Music Heals: Preservation Hall Jazz Band Participates in VPAC's Arts in Healing Program

Watching people's reactions to music is extraordinary. It must be something intrinsic within us that causes us to turn our ears, tap our fingers, or at the Vail Valley Medical Center today, even shuffle with crutches to the beat. Thanks to a wonderful performance by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band as part of the VPAC Arts in Healing program, patients and doctors alike were able to savor the sound of New Orleans jazz with a holiday twist.

The Arts in Healing program brings inspiring artists and cultural experiences to hospitalized patients in a variety of non-traditional settings such as public spaces in hospitals, patient care areas including waiting and family rooms and hallways, and the patient bedside. Patients of all ages have opportunities to enjoy performances and experience personal and meaningful interactions with world-class artists in music, dance, and theatre. The artists work to stimulate and engage the minds of patients, their families, and medical caregivers through the arts, in order to better heal the body.



Today, it was evident that music heals. While some suffered from physical ailments, others just needed a light-hearted moment to soothe the soul. And there couldn't have been a more perfect way than the Preservation Hall Jazz Band members on the tuba, drums, saxophone, and clarinet wailing away to the tune of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band plays tonight at the Vilar Performing Arts Center in their holiday show, "Creole Christmas." It starts at 7:30pm and tickets are still on sale. Visit the website or call 888.920.2787 for more information.

Read More

Give The VVF Gift Of Education This Holiday Season

This holiday season, you have the ability to provide a gift that will continue to give all through the coming year as the Vail Valley Foundation and Alpine Bank have once again joined forces to bring opportunities to the children of Eagle County.

When you give the VVF Gift of Education between now and December 31, Alpine Bank will match all donations dollar-for-dollar, up to $5,000. Gift options range from $25 to $5,000 and can be made either online at http://www.vvf.org/ or by contacting Director of Education Jean McSpadden at (970) 949-1999.

Online information is also available on how you can make your holiday gift grow even further, utilizing the Colorado Child Care Contribution tax credit.

Gift options include $25, which provides seeds for the Sowing Seeds program; $50, which purchases sheet music for First Notes students; $100, which buys books for the Magic Bus; $250, which funds a violin for First Notes; $500, which supports a Celebrate the Beat student dancer; $1000, which covers a Magic Bus class; $2,500, which underwrites a kindergarten scholarship and $5,000, which sponsors a college scholarship.

Read More

Jamband Legends of the Emmitt-Nershi Band Kick Off Bud Light Street Beat

Armed with hand warmers and hot beverages, locals and visitors alike filled the streets of Vail Village to listen to the epic combination of Drew Emmitt and Bill Nershi as the Emmitt-Nershi Band on Thursday, December 16. Both from legendary jambands, Leftover Salmon and String Cheese Incident, these two blew the crowd away with their bluegrass sound. The stage was equipped with heaters so the band members could actually feel their fingers, while the audience maintained body heat by jumping up and down and dancing to the music. It was the perfect way to kick off the winter season for the Bud Light Street Beat free concert series, and we're looking forward to Lyrics Born on January 20, 2011!

Check out more photos here:

Read More

First Notes Orchestra To Bring Curtain Down On Annual Avon Elementary Holiday Concert Thursday

Perhaps saving the best for last, the Vail Valley Foundation’s First Notes Orchestra will bring down the curtain on the annual Avon Elementary School Holiday Concert on Thursday, December 16, as the second and third graders perform a trio of offerings to conclude the recital.

Scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. start in the Avon Elementary gymnasium, the First Notes Orchestra is slated to serenade the crowd with their renditions of “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”, Beethoven’s “Ode To Joy” and “Estrillita”. In addition, the 40-minute show will feature all grade levels also contributing two songs.

Introduced by the Foundation in the fall of 2009, First Notes is a unique arts education program that puts musical instruments into the hands of Avon Elementary School students. Based on El Sistema, the Venezuelan youth orchestra system, this non-traditional method of teaching children to play music is introducing students to the world of live performance and the concept of achieving success through hard work, dedication, determination, and passion.

