LETTERS
Tyler Palmer’s Winning Form
I am a friend of Tyler’s and I appreciate the long-term per-
spective on his ski career that Bill McCollom so eloquently
wrote about in “True Grit.” (Ski Racing Vol. 43, Issue 9).
Traveling to Europe in Dec ’70 and Jan ’71 for my “winter
study” during my senior year at Williams College, I spent
time with the U.S. team in St. Moritz. In this photo (above)
Tyler shows his winning form in the slalom. We had fun
that weekend.
Tom Stevenson
Hood River, Ore.
Crossroads
It saddened me to hear about Tyler Palmer’s health prob-
lems. He was one who wowed me as I was a youth racer
in the ‘70s. I thought a photo from Glendale, Calif., (above,
right) might cheer him up. I like to think that he has two
streets in my neighborhood named after him!
Thanks,
Scott Peer
Glendale, Calif.
Aspen Appreciation
A hearty thank you to Aspen and Buttermilk Mountain
Managers Peter King and Kevin Hagerty, the Aspen Skiing
Company and Aspen Valley Ski/Snowboard Club (AVSC)
coaches and volunteers for hosting the Wilder Dwight and
NorAm Speed Series!
In mid-January, Buttermilk and AVSC hosted more than
250 athletes, coaches and parents for five days of speed
training and competitions. During these five days, 1,000
race and training runs were conducted on Buttermilk/Tie-
hack’s challenging Racer’s Edge venue. Racer’s Edge is
perhaps the single best speed venue in the United States
for junior athlete speed skiing development, featuring nu-
merous terrain changes and all the components of speed
— gliding along the top ridge; big air over Water Fall; blind
transitions and fallaways at Wire Bump and Coaches’
Knoll; and high speeds down Brown Streak. Success on
this race hill requires a full complement of skiing skills and
the nerve to go all out! Opportunities to compete and train
on such quality venues are critical to the experience and
development of alpine ski racers.
In mid-February, the Aspen Skiing Company and AVSC
hosted nine days of NorAm and US National Champion-
ship racing on America’s Downhill course on Aspen Moun-
tain, including the award of the historic Roch Cup Trophy.
The America’s Downhill venue is, without question, one of
the two or three of the finest and most challenging North
American downhill venues. The opportunity for the best
American and Canadian athletes to be tested on such a
demanding course is critical to developing athletes who
can compete on the world stage.
From March 6-12 the Aspen Skiing Company and AVSC
coaches and volunteers are hosting more than 300 ath-
letes, coaches and parents for the J3 Junior Olympic
competitions.
Hosting such events requires the substantial support of
the Aspen Skiing Company and many thousands of hours
of effort by AVSC coaches and volunteers. There are few
places in the country were Mother Nature’s mountains, ski
company support and ski club/volunteer effort can make
events of this scope happen.
Thank you for all of your extraordinary efforts and sup-
port of the continuing tradition of high quality ski racing in
Aspen.
Mike Maple
Aspen, Colo.
Did Shakespeare Ski?
To turn out to be or turning into be—that is the question:
Whether ‘tis USSA coaching in the athlete to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take talent against a sea of core competencies
And, by opposing, end them. To race, to lose
Some more – and by a season to say we end
The heartache and the thousand natural blocks
That flesh is heir to – ‘tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To race, to win
To race, perchance to dream. Ay, there’s the rub,
For in that race of fame what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. There’s the DNF
That makes calamity of so long a season.
COURTESY TOM STEVENSON; SCOTT PEER
Send letters to stuff@skiracing.com, or by fax at 847-241-8580. Please include full name and hometown. Letters may be edited for space and clarity.
SkiRacing.com MARCH 17, 2011 | 5
