mountains as well as a ski track at the Mountain Dell golf course, and produce a monthly newsletter. The newsletter, which appears orga- Nordic Ski Association. At the same time, the Park City Nordic Ski Club was being organized by Steve Erickson and Jim Miller. Erickson, Miller and Bob Kassow started White Pine Touring and hosted the first Wasatch Overland: crosscountry ski race in 1978. Although crosscountry skiing was beginning to grow in Utah in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, alpine skiing at ski resorts was by far the more popular * Sage Creek # groups, ski and photo by Charlie Sturges They organize summer training and a ski racing series, operate a winter yurt 12 officers, and says Hanscom, board who of directors. |