WEEKLY NASTAR NEWS
It's early NASTAR season; some resorts are not even up and running yet. But the pacesetter trials have already been held, and there were surprises.
First, the biggest NASTAR surprise, which did not happen at the Trials: two guys beat the pacesetter at Breckinridge on December 9. The surprise is: both were on snowboards. That's never happened before. But the two guys were Kier Dillon and Shaun White, who were at Breck training for the Chevy Grand Prix and took time out to race each other through gates.
"I had no idea they were that fast," said Gary Morseman, who was one of two Breck pacesetters working that day. B. J. Peterson, who set that day's pace with his 8.00 hcp, skied the course with a time of 23.96. Dillon did it in 23.51, for a 6.00 hcp; White kicked all bootie in 23.40, for a 5.50 hap.
Morseman laughs about the second run taken by the star riders, after Kier won the first run. "Shaun was bitching about having a slower board, so they changed boards. Sure enough, he was the fastest on Kier's gear," he said.
The Pacesetting Trials were held in six different regions this year. A quick rundown: NASTAR is the recreational pay-to-race program at 124 U. S. resorts. It uses a handicap (hcp) system based off the year's National Pacesetter, which is whoever was the fastest racer at the national championships held the previous spring. This year, again, it's skicross champ and former U. S. team downhiller Daron Rahlves. "D" has the year's "zero" handicap. AJ Kitt, NASTAR's traveling pacesetter, had his handicap set off Daron's in a race-off at the Trials. Former ski-teamer AJ, who will turn 40 later this year, got a 2.41 hcp.
The fastest pacesetter in the country was Keith Poore, Snowshoe, W.V.; 1.01, at the Mid-Atlantic Regionals. Next was Rich Granger from Wachusett Mountain, Ma.; 1.80 in the New England division. Erich Schmidinger, Sugar Mt., N. C., pulled a 2.10 at the Southern Regionals. His twin sisters, who were on the U. S. team in the '80's, also raced. Krista: 15.03; Kim: 11.60. At the Rocky trials, Steve Jones of Keystone, Co., settled for 2:29, and Heider Voelker of Deer Valley, Ut., is the fastest woman pacesetter and the fastest woman in the U. S. with 5:31.
Now for the latest update; the top three men and women in the country right now. MEN: 1. Natron Smilth, Vail, Co.; Scott Snow, Sagle, Id.; Mark Miller, Wichester, Ky. WOMEN: 1. Bonnie Snow, Sagle, Id, 2. Stephanie Ross, Duluth, Ga.; 3. Holly Anderson, Lakeville, Mn.
To check national rankings, go to: nastar.com, click "View Rankings," scroll down to "Overall Rankings."