The Park City Ski Team opened the racing season with a little snow and a lot of style on Thursday with the annual Eric Hay Memorial Open Series.
The event honors the life and legacy of Eric Hays, a Park City Ski Team member who was killed in a car accident. Over two decades, the race has evolved into one of the largest junior races in the country. It officially opens the season for many of the junior racers, who range from age 12 to age 20.
The event features skiers of all levels. With its open format, high-level racers like Scotty Veenis of the University of Utah Ski Team share the course with 13- and 14-year old junior racers, and give everyone a little added challenge
“It feels good to be back on the snow and its good to race against older people,” said Peter Papineau, a 13-year-old on the Park City Ski Team who turned in an impressive 82.90 time in the first giant slalom race on Thursday morning.
The junior racer, who is an eighth grader at Treasure Mountain International School, managed to ski as fast as athletes who are much older and took their runs long before he did.
Papineau, who won the overall title in his division at the Junior Olympics last year, had to battle a fairly war-torn course to turn in his blazing time. He admitted that he had to make a few adjustments to avoid crashing, but felt great about his results. Papineau is also a halfback on the eighth-grade football team and said that speed is sort of his thing. He just recovered from a broken arm that he suffered during the football season, but seems to be back and ready to race.
“I’m going to go out and hope for the best,” Papineau said.
He was one of many that came from all over the region to compete. The Eric Hays race also welcomes racers from Salt Lake, Sun Valley and Boise, Idaho and Jackson Hole, Wyo. as well as other places.
Park City Ski Team director Dave Galusha said that with the open format, the results do not count toward Junior Olympic qualification, but will reward USSA points.
“This is the place where you gauge your conditioning, summer training and equipment,” Galusha said. “These races are not part of a qualifier and that’s by design.”
This means it’s a perfect chance for McCall Idaho racer Paul Warner to test himself and practice his technique. The top-level J-I level competes mostly in International Ski Federation (FIS) races to garner international points, but enjoys the national races to work on his racing without a lot of pressure.
“I had a really fun time on the hill,” said the 18-year-old.
He was especially focused on his race preparation and hopes to apply what he learns this weekend to races later in the season.
Fellow Idahoan RJ Klotz, who races for the Bogus Basin Ski Education Foundation in Boise, was also enjoying the Park City hill.
He and Warner raced in Mammoth, Calif. earlier in the week and were excited to be a part of the Park City event. Both said they enjoyed the camaraderie an atmosphere of the Eric Hays race.
“It’s a very fun race and everyone should come out and watch,” Klotz said. “It’s a nice hill and I love Park City. It’s a great place to ski.”
ROWMARK Ski Team members Wesley Warner, KC Kent and Linnea Zavala agreed saying that the Hays event is the perfect introduction into the entertaining world of ski racing.
“It’s the atmosphere.” Wesley said. “The kids work all summer it’s all the hard work paying off.”
Kent, a native of Girdwood, Alaska, said that many people don’t really know much about ski racing, and watching a junior level race is a good way to learn the ins-and-outs in a more laid-back situation.
“Its fun to watch and its always different,” Kent said.
Although, temperatures are supposed to dip this weekend, the trio agreed that it is worth a little cold weather to watch the young athletes getting their start for the season.
Kent said that this race is her first chance to apply her summer training, although she admitted, the tough part is remembering everything.
“Sometimes I forget,” she laughed.
Zavala was pretty happy after first race, after betting her coach, Kim Stephens, a University of Utah racer, 80.29 seconds to 80.45 seconds.
Galusha said that the team support mixed with the challenge is what makes the event so worthwhile.
“It is unique,” he said. “Its truly individual, yet having the support of the team is really important as well as being competitive with you.”
The race will continue through Sunday with slalom races beginning each day at 9:30 a.m. on the Payday run at Park City Mountain Resort. For more information, visit www.parkcityskiteam.org.