Along with family and friends, Dani Bedoni from El Sistema will also be in the audience to help celebrate the students’ progress. Bandoni was also on hand this past summer as the First Notes Orchestra shared the stage of the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater with internationally renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma for “Imagination Celebration”.

Members of the public wishing to attend the Avon Elementary Holiday Concert are requested to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the show as parking is limited at the school

Read More

Foundation Selects Holzfaster As Vice President Of Development

Following an intensive search process, the Vail Valley Foundation has selected Amy Holzfaster as the nonprofit organization’s new Vice President of Development. Holzfaster replaces Matt Spencer, who left the organization this past summer to become the CEO of the Colorado Mountain College Foundation.

Holzfaster comes to the Foundation from Roundup River Ranch, a provisional member of the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps, founded in 1988 by Paul Newman for children with serious illnesses, located near Sweetwater. While with Roundup River Ranch, she was a key member of the team that was able to complete a $20 million capital campaign and launch the inaugural annual giving campaign.

A graduate of the University of Nebraska, Holzfaster also brings development experience from the Children’s Hospital Foundation in Denver where she managed special events and annual giving programs as part of a $500 million comprehensive campaign that would support the building of the new hospital.

In addition, Holzfaster worked for Children’s Memorial Foundation in Chicago during the early phase of their $1 billion capital campaign, focusing on strategic planning, board development and major gifts.

Holzfaster will begin her duties with the Vail Valley Foundation on December 16.

Read More

Vail Valley Lodging, Dining and Retail Gift Certificates

Looking for some local Vail Valley gifts for that special someone this holiday season?


The Black Diamond Ball’s 2010 eBay auction will close in a few hours. There are some great deals (some might say steals) still to be had. Snowboards, luggage, apparel, and even some stays at some of the Vail Valley’s best resorts! This is it, after today, you’ll have to wait until the 2011 Black Diamond Ball for any deals as good as these!

The best part? All proceeds benefit the Vail Valley Foundation and help us to support Athletics, Culture and Education in the Vail Valley.

Click Here to view all items still available.

Read More

Support the Vail Valley Foundation with Colorado Gives Day

Today is Colorado Gives Day - a 24 hour drive to support our local charities. We are honored to be included in this launch and would love for you to learn more about the initiative and how you can help. Education is one of the three main pillars of our organization - through the programs we've helped create and implement, we hope to enhance the lives of children in the Vail Valley.



Celebrate the Beat: Celebrate the Beat exposes elementary school students to dance education by motivating them to believe in themselves, value artistic expression, develop creativity and teamwork, and instill a personal standard of excellence. Introduced through the Vail International Dance Festival by Damian Woetzel with Tracy Straus as Artistic Director, Celebrate the Beat provides 1,000 students in the Vail Valley the chance to dance.

First Notes: First Notes, a new arts education pilot program that launched in the fall 2009, has put musical instruments into the hands of Avon Elementary second and third graders. Based on El Sistema, the Venezuelan youth orchestra system, this non-traditional method of teaching children to play music is introducing students to the world of music, live performance, and the concept of achieving success through hard work, dedication, determination, and passion.

Sowing Seeds: Launched in January 2010 at Brush Creek Elementary School in Eagle; the Sowing Seeds program connects children to the environment, fosters understanding of the origin of food, and teaches responsibility through stimulating hands-on activities in the greenhouse. Teachers can use the resource-rich school gardens as a catalyst to discuss the food cycle, the natural environment, and making smart food choices. Students incorporate their gardening produce into the school cafeteria program and learn about food economics by selling plants and vegetables at the local farmer’s market.

Success at Six: Through Success at Six, the Vail Valley Foundation has provided funding for every at-risk student who wishes to attend an all-day, every day kindergarten school program. To date this program has benefited close to 550 students with need-based scholarships on a sliding scale; no child who wishes to attend is turned away.

