Skiing / Bob Lochner : Legends of Freestyle Set at Bear Mountain Jan. 29
Freestyle skiing has been making a comeback after falling into disfavor following the wild days--and liability-insurance problems--of the early 1970s. It was a demonstration sport in the 1988 Winter Olympics at Calgary, Canada, and will become a medal sport in the ’92 Winter Games at Albertville, France.
In keeping with the trend, Bear Mountain, at Big Bear Lake, will play host to 8 of the top freestylers from “the old days” when it stages the Legends of Freestyle Challenge on Jan. 29, in conjunction with Powder magazine and Jeep/Eagle.
The field, lured by $5,000 in prize money, will be composed of Wayne Wong, John Clendenin, Scott Brooksbank, Bob Salerno, John Eaves, Greg Athans, Mark Steigemier and Eddie Ferguson. They’ll ski the moguls on Showtime run in pairs until a winner is determined.
The Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles has granted $29,055 to the California Handicapped Skiers’ Foundation to fund a learn-to-ski program for 75 participants, including 50 children from the Los Angeles Unified School District, during February at Bear Mountain.
The announcement was made by David L. Wolper, chairman, and Anita L. DeFrantz, president, of the organization, which is endowed with the Southland’s share of the surplus from the 1984 Olympics.
Beginners who plan to take advantage of a free skiing offer Friday at selected California resorts should visit a participating ski shop today or this evening, if possible, in addition to calling the area for a reservation--also no later than today.
There are 76 such shops in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, plus more in San Diego county. If you’re in doubt whether your favorite shop is involved, give them a call.
Friday has been declared National Ski Day by Congress, and 7 areas in Southern California--Bear Mountain, Kratka Ridge, Mountain High, Ski Green Valley, Ski Sunrise, Snow Summit and Snow Valley--are offering a limited number of free one-day “scholarships” for first-time skiers on that day. The package, available by reservation only, includes lift ticket or trail pass, rental equipment and an introductory lesson.
Seventeen Northern and Central California areas, including Mammoth-June, Sierra Summit and Badger Pass-Yosemite, and 6 Sierra Nordic centers are also offering the freebies, which are limited in number. According to the co-sponsoring National Ski Areas Assn. and Ski Industries America, the best way to assure a place in the program is to go to a ski shop to obtain the required coupon and to call the ski area. Most of the areas will have coupons available but could run out early.
The shops will also be offering discounts beginning Saturday and continuing through Feb. 17, a period they’re calling, “Let’s Go Skiing America Month.” They will provide non-skiers with coupons good for a beginner package at no more than $25 on weekends and $15 midweek for Alpine skiing, and no more than $20 on weekends and $10 midweek for Nordic (cross-country) skiing. Again, an advance reservation is needed at the area or center of your choice.
Skiing Notes
The U.S. Pro Tour will stop at Mt. Bachelor, Ore., this weekend . . . Last weekend’s pro races at Telluride, Colo., will be shown on ESPN Sunday at 2 p.m., PST--opposite some football game on Channel 4--and will be followed at 2:30 by Bob Beattie’s “Ski World” and a tape of Saturday’s World Cup men’s downhill at Wengen, Switzerland, at 3. . . . The men will race in a World Cup slalom Sunday, and combined points will also be awarded for the 2 days. . . . The women on the World Cup circuit will be at Tignes, France, for a downhill Thursday, a super-G Friday and a giant slalom Saturday. A women’s super-G scheduled for Oberstaufen, West Germany, on Sunday has been postponed due to a snow shortage and will be held in Japan in March.