Beaver Creek to Host Men + Women's Canceled French Races

The 2011 Audi Birds of Prey World Cup Race Week just became plural as snow conditions in Val d’Isere, France have not dramatically improved.  Therefore, FIS officials have put together a Plan B, which stands for Beaver Creek.

FIS Race Director Guenter Hujara announced Wednesday afternoon that the resort will now play host to a trio of World Cup men’s and ladies’ competitions next week, December 6-8.  The races will include Men’s Giant Slalom on Tuesday, December 6; Women’s Super-G on Wednesday, December 7; and Men’s Slalom on Thursday, December 8.

“While we don’t ever want to hope for another organizer to lose races,” explained Ceil Folz, President of the Vail Valley Foundation, “picking up these events is certainly an added bonus for our community.  We have a long track record of hosting transplanted races and it is a pleasure to be able to step in once again and help the FIS in this regard.” 

With the additional races, it would mark the first time that the World Cup women will have the opportunity to race on the Birds of Prey course.  The last time the ladies raced in Vail or Beaver Creek was during the 1999 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships.

“We all thought that the first time we would see Lindsey Vonn racing in Beaver Creek would be in 2013 with the test event for our new ladies Downhill course,” offered Folz.  “We couldn’t be more excited about the potential of not only seeing Lindsey compete here this year, but also on Birds of Prey.”

Designed by Swiss Olympian Bernhard Russi, Birds of Prey celebrated its coming out party in December of 1997.  Since then, only Men’s World Cup races have been contested on the renowned racecourse.

- John Dakin 

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99 World Championships Medalist Joins Talon Crew as Audi Birds of Prey Course Volunteer

Beaver Creek’s Birds of Prey racecourse holds special significance for former World Cup ski racer Marco Buechel of Liechtenstein. After all, the 40-year-old started racing Super-G, and eventually Downhill, at Birds of Prey in 2000…on a bet.

“I can’t even remember what the bet was for,” Buechel reminisced several years ago. “It was probably for beer. However, I do remember that I won that bet. It was that I couldn’t finish in the top 30 and I was 23rd.”

Retired following the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, Buechel has been filling his winter months still following the White Circus of the World Cup, this time around as a television field commentator for Germany’s ZDF.

However, for the upcoming Audi Birds of Prey World Cup races December 2-4, Buechel will watch the competition from a different vantage point, trading his race skis and microphone for a shovel as a member of the Talon Crew, the volunteer racecourse team for Birds of Prey.

It seems that Aaron Humphrey, the Chief Gate Judge for the Beaver Creek races, spends his spare time volunteering at other major international ski events around the globe. Through this “hobby”, he became friends with Buechel and invited him to join the Talon Crew this season.

“We’ll have BBQ going at the start, so bring your stomach,” wrote Humphrey in an email to Buechel.

“I wouldn’t mind to help you guys out at the Talon Turn on Wednesday (November 30),” Buechel wrote back, “with a shovel in the hand. Might be an interesting experience for me. BBQ at the start sounds very good.”

The Liechtensteiner, who was actually born in Switzerland, first burst onto the Vail Valley scene during the 1999 World Alpine Ski Championships when he captured the silver medal in Giant Slalom. The master of the moment, he would subsequently hang up on the Prince of Liechtenstein during a congratulatory cell phone call before telling the assembled media during his press conference that if he had been on the Austrian team and waited so long to win a medal, “he would have been renting beach chairs by now.”

But his local exploits would not end there. Just three years following his Beaver Creek bet, Buechel found himself at the bottom of the Birds of Prey racecourse with the lead in the World Cup Super-G. Out came the cell phone again and he provided play-by-play for his wife in Florida as skier after skier was unable to better his time. Finally, Switzerland’s Didier Cuche knocked Buechel into the runner-up position to the dismay of everyone in the stadium.

During the course of his 14-year World Cup career, Buechel participated in a record-tying six Olympic Winter Games and set the record as the oldest winner of a World Cup race in 2008 with a Super-G victory in Kitzbuhel, Austria at the age of 36 years, 75 days.

Ironically, Cuche would bump him from the top step of the podium once again, claiming a World Cup Downhill win in 2011, also in Kitzbuhel, at the age of 36 years, 159 days. He extended that record even further last weekend with his Downhill victory in Lake Louise.

Buechel retired from the World Cup following the Super-G competition at the World Cup Finals in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany in March of 2010, celebrating his final race by wearing a tuxedo jacket with black Bermuda shorts. As he made his final trip down a World Cup racecourse, he made numerous stops to high-five various coaches and trainers.

MARCO BUECHEL:
2008 BOP DH 2nd Place

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Tuesday Downhill Training Canceled - Course Needs A Little Work

This post is from ski racing guru and VP of Communications for the VVF, John Dakin.

There is an old saying in ski racing that “Downhill is a case of hurry up and wait”.

