Sugar Bowl Race Report

by Jonathan Garey-Sage

We all came together for the first race of the 25/26 season at Sugar Bowl. The weather was perfect for early January with clear blue skies and temps warming to the mid 30’s.  The courses were set by four different coaches (Reese, Mark, Ryan and Wenceslao) from various programs, giving the racers a variety of challenging situations. The sets included many long right-footed turns and an occasional psychological gate that affected several of our friends. The snow was more forgiving as compared to last year when it felt as if we were skiing in the parking lot. The holiday snow had not solidified, giving many competitors different experiences. Early racers had softer but smooth conditions, but the later people had to deal with ruts. It was a rodeo! Saturday went off with a few glitches. Several chairlift stops delayed the races, but the Sugar Bowl staff accommodated us well. Minor logistical issues with lists and timing also occurred but we finished by about 12:30.

Sunday ran smooth, with no problems, and we were able to do awards earlier than Saturday so the travelers could get on the road home.  All racers should be commended for coming out in spite of the late start to the season and limited training. Although it was early January, conditions made it feel like early December without the hassles of the holidays.

We are all looking forward to the Super G races at Mammoth next weekend (as of this writing) and the weather is looking to be “Mammoth” spectacular. Hope to see everyone there.

Check out the full results of the Sugar Bowl races on Results page.