Magic Bus: The Magic Bus, through a collaborative partnership with the Youth Foundation, provides two mobile preschool classrooms that travel to under-served neighborhoods and communities across Eagle County, bringing joy and instilling a love of learning to young children who are not enrolled in licensed preschools or daycare facilities. The Magic Bus serves approximately 360 children and 300 parents and caregivers.

College Scholarships: The Vail Valley Foundation has long been a leader in providing scholarship support to exemplary Eagle County students, with over $1.1 million awarded through 2009.

You can donate to VVF directly here - or visit www.givingfirst.org.

A helpful FAQ sheet on Colorado Gives Day can be found here.

Read More

Show us Your Birds of Prey Photos for a Chance to Win a Sprint Phone

If you were at the 2010 Audi Birds of Prey you likely took some incredible photos, we know we did.

Perhaps it was Ted Ligety's 1st place finish in the Giant Slalom, or, an autograph signing with a member of the U.S. Ski Team at the Eddie Bauer Mountain Jam. Maybe your best photo did not even happen in the Finish Stadium... it could have been captured skiing with the entire family on Beaver Creek Mountain.

Regardless of when or where your Audi Birds of Prey moment was captured, we want to see it. Share your pictures from Birds of Prey and you could be entered for a chance to win a free phone from Sprint. Click http://www.sprintepicmoments.com/ to submit.

Read More

2015 World Championships Venue Plans Finalized

Following close to a year of input, study, investigation and deliberation, organizers of the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships rolled out their final plan for competition and festival venues for the Championships on Tuesday evening at the weekly meeting of the Vail Town Council.

When the world returns to the Vail Valley in just four short years, Vail will serve as the hub of all World Championships’ Ceremonies and Festival Events, while Beaver Creek will play host to all of the racing action.

Under this plan, Vail’s Golden Peak will play host to Opening Ceremonies, all official medal ceremonies, the Festival Stadium with nightly functions and snowboard and freestyle exhibition events, along with the men’s Qualification Races for Giant Slalom and Slalom and national team training. Vail Village will also come alive with street concerts and parties, a big screen stadium, national team hospitality houses and athlete lodging.

The 13 days of training and racing will take place in Beaver Creek, complete with a new women’s Downhill racecourse adjacent to the current Birds of Prey men’s course, and an expanded Red Tail Finish Stadium. The ladies’ Giant Slalom and Slalom will be contested on a new course running down Raven Ridge that will also finish in the new Red Tail Stadium.

Plans for the new women’s Downhill course, the Raven Ridge expansion and the Red Tail enhancements have been submitted to the U.S. Forest Service for approval. If all goes well, the plan is to have everything complete by the fall of 2013.

The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships are scheduled from February 3 through February 15 of 2015. Athletes from over 70 nations are expected to attend, with an international television audience of close to 1 billion people.

Read More

U.S. Ski Team Members Talk To Stone Creek Charter School Students About Ski Racing...And Chocolate Milk

A cafeteria full of kids was transformed into a blur of tiny American flags and enthusiastic cheers Monday afternoon as U.S. Ski Team members Erik Fisher, Andrew Weibrecht, Steven Nyman, Marco Sullivan, and Travis Ganong made their entrance for a rescheduled visit to Stone Creek Charter School in Avon. Originally scheduled for last Tuesday, the school visit was postponed when FIS officials added a Downhill training run to the front end of the Audi Birds of Prey race program.

The athletes signed posters, gave an inside perspective to ski racing, and even danced for approximately 170 second through eighth graders (scroll down for a video recap of Marco Sullivan's "snow dance"). The students prepared questions for the five athletes, some of which were serious, while others were just down-right silly. Leave it to a group of 7-11 year olds to ask...

"Do you jump off of cliffs?"

"What do you do with your nerves before the race?"

and the best...

"Does drinking chocolate milk make you fast?"

In case you are curious, Marco answered that it does contain a good balance of protein and carbohydrates, which is ideal for a post-race recovery. The athletes also spoke of their love for Beaver Creek and having the opportunity to race on their "home turf," especially with the kids cheering for them at the bottom.

