The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Age class GS events on Buckley
More than 100 alpine ski racers aged seven to 14 will be punching down Buckley this weekend for two days of giant slalom races.
The USSA (United States Ski Association) age class event is hosted by the resort and the Crested Butte Mountain Sports Team and is attracting ski clubs from Vail, Eldora and other resorts around the state.
According to Mountain Team Sports Director and Head Alpine Coach Drew Cesati, the lack of snow recently and the cold temperatures have the Buckley race venue under the West Wall lift in prime racing shape.
“Buckley is in the best condition it’s ever been in,” says Cesati. “It’s been amazing training all week and the kids are getting in a lot of volume.”
Thanks to a recent influx of younger racers to the Mountain Sports Team program, Cesati expects to see as many as 16 athletes from the Crested Butte Mountain Sports Team competing this weekend.
“Our little alpine program has been picking up,” says Cesati.
The team got an additional boost this week from the arrival of a ski team from Australia that is here to train until mid-February.
The races start on Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m.
