(By Brad Jacobson, Alpine Jr. Development Head Coach) 

MBSEF took a team of 7 boys and 7 girls to compete in the Buddy Werner Championships, March 9-11 at Mt. Hood Multorpor/ Ski Bowl ski areas.  The Buddy Werner Championships gather 23 teams totaling about 230 of the top athletes age 12 and under from Oregon, Washington and Northern Idaho. 

The MBSEF athletes competed in four  G.I. Joe’s Mini World Cup races to qualify for this event.  The racers earn points through these events to secure a spot on the Buddy Werner team.  The top seven scoring girls and boys are invited to compete. 

These athletes made up the 2001 MBSEF Buddy Werner Team: 

BOYS:  Jeff Gomber, Tommy Ford, Raman Ellis, Kirk Skatvold, Anton Hilts, Alexander Westphal and Shyama Ellis 

GIRLS:  Laurenne Ross, Kiri Craig, Mallory DeGray, Karli Coggin, Christina Schueler, Cassidy Kohlmoos and Ashley Miller                                              

Outstanding Result: Laurenne Ross-1st SL; 5th GS 

Combined Champion: Laurenne Ross earned the most points to win the “Overall Trophy”.                

Jeff Gomber - 2nd GS

Kiri Craig - 2nd GS/3rd Combined 

The MBSEF Girls Team placed 2nd Overall in points for the weekend, and the MBSEF Girls and Boys Combined Team also placed 2nd overall for the weekend, a mere 19 points away from first.  Great job to all these athletes.  We are proud of you!

Because of her outstanding results, Laurenne Ross was invited to participate in the J-4 Festival in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, March 16 – 18.   To qualify for this event, an athlete must place first in the Slalom, GS or be the Overall Combined Champion at the Buddy Werner Championships.  Each division in the Western Region brings three boys and three girls to participate in this event.  Laurenne skied very well and placed 4th in Super G, 13th in GS and 5th in Slalom.


  (Laurenne Ross on the podium at Buddy Werners)

GREETINGS from the director

We just successfully finished hosting the USSA Chevy Truck Western Region J2 JO Alpine Championships at Mt. Bachelor where over 180 athletes competed. Gretchen Bennett placed 5th in the downhill.  Nick Watts also raced and improved his point profile.

Four of our athletes competed in the National Alpine Championships at Big Mountain, Montana. The athletes are Kevin Francis, Gretchen Glaser, Eric Holmer and Suki Horton.  Eric skied to an outstanding 8th place finish in the downhill.  Suki had a 13th in the SG and 14th in the downhill. Gretchen finished 10th in the SG and tied for 22nd in the downhill. Kevin  placed 16th in the downhill.  These are the best results that I can recall MBSEF ever having in the National Alpine Championships.  Congratulations to our team and to our hard working coach, Kent Towlerton!

This year has been very positive for your Foundation with the growth of the Mini World Cup and Mitey Mite programs under Brad Jacobson and Jeremiah Thornton and their staff. The Cross Country program has surged ahead with new enthusiasm under Olympian, Ben Husaby, and his great staff. The Snowboard program continues to grow under Dave Reynolds leadership, assisted by Howard Friedman and the snowboard staff. Dave Reynolds, Head coach, and Blake Cathcart, Brandon Luzier and Chris Luzier all qualified for the USASA Nationals and have had great results. The Freestyle program under Steve Hanson has had some excellent results this year and will be competing at Mt. Bachelor in April. Nik Klecker placed 1st for Moguls and Upright Aerials for the season and he is the overall PNSA Dual Mogul Champion.

MBSEF will be hosting some great events to be held at Mt. Bachelor in April. They are the NW Cup Finals, Cascade Crest Tour, PNSA Alpine Masters  Championships, Mogul Madness and the famous May Day event.

The staff will be fine-tuning our programs for next season.  The 2001/2002 program enrollment information will be mailed out early this summer.

See you all at the U.S. Bank Pole, Pedal, Paddle! 

