Adult Margarita benefits kids

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

By Brigid Mander

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-For weeks, big mountain skiers have been seen carving it up under the lights at Snow King, sporting skinny little skis and ripping groomers. But it’s not in reaction to a season that is a little on the dry side – it’s been in anticipation of the Margarita Cup, an adult race league and new Jackson Hole Ski Club event.

Although Jackson locals are generally known for having a big mountain and freeski focus, the enthusiasm and turnout for this new event shows racing is something  locals are excited about. 

“People are stoked, and showing up in droves,” said Bridger Call, head coach and program director for the JHSC alpine program, regarding the reaction to the 2010 inaugural series.

The JHSC began looking into the possibility of a race league last spring, and the idea grew in part out of the Rainer series, a race that was held at Snow King a few decades ago. For the Margarita Cup, 24 teams consisting of six people each will be competing through February on Friday nights, under the lights at Snow King. The inaugural race last Friday night was a raging success, according to participants.

Teams are competing for an overall series prize on a dual format course, where each competitor takes a run on both a slalom and open giant slalom course for a combined time. All skiers are individually timed, and a team scoring system is used to determine the overall series champion.

According to Call “the scoring system involves a form of handicapping that makes it difficult to predict who the series champions will be – i.e. every team has a chance.”

Teams are groups of individuals or sponsored by businesses such as Igneous Skis, which took it a step further and developed its own race ski- a first from a local leader in powder skis. 

“It sounded like fun,” said Aaron Dahill, a racer for Igneous.  “And it was - everybody was out there, and lots of good racers, ex-high school and pro racers…it’s a pretty festive atmosphere.”

The name stems from title sponsor Pica’s, which takes care of the post race-action at the Snow King base area by supplying margaritas and Pica’s cuisine for purchase.  “It’s a pretty social atmosphere,” Dahill said.

Along with many of the JHSC coaches,  Call is racing in the series, and the club is extremely pleased that it went so smoothly.  The first few races are a work in progress, but it looks like it will be a good vehicle to promote ski racing in Jackson. The series was originally envisioned as a fund-raiser for the club, and with the amount of interest and teams that signed up to race, the club expects to be able to net some money to benefit the local kids in the race program. 

With so much support from the town and skiers and spectators, the club expects the event to grow,  “It makes the ski club feel really good about the ski racing scene in Jackson…and I think this series is here to stay,” Call said.  JHW

COURTESY PICA’S MARGARITA CUP
Pica’s Margarita Cup inspires an unexpected, skinny line of Igneous Skis.

PERMALINK:
Adult Margarita benefits kids | Planet JH News Article: Sports & Recreation

Leave a Comment