NASTAR Nationals is not just for traditional ski racers. There are telemarkers, adaptive skiers
and boarders. Joe Landa (left) switched from skis to a board after his son Jacob (right) talked
him into it six years ago. The father-son team trains and races at Bryce Resort near their home
town of Alexandria, Va. Joe told me his goal was to “have fun, and hopefully see my son on
the podium.” Jacob, who ran the 13 to 14-year-old board class, wanted to beat his friend Myles
racing in the same class.
DAY4
Minnesota racers
CAMARA PHOTOGRAPH Y / DAVE CAMARA
DAY5
After a couple mediocre runs the day before, I looked to get my fundamentals in order to
reduce my time and handicap as much as possible. Things came together, and I dropped
three seconds and six handicap points off the day before. I still have some work to catch
the most competitive guys in platinum, but I finished on a positive note with a boost of
confidence for next year. I was already plotting for 2013 on the lift up to grab my jacket and
head out for more Nationals fun and athlete experiences.
The Trudeau family caught my
attention in the start area after I
heard chants of “Go, Dad! Go fast,
Dad” for one of the platinum racers
in front of me. That was Wayne
Trudeau. His cheering section was
his two daughters, Brianna and
Samantha. Wayne, who used to race
on the Canadian national team, now
skis with his daughters as locals of
Vail. (You can read about them in this
season’s Issue 10 of Ski Racing.) The
girls told me they like skiing with Dad.
“We get to watch him and he gets to
watch us,” saind Samantha. Added
Brianna, “He still coaches us about
going as fast as we can so we go back
to him about going as fast as he can.”
Brianna and Samantha also told me
they want to race professionally some
day. Both won their classes and had
top- 10 finishes in NASTAR’s Race of
Champions.
