It's On for Masters and Nastar

WINTER PARK, Colo. -- It's too bad that the Masters Nationals start one day after the Nastar National Championships end. It takes too much money and too much energy to compete in both. The best recreational skiers from all over the planet are at Winter Park resort for Nastar, or heading to Sun Valley for the Masters, ready (or hoping they're ready) for the ski racing playoffs.

While Masters has a serious, World Cup vibe where racers get thrilled by the heavy-duty competition, Nastar is more about fun -- though of course, when there's a start wand, a finish wand and a podium, it's a real race. But seeing little kids as young as four make their slow and winding way through the gates, while mom and dad then try to get to their own starts on time, while the teens who are good enough to be on a fast track to the U.S. ski team fly down their courses -- it's like a party for everyone. Legends like Bode Miller, Picabo Street and Olympic gold medalist like Ted Ligety all got their start in Nastar.

That may be why more than 1,200 racers; all levels, all ages, have come to Winter Park for three days of racing. It's race world. Nearly everyone -- four-year-olds included -- are wearing tight Lycra race suits, getting their skis tuned and waxed, doing close course inspections on the run where they will be racing. There are six race courses; and racing goes on throughout the entire day, divided into five-year age categories and skill levels of bronze, silver, gold and platinum. The oldest competitor is 89. There are six other men, 85-89, in his class.

The "Pacesetters," Olympians like Kaylin Richardson, Steve Nyman and legends like Phil Mahre and AJ Kitt, take their fastest run before each group to set a "pace" that gives each racer a number handicap.

Your reporter is here competing. The first day of racing was yesterday, and I won my age group. If I win today, I'll be in the Race of Champions. Prizes are pretty good -- I'll definitely get goggles, a pair of poles, maybe a new race suit if I win my class. Should I have the fastest raw run time in the ROC, I'll get a trip to Chile to train with the U.S. ski team during summer training, as well as a team uniform, which is the top prize for the fastest man and woman in the ROC. Seeing the younger competition, I doubt I'll get the grand prize -- but you never know.



The fastest racer of all yesterday was Franz Fuchsberger, in the 50-55 year-old Platinum category. Each year, it's the goal of most of the ski team hopefuls to beat him. They never do. The 52-year-old Austrian is one of the perennial Nastar characters. He always rents a meeting room at one of the base area hotels and sells a crowded collections of race gear -- suits, helmets, gloves, goggles, water bottles, sun glasses, sweatshirts; all with his "Fuxi Racing" logo. At the Nastar Nationals, that logo is seen everywhere. Each year, more and more sponsors add to the line of booths at the base area. At first, it was just Spyder and Saucer Race Wax. Now there are nearly two dozen booths; for skis, poles, ski pants, even Eukanuba dog food and the U.S. ski team have booths giving away free samples and promoting their wares.

Meanwhile, it dumped more than two feet of new snow overnight -- the light fluffy, addictive kind. That's not surprising at Winter Park, which is a luscious resort, known for its whipped-cream bowls and long open runs. But powder is bad for racing. Racers need a hard, icy course. Not to worry. Even though this is the first year WP has held the Nastar Nats, they've done an amazing job. Every race started at its scheduled time yesterday. Even when one silver-level racer slammed into the finish-wand device, sending a cascade of batteries flying like fireworks that landed and rolled down the hill, a new timing device was run up to the course and installed within a half-hour. Today, for all that new snow, 55 volunteers have been mustered to "slip," using the sides of their skis to scrape it all away, down to the firm base beneath.

Winter Park's organization of this huge event has been better than anyone could have expected, but the resort is accustomed to holding large racing events. All the races started on time, and the courses were well-maintained yesterday when the first blinding gusts of snow started.

And, more flurries just started. I'm heading out for my race in an hour as more snow falls, but no worries. The race crew here at Winter Park has everything well in hand.