| Show v Skiers celebrate winter season Rita JUta Totten Special of the Chron Chronicle Breeze Hannaford daI dances es with the group Hoop in 2 Health near the stage at the Gallivan Center on Saturday The Fat Flake Festival promoted incoming winter sports and activities and ancI featured live music skating ice-skating and a climbing wall Achill was in the air as men women and children geared up in stiff ski boots and approached the starting line in preparation for a ski boot race Im going to try and waddle as fast as I can said Parker Conroy a junior in mechanical engineering Kind of like a sprinting penguin Participants had to sign signa a waiver to compete in inthe inthe inthe the race along the meter course that included straightaways and stairs Contestants were divided into mens men's women's and childrens children's divisions and all winners received a new pair of Rossignol ski boots The mens men's race was first which Todd Glew a recent U graduate with a major majorin in parks recreation and tourism won Caitlin in Morgan a U graduate in international studies won the women's division of the race As she crossed the finish line fellow racers congratulated her saying she took a lead and there was no way to catch up to her Ski Utah hosted the free festival that featured booths from all the major Big Cottonwood Canyon resorts Jessica Kunzer director of communications for Ski Utah said the festival was wasa a way to kick off the ski season We wanted to have a abig abig abig big party downtown to get people excited for winter Kunzer said Marshmallow roasting T-shirt T making and a sneak preview of Shaun Whites White's new snowboarding video game made the festival an event for the whole family skating Ice-skating was also available at the Gallivan Center for a small fee A vintage ski outfit contest was held and the winner received a new winter outfit as well as his or her choice of ofa a new Burton snowboard or Rossignol skis Winter athletes signed posters for fans answered questions and posed for pictures in in inthe the Powder Lounge Rachael Burks an International Free Skiers Association competitor who has been skiing for formost formost formost most of her life said it was wasa a privilege to be a part of the festival I just wanted to come and be around various other Utah athletes Burks said Salt Lake has such a huge base of athletes Burks said she has been in Utah off and on for a along along along long time and loves riding the Greatest Snow on Earth |