After answering questions, the boys signed posters, talked to the kids one-on-one, and handed out U.S. Ski Team and 2015 Vail/Beaver Creek World Championships stickers.

Read More

Ligety Takes Flight On Audi Birds Of Prey Giant Slalom

There were two stories that unfolded Sunday at the 2010 Audi Birds of Prey World Cup Giant Slalom, both worthy of headlines and both bringing smiles to the large crowd assembled in Beaver Creek for the races.
For the home country fans, the first story centered around U.S. Ski Team member Ted Ligety. The 26-year-old from Park City, Utah, took flight on the Birds of Prey, posting the fastest time on both runs to win the Audi Birds of Prey Giant Slalom, outdistancing runner-up Kjetil Jansrud of Norway, while Austria’s Marcel Hirscher claimed the third place spot.
For Ligety, the win vaulted him to the top step of the podium for the first time in Beaver Creek after second, third and fourth place Giant Slalom finishes over the past three seasons. The victory also marked the sixth of his career, all in Giant Slalom.
“It’s obviously great to win,” explained Ligety, “and it’s even better to win in the U.S. I really attacked in both runs because I didn’t want to give this one away.”

The American did indeed put the pedal to the metal in the second run. Leading by 36 hundredths of a second after one, Ligety extended that lead to 82 hundredths in the final standings.

The day’s second story appealed to all fans of ski racing as Switzerland’s Daniel Albrecht stepped into the starting gate of his first World Cup race since sustaining life threatening injuries in a Downhill training run crash in January of 2009 in Kitzbuhel, Austria.

The Red Tail Finish Stadium erupted in a roar when Albrecht crossed the finish line in the first run, eventually finding himself in 17th position and qualifying for the second run. The assembled trainers and athletes in the coach’s corral applauded as well before offering hugs and high fives to the Swiss racer.


Albrecht ended the day in 21st position in the final rankings, earning himself the first World Cup race points in 22 months. Prior to his accident Albrecht had captured a pair of Audi Birds of Prey races during the 2007 event.

When a Birds of Prey race official offered congratulations, Albrecht replied, “I love Beaver Creek. It is a very special place for me.”

Other American finishes on the day included Tim Jitloff in 23rd position, Warner Nickerson in 24th and Bode Miller in 27th.

The 2011 Audi Birds of Prey World Cup Race Week is slated for December 2-4, with Downhill, Super-G and Giant Slalom again on tap.

Read More

Giant Slalom Race Notes from the U.S. Ski Team

Enjoy today's Audi Birds of Prey Giant Slalom notes from the US Ski Team's Alpine Press Officer Doug Haney. First run is slated for 9:45am.

GIANT SLALOM RACE NOTES FROM DOUG HANEY:
We could race this hill all year. In the Team Captains meeting Sasha thanked the organizing committee on making these races kick so much butt. He wasn't speaking for himself. The other coaches in the room from Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Norway, dot, dot dot all nodded their heads and clapped. So did I. Beaver Creek is sweet.

The boys had a line up the stairs and out the door for an autograph signing last night at the Vilar Center. Now it's time to put on a show.

It's the GS day and the boys are jacked. Me thinks it's time for a little redemption. Here's the notes:

Beaver Creek, CO – Men's Giant Slalom:
Ted doesn't dwell on things. He tapped my shoulder last night while I was standing at a hip high table in the middle of the Ford Hall lobby. "How'd the chicks do," he asked. My laptop was open. Aksel, Kjetil, Shred and I then watched Linsdey's run from Lake Louise. "That was cool," said Ted, "we'll get some highlights tomorrow." Yes you will my friend. Ted drew bib 5.

In the last four GS races at Birds, Ted has been in the top four – podium twice. I like those odds. In oh eight he was .01 from the top step – it's still one of my favorite runs:



After he throws it down today, I'm calling the folks at Nestle to get this guy on a box of Shredded Wheat.

