Skiing : Tomba Resumes Chase of Zurbriggen and Cup
The race is on this weekend for the world’s fastest skiers as they spring out of the starting gate on an odyssey that will take them from Europe to North America to Japan for the World Cup finals next March.
While over here, they’ll break for the winter’s major attraction, the World Alpine Ski Championships Jan. 29-Feb. 12 at Vail-Beaver Creek, Colo., the first time this biennial event will be held in the United States since Aspen, Colo., played host in 1950.
As usual, the early European World Cup races are being shuffled because of a snow shortage. The men’s and women’s openers originally scheduled at Les Menuieres, France, have been split between Schladming, Austria, where men’s and women’s super-G races will be held Saturday and Sunday, and Val Thorens, France, where the men’s and women’s giant slaloms are set for next Tuesday and Wednesday.
All this follows the cancellation last August of World Cup downhills that were to have been held in Las Lenas, Argentina, where it is supposed to snow that time of year, but didn’t.
Once again, the battle for the men’s World Cup will likely narrow down to defending champion Pirmin Zurbriggen of Switzerland and Olympic double gold medalist Alberto Tomba of Italy, while one of the Swiss women--defending champion Michela Figini, Brigitte Oertli and Co.--should take the women’s title.
As for the U.S. Ski Team, now under the direction of John McMurtry, its hopes will again rest mainly on the skis of Felix McGrath, 25, who tied for third place in last season’s World Cup slalom standings; Tamara McKinney, 26, the 1983 World Cup overall champion, and Pam Fletcher, 25, who broke a leg just before the Olympic women’s downhill at Calgary last February.
Two of the greatest American skiers of all time, Phil and Steve Mahre, will also be racing this winter--but not on the World Cup circuit. After a 4-year layoff, the twins, now 31, ended their retirement and joined the U.S. Pro Tour, which starts this weekend with races for both men and women at Park City, Utah.
With combined endorsement contracts worth about $400,000, exclusive of any prize money they might win while competing in the pro-style, head-to-head format, the Mahres decided they weren’t so old, after all.
Said Phil, who won 3 World Cup overall championships and a 1984 Olympic slalom gold medal while Steve won the silver: “We’re not as old as you think. There are guys out there still racing at 35. I feel like I’m 19.”
The Mahres will make two appearances in California--at Heavenly Valley Jan. 5-8 and at Snow Summit March 9-12.
There is no shortage of snow in the Western United States, especially considering that it’s only November. Mammoth Mountain, June Mountain and most of the other major resorts in the High Sierra have already opened, and they’ll be joined today or Friday by Sierra Summit, Badger Pass at Yosemite, Dodge Ridge and Tahoe Donner.
Another storm is due today in the Sierra and the local mountains, where Mountain High and Snow Summit have opened runs from top to bottom. Bear Mountain and Snow Valley are in limited operation but could fire up more lifts quickly with additional snow, either natural or man-made.
Skiing Notes
The major resorts in Colorado, Utah, Idaho and Oregon have all either opened or plan to do so this weekend. . . . Ernie Blake has decided to delay opening his Taos Ski Valley, in New Mexico, until Dec. 15. . . . Jackson Hole, Wyo., will begin operation Dec. 10. . . . Warren Miller will show his latest film, “Escape to Ski,” at the Terrace Theater in Long Beach Friday at 7 and 9:30 p.m., and at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium Saturday at 7 and 10 p.m. . . . The annual Winterfest, with ski ce1818583666opens a 3-day run Friday at the Anaheim Convention Center. The hours are from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. except for Sunday, when it will close at 6. . . . World speed-skiing record-holder Franz Weber will be the featured guest on “Subaru Ski World With Bob Beattie” Sunday from 2:30 to 3 p.m. on ESPN. It will be followed by World Cup ski racing at 3.