Cazenovia Ski Club

Skiing as a human activity is about 4,500 years old. The earliest physical evidence of skiing was found in Norwegian bogs and dates to around 2500 BC (Becks in Cans). We can only imagine that is was not long after that two Ice Age Norwegian kids (Voikl and Rossi) looked at each other and said, "Ja, da first un down da hill vins". Humankind would have to wait almost 4,400 more years until the advent of modern downhill ski racing.

Although modern ski racing is replete with the most advanced science known, at the end of the day it still comes down to who can make it down the hill fastest. Nothing epitomizes this spirit more than the 2003 Cazenovia Ski Racing Team; fifteen of Cazenovia Ski Club's finest young skiers-racers. The elite travel squad of the race team made their 2003 debut at Greek Peak this last Sunday. And what a debut it was.

"Although we had a couple of opening race jitters, the glimmers of a successful season were clearly visible", commented veteran head ski team coach Annie Lapham. Those jitters were a missed gate by Jaime Smith in his first run and a hard fall by Courtney Button (the Picabo Street of Perryville). Both racers rebounded well and turned in competitive second runs.

In the Women's J5 division (the youngest racing class) Kaitlyn Button placed 15th out of 32 racers just 17 seconds behind the winner. For the J5 Men, Barclay Talbot also finished in 15th place out of 42 racers and just 12 seconds behind first place. Barclay could not be reached for comment as we went to press. As noted above Jaime Smith was disqualified on his first run for missing a gate but was undeterred and skied his best 2nd run in his two-year-old career.

In spite of a terrible crash in one of her runs, Courtney Button placed 16th of 25 racers. In his first officially sanctioned USSA race Blazing Billy Reed captured 33rd and Nate Smith placed 37th in the highly competitive Men's J4 division.

Coach Lapham along with novice Assistant Coach Bryce Button and the full race team head to Skaneateles for next week's race. Be sure to congratulate and encourage these fine young racers when you see them on the hill. They always do our club proud. And remember, da first un down da hill vins".