Bode will have plenty of time today to see what's fast. He runs 32. During yesterday's super G, he was easily one of the fastest guys up top and was charging the line for the win. That won't change today. What will is that he'll see over a dozen more runs before he goes. This hill is not easy. Seeing where other guys throw out the anchor really helps.

Warner Nickerson, President and CEO of Team Awesome runs directly after Bode. I like Warner, he's another New Hampshire guy and is training like mad to get a spot at the World Champs. He's also a pretty good sailor – who knew? My crystal ball sez he's in the points today.

There were a couple of NorAm GS races earlier this week in Aspen. T. Ford went 3-1. OK, so it was a NorAm…but take a look at who was running. His win was in front of Grange, Fanara, Shoerghofer, Neureuther. Today will be fun.

Nolan Kasper, Will Gregorak and Tim Jitloff all on deck today too. Batter up.

Race times are 9:45 a.m. and 12:45. Racer inspection is early. Jury even earlier. Cloudy and maybe some light snow at the Beav. We're on.


Onward,

Doug Haney
Alpine Press Officer
U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association

Read More

Austria's Streitberger Masters Audi Birds Of Prey Super-G

Birds of Prey showed its teeth on Saturday as Austria’s Georg Streitberger mastered a tough Super-G course set to claim the second victory of his career at the Audi Birds of Prey World Cup Race Week in Beaver Creek.

Set by Streitberger’s coach, the course claimed 19 of the 69 starters, including Americans Bode Miller, Marco Sullivan, Andrew Weibrecht and Ted Ligety. The course featured a pair of tricky gates set at the Screech Owl and Harrier jumps.

Running early with bib 6, the 29-year-old from Maishofen negotiated the Super-G set in a time of 1:17.18, 11 hundredths of a second ahead of runner-up Adrien Theaux of France and 13 hundredths ahead of Swiss veteran Didier Cuche in third.

“It was good to run early today,” explained Streitberger. “The course was so turny that it got harder to hold a good line for the later racers.”

The result marked the first career podium appearance for Theaux, while Cuche credited a mistake prior to the entrance to Golden Eagle for slowing him down enough to make the first tricky gate set.

“Without that mistake,” offered Cuche,” I wouldn’t be sitting here at the press conference. I would have done the same thing all the other guys did when they went out.”

Top American on the day proved to be Steven Nyman in 25th position, while teammate Travis Ganong just missed World Cup points with his 31st place showing.


By virtue of the win, Streitberger takes over the World Cup Super-G points lead, while also moving into third position in the World Cup overall standings behind teammates Mario Scheiber and Michael Walchhofer.

The 2010 Audi Birds of Prey World Cup concludes tomorrow with Giant Slalom racing action. The first run is scheduled for a 9:45 a.m. start, with the second run on tap at 12:45 p.m.

Catch the photos here:

Read More

Svindal's Winning Super G Run from 2008

Aksel Lund Svindal
2008 Birds of Prey
Photo (C) Jonathan Selkowitz

The last time we ran the Super G at the Audi Birds of Prey was 2008. It was an exciting day on the Birds of Prey with Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal taking top honors followed by Austria's Hermann Maier.

Take a trip down memory lane below and relive both of their top runs from 2008.

Who will win today? Join us at 11am in Beaver Creek to see for yourself.

AKSEL LUND SVINDAL - 2008 SG FIRST PLACE:


HERMANN MAIER - 2008 SG SECOND PLACE:

Read More

Super G Race Notes from the US Ski Team

Every day at the Audi Birds of Prey we get a little inspiration from the US Ski Team's Alpine Press Officer Doug Haney. Enjoy his notes for today below... thanks Doug. The Super G is slated for 11am today...

SUPER G RACE NOTES FROM DOUG HANEY:
If the War Horse says the panels on top of The Brink where laying on the snow then it's too windy to race. I believe him.

OK, so it's a bummer we didn't go yesterday, but here's what I saw. The stands were packed tighter than the fine china in your attic that you never use. So many people were on the snow I had to channel Barry Sanders to get from the press room to the finish area. The energy of the Marco Sullivan fan club was spilling (along with some other things) over to everyone within a 200 meter radius. That place was loud and stoked for ski racing.

