MASTERS
Masters
The Perfect Race
THE SKIER’S EDGE WESTERN REGIONAL MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS
HIT MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN BY BILL MCCOLLOM
If a “perfect storm” is a collection of worst-case scenarios coming together to create a calamitous event, what is it called when positive forces coalesce to create a best-case scenario? In looking at the
Skier’s Edge Western Regional Masters Championships, this situation
could be called the “perfect race.”
The Mammoth Mountain Race Department rolled out the red carpet
for the 116 masters gathering for the Western Regional Championships
from Feb. 3 to 6 and didn’t stop there. They served up ideal weather,
snow conditions, course-sets and award gatherings. “It just doesn’t get
much better with all this snow and sun and temperatures in the 30s and
40s and everyone hanging out in their speed suits,” said local class 7
racer Debbie Lewis. “It was just amazing in all respects.”
As for the views from the mountain, Lewis added: “No how many times
you’ve seen it, you just have to say, ‘Wow.’”
A mammoth storm, in every sense of the word, back in late December
set things up for these races. “We got a huge bomber where we had 15
feet of snow in one week,” said Lewis. “Even now, you can just barely
see the tip of a sign near the top of the mountain that’s 15 feet high.”
The snow settled and compressed over the next few weeks, leaving a
Debbie Lewis streaks to victory in the super G.
hard-packed powder surface, the desire of all ski racers, ready for the
opening super G and super combined events on Feb. 3 and 4. “
Mas-ters-friendly,” said Lewis of the super G course. “It starts up in the bowl,
and then rolls down with lots of terrain. All the skills were tested from
gliding to aerodynamics and tactics.”
With the A/B group (men in classes 1-7) running super G, Mammoth
masters coach, course-setter, and racer Pierre Jeangirard wasted no
time in also setting the pace. His time of 1.06.91 in the event gave him
the class win as well as an eighth-place finish overall. It’s all in a day’s
work for Jeangirard, who oversees the 60 masters racers training out
of Mammoth.
“I do this all winter,” said Jeangirard. “I get up early, set the courses,
help out my racers, and when it’s my turn, I jump into my skis and go
race.”
Jeangirard managed to find the top step of the podium in a very competitive class in every race in the series — with the exception of the slalom, where he was nipped by USSA masters coordinator Bill Skinner.
And his efforts are not taken for granted by his racers, including Lewis.
“He’s been a huge factor in my improvement over the years, for sure,”
The Skier’s Edge Western
Regional Masters Team