Russ Read
Chairman of the Board

Mini World Cup/Alpine/XC Competition Program Family Work Deposit 

     Remember to turn your completed Family Work Deposit Work Sheet, showing your volunteer hours, in to Julie at MBSEF, in order to get credit for your Work Deposit submitted at the beginning of the season.                

     This work sheet is in your 2000/2001 Parent/Athlete Program Manual, Page 40.

Events Director News
(By Linda Snyder)

Banff Mountain Film Festival April 23rd at Pilot Butte Cinemas 

The World Tour hits Bend, one night only, April 23, 2001 at Pilot Butte Cinemas. This year the Banff Film Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary and includes films from Canada, the U.S., England, Switzerland, Germany and Croatia.  Their powerful stories reflect a wide range of mountain experiences and portraits, from mountain sports to mountain culture and the environment.  Show times are 4:00pm, 6:30pm and 9:00pm.  Tickets are available at the MBSEF office and Mountain Supply for $10 per person and $12 at the door. The event is locally presented by Sun Country Tours, Timberline Guides and Outward Bound and supported by Mountain Supply, KLRR 101.7 and The Source. Thank you for helping us bring this event to the community!  To volunteer for this event, please call Linda at the MBSEF office at 388-0002. 

Sponsors 

MBSEF organizes a multitude of races and community events each year. The races provide a great opportunity for our athletes to compete at home on Mt. Bachelor and showcase Central Oregon to visiting racers. The events are excellent fundraisers to maintain lower costs of program fees for all of the members within MBSEF.

Sponsors are an integral part of these races and events, whereby involving the community and gaining exposure for the businesses to the Northwest skiing and snowboarding community.  This past season, MBSEF had over 65 sponsors supporting our events, which does not include the 160 who generously contributed to the Snowball. The Gold Level Sponsors are: Cellular One, Mt. Bachelor and U.S. Bank. Other Major Sponsors for this past season are:

Albertson’s
Bend Research
Bud Light
Bulletin
Cascade Kid’s Dental
Crown Pacific
Deschutes Dental Center
GI Joe’s
Gyorgafalvy, Carol
Inn of the 7th Mountain
KTVZ-21
Mt. Bachelor Village Resort
Pepsi-Cola
Therapeutic Associates/The Orthopaedic & Neurosurgical Center of the Cascades
Regence BlueCross BlueShield
Robberson Ford-Mazda
Saxon’s Fine Jewelers and Designers
Sears
The Sneva Family
Sun Country Tours
Sunnyside Sports
Sunriver Resort
Teva
The Stevenson Family
Wild Oats Community Market

MBSEF would like to thank all of the sponsors for their support of our programs and we encourage all members to let the businesses know your appreciation. 

U.S. Bank Kids’ Mini Pole Pedal Paddle Logo Contest Deadline 

Remember the Kids’ Mini PPP logo contest deadline is right around the corner.  All entries MUST be received by 5:00pm, Wednesday, April 4, 2001. The top five places will be announced by Wednesday, April 18 and winners notified at his/her school. There are awards for the top five finishers from Saxon’s Fine Jewelers, Stuft Pizza, Albertson’s and Bend Metro Park and Recreation District. 

Volunteers & Leg Captains Needed for the 25th Anniversary U.S. Bank Pole
Pedal Paddle!  

May 19th is quickly approaching and we would appreciate your help with this year’s U.S. Bank Pole Pedal Paddle.  It takes over 600 volunteers to put on this exciting community event and we have all types of positions available from Mt. Bachelor to Drake Park.  We are also looking for a few new Leg Captains.  If you are not racing, call the MBSEF Volunteer Hotline after April 15th at 385-1999 and leave your name, phone number and position desired and our Volunteer Coordinator, Kristie Wild, will call you. 

U.S. Bank Pole Pedal Paddle Logo Wear 

We will have some great items with Casey Crisler’s 25th Anniversary U.S. Bank Pole Pedal Paddle design …hats, t-shirts, sweatshirts and polo shirts will be available at Drake Park on race day.