Hey Kelly Ladyga, is it too early to book lodging for 2015?

The wind is ausgeschieden, but we may be looking at some snow. Regardless, the guys are like a five-year-old after a pixi stick binge – bring on the Birds. Here's the notes:

Beaver Creek, CO – Men's Super G
Bode is pretty mellow until about five seconds before he pushes out of the gate. I saw him after inspection yesterday and could see that he already knew the fate of the race. He's been around the block a few times. All he said was, "we're ready to go, but I don't think the wind is going to let us." The wind is the only thing that's changed today. He runs 15.

We haven't had a super G at Birds since '08. And at that time, I think the podium went Svindal, Maier, Walchhofer. I can guarantee one of those guys won't be on the podium today – I'm just that good. I remember this race pretty clearly. Shred tied for 7th and everyone was like – whoa, so I guess he's getting faster in speed. He was, but he faster today. This super G hill was built for a guy like him. Plus there's 70 plus pint sized Park City Ski Team rippers with neon helmets on their way here right now. They want to see him kill this hill. I do too. Teddy goes 30.

Sully and Horse are back-to-back with two-six, two-seven. That's not ideal, but if they both put together spectacular runs, it's really fun for the fans. No doubt Bode will radio up an exact play-by-play of every snow crystal before they go. I'll hold the radio and try to tape it to share after the race – can't have that kind of knowledge in enemy hands.

Travis, Steven, Fish, Chris Frank and T. Ford are also in the booth for this one. I met Chris a couple of days ago – he looks oddly similar to Will Gregorak, minus the friar tuck haircut of course. He's the NorAm super G champion and may never have had a training run on this hill. I love surprises. Go get it Chris.

So far, we're green lighted for an 11 a.m. MT start and since we didn't do the DH, this one is going on NBC tomorrow at 2 p.m. ET. If anything changes in the schedule, we'll Tweet ya.


Onward,
Doug Haney
Alpine Press Officer
U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association

Read More

High Winds Take Down Audi Birds Of Prey World Cup Downhill

Instead of the world’s best ski racers flying down the hill at Beaver Creek, it was sponsor banners flying up the hill as high winds took down Friday’s Audi Birds of Prey World Cup Downhill competition.

Scheduled for an 11 a.m. start, the start of the race was moved down to the Super-G start as wind gusts as high as 50 mph buffeted the top of Beaver Creek Mountain.
The race was initially postponed one half hour before being rescheduled for an attempt at a 1:30 p.m. start. The Downhill was finally cancelled at 1:30 p.m. when the race jury determined that the final 2 p.m. start time was “undoable” as steady 20-30 mph winds, interspersed with 40 mph gusts continued throughout the morning and afternoon.

There is no word as to when or where the Downhill will be made up, but Saturday’s Audi Birds of Prey schedule will feature the Super-G race, with Giant Slalom on tap for Sunday.

Read More

FREE Warren Miller movie, ice skating, autographs and MORE!

The 2010-11 ski season is off to a great start and the last thing any skier would think about doing is angering the snow gods. Fear not, your opportunity to celebrate winter is just around the corner as the 2010 Audi FIS Birds of Prey World Cup Race Week brings its Public Celebration to Beaver Creek on Saturday evening, December 4.

The festivities start at 3pm with the Eddie Bauer Mountain Jam in the heart of Beaver Creek Village. Free family activities will include ice skating and ice games on the Black Family Ice Rink, a live DJ, photo booth, concessions and plenty of Eddie Bauer giveaways. The Mountain Jam will conclude at 5:50pm as fireworks light up the sky over Beaver Creek.

After the Eddie Bauer Mountain Jam, head indoors to the Vilar Performing Arts Center for U.S. Ski Team autographs, Maui Jim and Vail Resorts Epic Pass giveaways, the public pick bib presentation (featuring U.S. athlete Ted Ligety and other top racers) and a FREE screening of Warren Miller's amazing new ski movie Wintervention.

