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Show Wasatch Canyon Reporter ~ No Schlopy, No Subaru, but plenty of Leiweke— US ski team makes big changes in the pursuit of financial equilibrium and the gold by David Peck September Tim Leiweke ‘chosen as last, was the vreal’ - CEO. of U.S. Skiing, : ‘the business end of the U.S. Ski Team. Leiweke’s resume includes presidency of the Denver his four tenure with ' Nuggets, inherited LL LL everal things you should know about the oe Ski Team this season. The familiar Team replaced Subaru by America’, the is gone, “Heartbeat Chevrolet. Four of racers from the men’s Team are gone, not out-to-pasture but to compete on the U.S. Pro Tour in lieu of the World Cup. Ballet skiing is gone, left to Ce O UV P O N TY 1FF) GY FVD _OWE R i f 7 a $10 million a year, and took it $4 mil- ers aré taking Leiweke’s Enjoy the finest Northern tatian cuisine in the Wasatch this summer at the Wildflower Ristorante. Redeem this coupon for one ©EP GteT SEEE GUST with the purchase of two entrées, VWWILDI Our summer hours are 6-9:00 p.m. Wed.-Sun. | Closed Mon. & Tue. — For reservations call 749.2999, ext. 1042. positions, mostly pro- we retire the The downside of the new involved with the Ski Team. “Until we retire the debt, financially it's a struggle for us all.” -Tom Kelly - communications Skiing. services Compared teams, historically and been the Ski with other Team woefully for. has under- funded, a significant reason our ath- as Jumping Director Alan Johnson, who was downwardly promoted to Head Jumping Coach. “I guess I’m European powerhouses. But busi- ‘Coach Al’ and not ‘Director said Johnson the day after restructuring was announced. Al,” the some wants of the to avoid having a universal equipment spon- sor to give the racers more autono- my. That the Pro Tour has been financially kindest to European rac- | ers is no great surprise; some Americans, Felix McGrath. most notably, still manage to “do all right for themselves,” as Schlopy prudently puts it. He hopes to be one of those. 2 as a better spectator format than that used on the World Cup cir- _ tell what makes a racer fast, and sub- such resituated, are team it requires for everybody national were Resort The cuit. The average middle-American -unversed in ski racing is unable to these directors were lete,” to coin modern others largest. Wolf program is the tight ship U.S. lance; Mountain and the dual format utilized in Pro racing, two competitors racing side-by- “Until Head Director, Paul Major. Some of “made obsobusiness par- new Company, will financially it’s a struggle for us all.” said Tom Kelly, vice president of management plan after many collegiate athletic programs. He eliminata dozen includ- team _ Beyond the money, Schlopy sees his new program directors. Now the head coaches ‘reported directly to the risks, debt, CEO could be found. A fund-raiser for the SteadmanHawkins sports medicine clinic ed about of the Brewing each, hired Dr. Charles Dilman in May to “stop the bleeding” until a full-time modeled downside Team. last fiscal year. True to their tradition of playing musical CEO’s, they several have several sponsors to help it survive: Travel Savers, Wasatch _ gram is the tight ship it requires for everybody involved with the Ski Follow us on a brief trip back in time. The Ski Team lost $2.5 million leaving the Ski Team nest, these rac- He has pledged to work the same magic for the Ski has had in the past, with a potential for significantly higher revenues. The | out on their own and ing financial. Their new higher direction than the Ski Team ' fend for itself financially because it did not reach full medal status in the Olympics. And about a dozen staff members were excused from their positions, either asked to wear a new hat for the team, or to take a hike. Are these dark tidings, or good news for fans of ski racing? next, we lion into the black. USS. Olympic Committee calls a “high-performance plan,” involves a PHOTO in Vail, Dilman FREE APPETIZER CE A8te ERD WOR ARY AR GEES GEN WED Geer UD AUD CRE GER TEST GSW WEP OEE re | MAZIARZ knew where we would race where we would train, me _a franchise losing strategy, what the MARK own racing careers, as well as augmenting the sport of ski racing as a would train.” By sini Team. AT SPEED | Pro Ski Minnesota Timberwolves. etweke ERIC SCHLOPY the All American in hopes of improving their whole. “We spent two or three years year the US RACER formed Team frustrated with the Ski Team,” said Schlopy, a Park City local. “We wanted more control. We never During AND SELF EXILED Team last May to compete on the U.S.-Pro Tour. Together they have and Nuggets _ NATIONAL CHAMPION fy itself, taking matters into their own hands. Erik Schlopy, Jeremy Nobis, Briggs Phillips and Harper Phillips all resigned from the U.S. letes have come up short of the ness is business, and the Ski Team apparently has to cinch its proverbial belt even tighter in the short term. Four of our athletes were unwill_ing to wait for the Ski Team to recti- Page 6 sequently is not likely to watch the Hannenkahm when tractor-pulling is © on ESPN at the same time. “It’s like watching Carl Lewis and Ben Johnson race the 100 one after another,” said Schlopy. The dual format simplifies ski racing, and makes it more interesting for the general ‘public. Therein advertising, Team, and lies money: ski racing TV what in ratings, the the Ski U.S., desperately need. The All American Pro Ski Team has another item on its agenda: to enable racers on the Pro Tour to” compete in Olympic, World Championship, and World Cup events: vice-versa for those who continued on page |4 ski |