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Sugarbush Racing Club 2019: Ready, Race, Rock

 

SRC’s 2019 schedule features three training events to get ready, eleven races, and seventeen social events to rock. The number of events roughly indicates the relative importance of the activities, except for the social events, which are seriously undervalued.

The first training event will be Wed, Jan 2, from 9 to 11 AM on the Racer’s Edge trail. Sugarbush Racing Department will set the course, and clinic participants will learn about course inspection, slipping the course, and will have an opportunity to take practice runs. This clinic price for SRC members is $35, non-members $45. If interested, please email racing@sugarbushracingclub.com.

The second and third training events will be on Jan 11, and Jan 25.

The first race will be on Thursday, Jan 3, and will continue every Thursday through March 14. Race day registration begins at 8:30 AM in the Gate House and costs$15. Course inspection and slip clinic is available from 9:00 to 9:45, followed by racing from 10:00 to noon. Racers may take additional runs between noon and 1:00 PM if conditions permit.

All races are on Racer’s Edge, except for the President Wilson (John, not Woodrow) Memorial Race on Feb 7, which is on Spring Fling. The $100 cost of a season SRC race pass has not been increased, despite the expansion from eight races to eleven, making it a terrific bargain.

SRC members can get unlimited timed runs whenever the Race Department has a NASTAR course set for an additional $75 paid to the Resort.

SRC began rocking the 2019 season with a Kick-off Party December 9. Sugarbush Resort provided ample and excellent hors d’oeuvres in Castlerock Pub’s back room starting at 4:30, and the cash bar provided whatever liquids members required to improve their listening skills.

At 5:30, the business part of the meeting began with incoming SRC President Dave Koepele taking the gavel shaped microphone from a former President Wheaton Simis.

Wheaton told Dave that the President’s primary responsibility was to curb the excessive talk time and limit the number of jokes told by the Social Committee Chair.

Dave introduced the Club’s Social Committee Chair, Gordon Hoare, who took the microphone and spoke for five times his allotted minutes. Dave is a lot bigger than Gordon, which may account for his remarkable success

Apparently overhearing Wheaton’s instructions, Sugarbush Resort President Win Smith’s remarks were remarkably brief. Win said he thought it was the largest SRC Kick-Off he could remember. He introduced Laura Jenks, the new head of the Sugarbush Resort Race Department. Laura and new SRC Race Committee Chair Riley “Spaceman” Winch have expanded the race season from eight races to eleven.

Win also noted that he is the roughly same age as the average member, using hair color as a polite indicator. Win asked us to recruit younger members to SRC. He said Sugarbush Resort would like to accommodate younger ski racers as much as possible. He is open to suggestions to accomplish that goal.

The second and third SRC social events will be Race day mixers: Jan 3 at the Tucker Hill Inn and Jan 10 at the Mad River Taste Place. All Race day mixers begin at 4:30. Remember it as 30 minutes after the 4:00 PM last chair, giving just enough time to change boots and to travel. Mixers have a cash bar and free hors d’oeuvres. Some members remain at Tucker Hill Inn for supper. Taste Place does not have supper available, but Worthy Burger and the Big Picture are both within easy walking distance and serve excellent food.

The fourth SRC social is a wine tasting Jan 15 at Tucker Hill Inn. This event is on a Tuesday, and it does not immediately follow a race. It begins at 6:30 PM, allowing an extra two hours to shower. Not that members need that long. All previous SRC Wine tasting events have sold out, so make your reservations early to avoid being skunked. There will be 5 tastings – 2 red, 2 – white, and 1 sparkling white. In between each tasting will be an appetizer presented by the recently renovated Tucker Hill restaurant, with the final appetizer from the Mix Cupcakerie.

Jack Garvin (Warren Store) and Joerg Klavk will be presenting the wines with their usual good dialogue on each one. Door prizes will be given out with several special bottles of wine and a gift certificate for dinner at the Inn. $ 35.00 per person for club members and partners ($45 for non members). Reservations & payment must be received by January 12, 2019 by completing the online signup form at sugarbushracingclub.com/calendar/.