Be sure to head to the Vilar Center early, with only 530 seats, the theater is sure to fill up quickly!

WATCH THE WINTERVENTION MOVIE TRAILER:

Read More

Austria's Grugger Captures Final Birds Of Prey Training Run

Austria may be poised to reclaim some valuable turf on Friday as Hans Grugger captured the final training run on the eve of tomorrow’s 2010 Audi Birds of Prey World Cup Downhill, while teammate and current Overall World Cup leader Mario Scheiber placed third.

Grugger, the 28-year-old from Bad Hofgastein, outdistanced runner-up Christof Innerhofer of Italy by 18 hundredths of a second, while Scheiber’s time proved to be 22 hundredths off his teammate’s pace.

Austria’s Michael Walchhofer shared the lead in Wednesday’s abbreviated training, while also claiming a win in the opening World Cup Downhill in Lake Louise last weekend.

Since Birds of Prey opened to the world in 1997, an Austrian has stood on the top step of the Downhill podium in Beaver Creek six times, although the last time came in 2007, courtesy of Walchhofer, who has announced his plans to retire at the conclusion of this season. The Austrian men were without a Downhill victory all of last winter.



Top U.S. finish on the day belonged to Bode Miller, with a fourth place showing, 23 hundredths off the pace, while Travis Ganong was 30th. Switzerland’s Didier Cuche, Tuesday’s training run winner, placed fifth, while the next wave of Austrians, including Klaus Kroell, Georg Streitberger and Walchhofer, occupied sixth, seventh and eighth place spots respectively.

Friday’s Audi Birds of Prey Downhill race is scheduled for an 11 a.m. start, with the Red Tail stadium free and open to the public. The remainder of the 2010 Audi Birds of Prey World Cup Weekend will consist of World Cup Super-G on Saturday and World Cup Giant Slalom on Sunday.

Check out all the Audi Birds of Prey action at www.bcworldcup.com.

Photos from today's events:

Read More

Audi Birds of Prey Photo of the Day

Forerunner Max Marno
Photo (C) 2010 Jonathan Selkowitz

Special thanks goes out to photographer Jonathan Selkowitz for sending us yesterday's Audi Birds of Prey photo of the day.

He captured forerunner Max Marno in the photo above before the training run was canceled after 45 racers due to poor visibility.

It's a beautiful day for racing here in Beaver Creek today for Downhill Training scheduled for 11am...

Read More

Mother Nature Derails Second Birds Of Prey Downhill Training Run

Austria’s Michael Walchhofer and Italy’s Peter Fill may have posted the fastest time midway through Wednesday’s second Downhill training run in Beaver Creek, but it was Mother Nature who ultimately prevailed as a temperature inversion and poor visibility derailed training after 45 of the scheduled 79 racers had left the start. According to FIS rules, the second Audi Birds of Prey training run will be officially listed as partial.

The inversion started to become a factor approximately 20 racers into the training run, as warmer temperatures on the top of the Birds of Prey racecourse caused water to form on the racers’ goggles. Once the racers passed the Pump House section of the course, the temperature dropped dramatically, causing an ice glaze to form on their goggles.

The race jury stopped the run for approximately one hour, waiting for a light snow to move out of the area and hopefully balance out the temperatures. The training run was restarted with racer 22, Andrej Sporn of Slovenia, before finally being cancelled after another 23 racers had gone.

Walchhofer, who captured the World Cup Downhill in Lake Louise last weekend, was tied with Fill, with identical times of 1:48.34, while Austrian teammate Hans Grugger held down the third place training spot, 6 hundredths of a second off the pace.

Top U.S. finisher on the abbreviated day was Travis Ganong of Squaw Valley, California, who placed seventh, while Bode Miller was 11th. Other U.S. finishers included Steven Nyman in 12th and Andrew Weibrecht in 13th.

The 2010 Audi Birds of Prey schedule calls for a final Downhill training run on Thursday, with the Birds of Prey Downhill on tap for 11 a.m. on Friday, December 3.

