Masters ski fast, have a blast
QUEENSBURY, N.Y. » Dozens of racers from several states gathered at West Mountain last weekend to “Ski Fast and Have a Blast.”
That’s the official motto of the Mid-Atlantic Masters Ski Racing program, whose members competed in their final event of 2018.
Competitors come from all walks of life, such as Jackie Levy, 34, of Holmdel, N. J., who works as an investigator for the City of New York Civilian Complaint Review Board.
“I like having the hill all to myself when racing, and I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie,” said Levy, the top women’s Super G finisher. “I like to go really, really fast.”
Afterward, she checked out the rest of West Mountain’s slopes and trails.
“The terrain is great,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun.”
Greg Sarkis, 57, of suburban Rochester, is a 20-time state Masters champion and stayed true to form by winning last weekend’s
Super G and slalom competition.
His father, Fred, developed Bristol Mountain, which opened in Canandaigua, Monroe County, in 1964.
Mid- Atlantic Masters Skiing Inc. is a non-profit that originated with the ASRA ski race organization, formed by John “A. J.” Foy in 1980. It concluded in 2017 when he retired. MidAtlantic Masters now administers the season-long Foy Cup Series.
This year’s overall men’s and women’s winners are Tim Whitman of Wilmington, Del., and Dasha Zamolodchikov of Hastings on Hudson.
People of all ability levels are welcome. Races are held December through March in New York, Vermont, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
“West Mountain is chosen for the excellence of the race hill and race management,” said Carol Tomassetti, Mid-Atlantic Masters board vice chair. “It’s a great hill that challenges racers’ skills. The race department led by Sean Warman puts on an excellent, challenging and safe race.”
For information go to: mamasters.org.