Pole Pedal Paddle:  Bend’s Rite of Passage 

            Seven weeks, are you ready?  I hope I am.  Just thinking about it sends twangs of nervous race energy to my stomach.  This is both a good and bad sign.  The excitement coursing through my veins tells me that racing is still a fun and rational pursuit.  The nervous pit reminds me that I am mortal, and that there is still a lot of work to do before May 19.

            For those of you who train year-round, there is little to worry about.  By combining a small taper in training with a positive focused race plan it should not be too hard to add another PPP mug to your collection.  For the rest of us, it is the end of the semester and it is time to cram.  Even cramming requires a plan, however.  Like taking a test, patience and common sense go a long way.  It is difficult to do your best when you are rushed and analytical.

            Here are a few points I intend to focus on for this year’s race.  First, make sure that all equipment is in satisfactory condition.  If you are planning on upgrading, do it soon.  Try to avoid learning how your equipment functions the day of the race.  There are a few places where technology can play a role in your overall time.  Properly waxed Nordic skis help immensely.  If you are not into waxing, use a soft brass brush to clean the dust, pine pitch or other debris from the bases.  The next step is to press structure into the bases.  The PPP course is almost always wet snow, and good structure reduces the suction that comes with wet snow.  If this seems at all foreign to you, bring your skis to a local Nordic shop and they will know the drill.  Second, apply triathlon bars to your bike.  Most of the ride to town can be done in a very aerodynamic position.  Tri-bars allow you to glide down many of the hills.  Practice with these bars is of the utmost importance.  It changes your riding position so it may feel awkward at first.  Find a good boat!  This is usually the bane of most PPP competitors.  A couple of shops around town rent boats for the event, but they go fast.

            The next area of emphasis is the transitions.  Whether you are doing the race solo or with a team, the exchanges need to be smooth.  I try to get through them with as little effort as possible.  The race is usually not won in the transition, but it can be lost there.  Remember, your teammate or crew is doing their best to send you on your way.  The two most difficult transitions are the bike to run and the run to boat.  I usually spend four or five evenings prior to the race doing bike/run transitions.  I ride my bike in a big gear for 15 minutes then quickly change into my running shoes and plod around the block for 10 minutes.  The first couple of episodes are miserable.  Finally it starts to become more natural, and it is possible to start pushing the pace.  The second transition involves getting into the boat as slinky-like as possible.  Run for 10 minutes, then pick up your boat on shore and enter the water, trying to stay upright and dry.  This will get easier and faster with time.  You will also learn the point on the waterline where it is most advantageous to enter your boat.

            It will be difficult to put any of these tips to use if you do not do a bit of training in the next seven weeks.  Try to avoid “testing” yourself each time you go out.  A good amount of easy training (120-145 heart-rate) supplemented with a few strategically placed hard sessions will bring about a solid performance.  If Nordic skiing or boating are your weaknesses, work at becoming efficient.  These are technique sports, and improvement comes from fluidity.  There are still plenty of weekends left to work on endurance.  The road to the mountain is clear, and it is in good shape for an easy ride to the top.  If you are feeling punchy, a few well-spaced intervals on the ride down will tax your heart and get you accustomed to the speed.  Running intervals are probably the easiest way to test your fitness.  The intervals should be 3-5 minutes long with equal rest.  Try to make 4-6 repeats.  The key is getting through the session without dropping off the pace.  If these seem daunting, start out slow.  The speed will come. 

            The best advise for training in the next seven weeks is a proper assessment of your personal fitness.  If endurance is your weakness, work on it.  If you are in reasonable shape, do 1-2 hard sessions a week.  Be smart about timing, however.  Do the sessions when you have time and are relatively rested.  Remember, not all workouts should be taxing.  I also suggest making the week leading up to the race easier.  This is known as a taper.  If you are properly trained, it will be there on race day. 

            I am sure I will see you out and about in our great community in the next few weeks getting ready for Bend’s rite of passage. 