Read More

Doris Dewton Tabbed As Vail Valley Foundation Volunteer Of The Year

One of the true Vail Valley champions of education on all levels will be recognized for her numerous contributions to others December 3 when Doris Dewton is honored by the Vail Valley Foundation as the 2010 Ernie Bender Volunteer of the Year. The award is named for the dedicated long-time race crew volunteer who passed away in the summer of 2000.

The award will be presented at the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch during the annual Black Diamond Ball, held in conjunction with the 2010 Audi FIS Birds of Prey World Cup Race Week festivities.

A cum laude graduate of Bryn Mawr College in Political Science in 1969, with a master’s in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas in Austin the following year, Dewton worked for 11 years in the U.S. Department of Energy and various predecessor agencies. She would ultimately direct the petroleum allocation programs during the 1970’s , serving as the Assistant Administrator for Petroleum Operations of the Economic Regulatory Administration of the Department of Energy.

She also chaired an organization of 45 petroleum experts from around the world that served as an advisory board for NATO in Brussels, while additionally acting as Director of Government Relations for the National Petroleum Refiner’s Association, which represents all of the refiners and most of the petrochemical companies in the United States.

Dewton “retired” to Colorado in 1994, although one would be hard pressed to prove that point, given her countless volunteer activities over the course of the past 15 years.

“When I started to put together the list of things I’ve been involved with,” offered Dewton, “I understand why my retirement from ‘work’ hasn’t really felt like retirement.”

An eight-year member of the board of Vail International Dance Festival trustees for Colorado Mountain College, she served as president of that board for six of those years, while also chairing the search committee for a new president for the college. She is currently a member of the Colorado Mountain College Foundation, chairing the Scholarship Committee, which has awarded approximately 60 scholarships to CMC students to assist in the cost of their tuition and books.

In addition, Dewton has been a volunteer usher for the Vilar Performing Arts Center since the theatre’s opening and a volunteer for the Vail Valley Foundation since the 1999 World Alpine Ski Championships, with event experience including the Birds of Prey World Cup, American Ski Classic, the and the Teva Mountain Games.

Read More

Marty Head Selected As Vail Valley Citizen Of The Year

Every community is defined by its members and every community needs a soul. Certain individuals help shape the nature of their community by the very nature of who and how they are, day in and day out.

A lifetime of achievement and promotion of the quality of life in the Vail Valley will be rewarded December 3 as Martha Head is honored as the 2010 recipient of the Vail Valley Foundation’s Vail Valley Citizen of the Year Award.

The award will be presented to Head at the Foundation’s annual Black Diamond Ball, held in conjunction with the Audi FIS Birds of Prey Men’s World Cup Race Week in Beaver Creek.

Head has been a vital part of the Vail community for many years. Born and raised in Kansas City, she is a graduate of St. Mary-of-the-Woods College. She first visited Vail in 1964 with her first husband, the late Jack Fritzlen, founder of CMI, Inc., an electronic law enforcement company.

In 1968, the Fritzlens bought a condominium at Riva Ridge South, in Vail Village; and in 1970, they became full-time Vail residents, moving to a penthouse condominium on Gore Creek Drive.

Following her husband’s passing in 1984, she married Howard Head, the innovative ski and tennis racket mogul and namesake for what is now the Howard Head Sports Medicine clinic at the Vail Valley Medical Center.

Howard died in 1991 and Head, a mother of three daughters — Lynn Fritzlen, Guerin Fritzlen Olsen and Marla Croke — and seven grandchildren, married Dr. John Feagin, a retired orthopedic surgeon, in 2005. Besides her involvement with the Vail Valley Foundation as a member of the nonprofit organization’s board of directors, Head has also been an integral member of the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens since its inception in 1988.

She remains an active supporter of many organizations and causes in the Vail Valley and elsewhere, including: Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival; Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame; Family Learning Center; the Vilar Performing Arts Center; St. Mary-of-the-Woods College; Notre Dame Business Advisory Council; Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute; and US Ski & Snowboard Team.

Read More