New Pro Ski Racing Circuit Sets U.S. Europe ’65-66 Agenda
Next season’s agenda for the new professional ski league calls for four races in Europe and at least four in the U.S. The creation of the American Professional Ski League, a new vehicle for big-stakes ski racing, was announced earlier this month by Frank V. Snyder, president of the new organization.
Composed of eight major ski areas, each of which will field a team of professional Alpine competitors, the league plans to finance and promote an American pro racing circuit initiated this season. Joining forces in formation of the league are Stratton Mountain, Sugarbush and Stowe, Vermont; Windham, New York; Boyne Mountain, Michigan; Sun Valley, Idaho; Aspen and Vail, Colorado.
Snyder also announced a working agreement between the new league and the International Professional Ski Racers Association providing for protection of IPSRA members in American pro races and the recruiting of top ranking international pros by IPSRA to fill the league teams. Friedl Pfeiffer, IPSRA president, hailed the plan as giving top pros “a full winter of racing and a chance to earn the kind of money their talents deserve.”
Three American pro races have been scheduled this winter under league auspices with a total purse of $[…] at stake. Boyne Mountain hosted the first event, Windham the second. The third is being held at Stratton. SKI Magazine is contributing a $6,000 purse to be shared by the three racers who compile the best times for all three league races. Next winter’s schedule calls for four pro races in Europe and at least four APSL-sanctioned American races to follow the IPSRA-sponsored European events.
Pros competing in this year’s events are Francois Bonlieu, Anderl Molterer, Marvin Moriarty and Max Marolt racing for Aspen; Christian Pravda and Othmar Schneider on the Boyne team; Ernest Hinterseer and Hias Leitner for Stratton; Adrian Duvillard for Windham; Pepi Gramshammer for Vail; and Stein Eriksen for Sugarbush. Under APSL by-laws, each racer is under contract to an area and subject to sale, release or trade just as are professional baseball or football league players.
Said Snyder, “We think a schedule of pro contests backed by major ski areas will provide plenty of thrills for ski fans and at the same time furnish a solid opportunity for young racers to make a career out of skiing. We intend to regulate the pro sport carefully so that no harm can be done to amateur racing. We are confident that professional ski racing can and should become an honored branch of the sport, comparable to professional golf under the PGA.”
Officers of the new American Professional Ski League are Snyder of Stratton Mountain, President; D.R.C. Brown, Aspen, Vice President; Thomas L. Sheridan, Windham, Secretary-Treasurer. Other leading figures in formation of the league are Peter W. Seibert, Vail; Damon Gadd, Sugarbush; Everett Kircher, Boyne Mountain; and Sepp Ruschp, Stowe.
No-Snow Insurance Plan Studied by NSAA’s Broker
A group insurance plan which would provide coverage for a snowless winter and its resultant loss of income is under consideration by NSAA. The association has asked its insurance broker Lukens, Savage and Washburn to study the feasibility of such a plan in time for a report at NSAA’s Convention at Mt. Snow, June 11 and 12.
NSAA’s existing insurance plan, providing broad coverage for the ski area has just signed its 24th member—Stowe, Vermont. Robert Kinney conducts the lift inspection which qualifies an area for the plan.
Avalanche Seminar To Hear Forest Service’s LaChapelle
Edward R. LaChapelle, the U.S. Forest Service’s avalanche expert, has been invited to present two papers before the first international symposium on avalanche control.
The meeting of avalanche experts in Davos, Switzerland, this month, will hear LaChapelle discuss “Avalanche Forecasting — A modern Synthesis” and “The Chemical Inhibition of Depth Hoar.” He will also demonstrate a new U.S. Forest Service device for releasing potential avalanches with explosives. LaChapelle’s European trip includes three month on-the-spot study of the latest in European avalanche control techniques.
Frank G. Sterritte Dies, Set Many Ski Law Precedents
Services were held March 10 for Frank G. Sterritte, 49, who died of a pulmonary embolism March 8. He was general counsel and vice-president of the C. V. Starr Insurance Co. and general counsel to the Mt. Mansfield Co. which operates the Stowe ski area in Vermont.
Through his vigorous defense of suits brought against the Mt. Mansfield Co., Sterritte became a prime influence in the establishment of existing ski law. He was the organizer of what is now the Eastern Ski Operators Association and acted as its general counsel. He also made significant contributions toward the establishment of the American Standards Association Code for ski lifts and tramways.
Mr. Sterritte was an instructor at the Insurance Society of New York and a guest lecturer at St. John’s University. He was active in legal societies. He was a director of the Brooklyn School Alumni Association.
He is survived by his widow, four daughters, and his mother.