Ben Husaby, MBSEF Nordic Director

"Our coed team had competed in the U.S. Bank Pole Pedal Paddle for a couple of years; therefore, making us pros at scientifically calculating the timing of all our exchanges. There was, however, one element from the previous year that we forgot to factor in and that was the weather. While I was at home sipping on a sports drink getting ready for the big run, our cyclist came in an hour earlier than expected, had to borrow a pair of running shoes two sizes too big from a spectator and slop through the 5 mile run cursing my name."
Anonymous 

"Train now or suffer later."
Erik Huston 

Participant from 1976
"We weren't winners.  Too much pasta and beer the night before the race didn't help us."
Anonymous 

Bike/Run Transition PPP 2000

"One of my strangest experiences was running past Brad Page while he was searching for his shoes.  He had no idea I had come through the bike/run transition.  I knew I had to get out of that transition area fast  so I did, and I ran the whole run leg without tying my shoes."
Ben Husaby 

"Crossing the finish line as a team doesn't work!"
Carol Nelson, PPP Race Administrator 

Commonly asked question
"No, participants in the Pairs Division do not race every leg together side by side." 
Carol Nelson, PPP Race Administrator 

"The last time I ran the downhill ski leg, I was so tired from running up to the start in knee deep slush, by the time I got to the bottom and handed off my wrist band, I collapsed and couldn't get up for 20 minutes.  For the rest of the day, it felt like my bladder was falling out of  my body."
Anonymous 

"Don't over-train, but at least do the course once, like the night before the race."
Anonymous

Question asked at Alpine Start
Participant strategically places skis in a ski corral one hour before start and then asks if I would watch their skis for them.  The race starts and 90 people crowd into a 10' x 10' ski corral all trying to find their skis. 
Answer:  If the sun is shining I say, "I'll do my best."
Kathy Kurtz

Question asked at Alpine Start
"If I miss a gate, go off course and get lost, what will happen to me?"
Answer:  "If you get as far as Eugene, you've gone too far."
Kathy Kurtz 

"Don't train all year.  The night before the race put on last year's PPP T-shirt, run downtown through Drake Park and parade that T-shirt around like you've been training all year."
Anonymous 

"The Pole Pedal Paddle is the most awesome race ever!"
Anonymous 

To Robb Nordby:
Remember when your father's team beat your team?"
Russ Read

Wave Sport X Kayak, solid black, great shape, $490.  Contact Chris at 617-1750. 

Scarpa Denali Coach Boots, 4-buckle, Vibram sole, size 10 1/2 - 11 1/2, $150.  Contact Ben at 388-0002. 

Volkl GS Skis, 2 pair, 173cm, $150 each, 1 pair Volkl Slalom skis, 163cm, $125.  Contact Gretchen at 388-8184. 

VarioCharger Riser Plates, 1 pair 9mm for Atomic Skis, $100.  Contact Chris at 383-5819.

Russ Read, Chairman
Frank Cammack, Vice-Chairman
Mike Puddy, Vice-Chairman
Bev Francis, Treasurer
Linda Snyder, Secretary
Andrew Balyeat
Randall Barna
Kathy DeGree
Nils Eriksson
Karen Fast
Howard Friedman
Martha Glaser
Ben Husaby
Scott Jacobson
Mike Lafferty
Peter Miller
Dennis Oliphant
Gary Pape'
Doug Ribeca
Jeff Robberson
Christian Schuster
Dean Stevenson

MBSEF MISSION STATEMENT

The Mt. Bachelor Ski Education Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the development and support of competitive Alpine, Cross Country, Snowboard and Freestyle race training in Central Oregon. MBSEF provides the opportunity for introductory to advanced levels of race training and competition.

Our main objective is to assist student athletes in achieving their individual athletic, academic and personal goals. The program's guiding philosophy is to encourage academic achievement and promote the positive values of competitive sport: sportsmanship, self-discipline, goal setting, character building and the pursuit of healthy lifetime activities.

Click here for Sponsors