Encounters with ski legends

rickbolger

Hey that's cool! Saw his sons drive at a few different tracks. sad to say I was at Nazareth when son Jacques was seriously hurt by Tomas Scheckter who drove like an idiot.

ski_it

JimK;d-3625 wroteThis very cool memory was recently posted in another thread by @ski_it and has inspired me to start a new discussion. I wonder what year this took place?

Based on my ticket collection I think it was Wednesday Nov. 14 1990 $35, but I need to confirm that with Pres.

I’ve met all the Crotched gang and skied with most of them.

Didn’t meet any of the MS gang.

I’ve skied with Jeremy Davis a few times.

I met Barbara Cochran when I bought my lift ticket there. She let me pick the color of the tickets for the day. I gotta believe it was Jimmy or Ryan running the lift that day accompanied by a big black dog.

I met Marilyn Cochran briefly at a ski show in Burlington like 5 years ago.

Close encounters? I rode a lift at Waterville with one racer during the 1991 men’s GS WC. I don’t recall mustering more than maybe a hello nod or perhaps a good luck as we unloaded. Didn’t feel right to disturb his concentration. Later on I settled on it must have been Jeremy Nobis. Definitely maybe.

Bigger stretch. Did Donna Weinbrecht ever give lessons at KPeak? Back before I was aware who she was I rode up with a good looking blonde and her two students. At one point she asked if I liked the bumps. I replied, “Well I like bumps but they don’t like me.” She said something like have you thought about lessons. They got off and quickly disappeared down OL. Ok I really have no clue, just a fantasy ….
Edit for Kayaker: The person I spoke to was very nice to talk to. Didn't mean to imply otherwise. If it was her it had to be well before her Olympic win because I recall being at Bear right after her gold metal win and knowing who she was at that time.

I forgot one. I spoke with Barry Whiting who has been Pomerelle’s ski school director for over 3 decades. We talked about the Indy Pass. They were hopeful it would make people want to make return trips. He gave me tips on where to ski. I made a mistake saying it was too bad they didn’t have snow this year. Indignantly, “We’ve got snow!” He was right the whole Mtn was open. I saw later that Pomerelle has a Barry’s Run & a Barry’s Burger, I gotta believe named after him.

Edit: I've exchanged pleasantries with Les Otten & Bill Stenger a few times. Bill more so than Les. I recall he was snow blowing the walkway outside our condo one Jay morning. Who would have thunk what would come later....

VtSkier

I work as a lifty at Cochrans, so I'm around multiple ski legends whenever I'm working.
Great family and a great place to work.

Kayaker

[quote
Bigger stretch. Did Donna Weinbrecht ever give lessons at KPeak? Back before I was aware who she was I rode up with a good looking blonde and her two students. At one point she asked if I liked the bumps. I replied, “Well I like bumps but they don’t like me.” She said something like have you thought about lessons. They got off and quickly disappeared down OL. Ok I really have no clue, just a fantasy ….
[/quote] on

Donna Weinbrecht! I was trying to remember that name, but I remember the occurrence. She made a personal appearance at Bradford as part of its 50th anniversary of operation. I introduced my then 10-year old daughter and Donna zeroed in on her and made her feel like she was the only person on earth. Donna was a very nice person and a true pro. You don't forget a kindness done to one of your children. (but you might forget the name).

powderstud

I've met several skiing "celebrities." In a previous life I used to do business with the late Al Fletcher from Nashoba Valley, and he is my favorite of all the ski industry people I've ever crossed paths with. Quite a character, and frankly one very smart guy. I also met Pam his daughter but Al was a whole lot more my type.

Al also said one of the greatest quotes I've ever heard on the subject of Mad River Glen and Betsy Pratt. I've never publicly attributed it to him although I've referenced it before here and elsewhere, but he was indeed the author: "You have to hand it to Betsy Pratt. While she's managed to pass herself off as a visionary, anyone who knows her knows she's just cheap." I laughed so hard when he said that to me, and have been laughing ever since every time I think about it.

ciscokid

Donna W., always wanted to meet that Jersey girl from W Milford.

abubob

My close encounters are less to write home about but:

When I was maybe 9 I met Warren Miller backstage at the Bushnell in Hartford CT. My Dad had been president of the Meriden Ski Club at the time and had some hand in the movie screening. So I got to shake his hand most likely but to me he was just some old guy so I really have no memory of meeting the man.

Also many years later I was at Bretton Woods and Bode Miller was signing autographs. I heard about it in the parking lot as I was leaving so I just popped in a side door and he was sitting at a table not 10 feet from that door. I just walked up to the table said something lame and handed him my Cannon season pass to sign. He looks up and says, "Did you just cut in line?" I turned around and there on the other side of what had blocked my view was a long line of not very happy looking parents with their kids. I turned back to Bode with must have been an astonished look on my face and he just hands back the pass. I expected it to say something like "douche" but he had just signed it to get me out of the way.

One other: I bump into Dan Egan from time to time either at a Warren Miller screen at the Flying Monkey in Plymouth NH or skiing at Cannon.

Beast Patroller

abubob;c-55328 wroteMy close encounters are less to write home about but:

When I was maybe 9 I met Warren Miller backstage at the Bushnell in Hartford CT. My Dad had been president of the Meriden Ski Club at the time and had some hand in the movie screening. So I got to shake his hand most likely but to me he was just some old guy so I really have no memory of meeting the man.

Wow! I totally forgot about that show. My wife & I were there too and got to meet him and get an autograph.

LaurelHillCrazie

I met Stu Campbell during a clinic I attended at Stowe in the mid-2000s. There was nothing extraordinary about the encounter. I was videoing his class for later analysis, so talk was centered on the logistic of the shots.

« Previous Page