The world’s best men’s ski racers will have to wait one more day to tackle Beaver Creek’s Birds of Prey racecourse as today’s opening day of Downhill training was cancelled by the race jury in order to rework an upper section of the track.  Tuesday’s training run was an add-on to the original schedule in an effort to anticipate a potential storm system later in the week.

The section in question runs from the Super-G start to The Pump House in the upper one-third of the course.  The concern was also voiced by U.S. Ski Team racer Bode Miller, who is serving as the athlete liaison to the jury for these races, along with other competitors.

The training session was initially pushed back by half an hour to see if course crews could shave enough of the rollers in the section by hand and the racers were given a second inspection pass on the hill.

Ultimately, the jury decided to rework the section with machines during the afternoon and evening, controlling the speed and helping to ensure the safety of the competitors.

The schedule remains unchanged for Wednesday, with a second Downhill training run on tap for 11 a.m.

- John Dakin

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JTK's Top Picks in the VPAC Winter 11-12 Line Up

This blog post is written by Julie Tomlinson-Kapala (JTK*), one of our talented marketing gurus. She handles everything for the VPAC and is looking forward to the Winter season!

1.    Brandi Carlile – Wed. Dec. 7 at 7pm
She’s on her first ever solo acoustic tour and selling out venues across the country.  I’ve never seen her perform live, but this woman is on fire right now, I can’t wait to hear her on stage in Beaver Creek.



2.    Pilobolus – Thurs. Jan. 19 at 7:30pm
Tickets are going fast for this one!  I saw Pilobolus perform on “America’s Best Talent” in August and I was in awe as I watched the dancers move their bodies from one intricate and shadow-like pose to the next.



3.    Diavolo Dance Theatre – Tues. Feb. 7 at 7:30pm
Their name was formed from two words, the Greek “dia” meaning from point to point and the Latin “volo” which means I fly.  This is the perfect definition for this dance troupe that combines acrobatics and gymnastics, with large-scale sets and props.



4.    Henson Alternative “Stuffed & Unstrung” – Wed. Feb. 15 at 7:30pm
Brian Henson’s (son of the late Jim Henson) improv showwith 6 comedians and 80 puppets and plenty of opportunities for audience input.This show is 100% uncensored, not your ordinary puppet show, so leave the kids at home.



5.    Rock of Ages– Wed. Feb. 29 at 7:30pm
As a child of the ‘80s I grew up listening to all of the songs in this musical. 
From Journey to White Snake to Night Ranger, all of the hairband greats are covered in this rock ‘n’ roll tale of a “small town girl livin’ in a lonely world…”



*JTK is not a professional theatre critic, but is a fan of the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek. Her only claim to fame (on stage) is playing Louisa von Trapp in the musical “The Sound of Music” in 10th grade.    

To pick your top 5 VPAC season picks, visit vilarpac.org.

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Sowing Seeds Snapshots and Upcoming Harvest Dinner with Kelly Liken!

With Thanksgiving around the corner, it's the perfect time to update you on all of the produce our Sowing Seeds kids have been harvesting this fall! Sandy Story, director of Sowing Seeds, sent us these photos and captions to help paint a picture of what's happening in the world of our little gardeners.

This is Drew, a 2nd grader at BCES.  Each week the 2nd grade class spends time harvesting the cherry tomatoes for the lunchroom salad bar.

Late October - the 4th grade class at Edwards Elementary cleaned out the vegetable debris in the newly planted raised beds.  They are excited about composting and how the compost bin works. 

Sutton Delong, 2nd grader at BCES harvest the pickling cucumber for the classroom lesson on pickles.  Each student made a jar of refrigerator pickles to take home.

Sam has been visting the greenhouse for 2 years so he has become quite the expert on seed tray planting.  It is his favorite activity in the greenhouse! And he is really very good at it.

These girls just finished harvesting one of the enormous pumpkins growing in the greenhouse and are enjoying a snack of strawberries while they carefully plant the next tomato crop.

Next week, Kelly Liken, executive chef and owner of Restaurant Kelly Liken, will be creating an exquisite four-course menu for the Sowing Seeds Harvest Dinner on Sunday, December 4. Your seat at the dinner will help us reach our goal of $50,000 to allow for new greenhouses and ensure that Sowing Seeds reaches every part of our Valley. Sue and Jim Liken along with Margie and Tom Gart will match donations up to $25,000, and kids from the program will be present to share their experiences and enthusiasm! RSVP is required by November 23, please email Lindsey Myers at lmyers@vvf.org to let us know if you plan to attend!

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80s + Hip Hop + Dance Party + Winter Mountain Games = Yes Please

When you think of the Teva Mountain Games, what comes to mind first? For me, it's a dog flying off the Eukanuba Dock Dogs deck in slow motion, slobber streaming from his mouth and eyes focused intently on the zooming ball ahead - followed by a giant splash into the water below. For you, it might be the elite bouldering crew at the IFSC World Championships or maybe just the endless line of free stuff in Expo Row (hey, we all love free stuff).

Now, with the Winter Teva Mountain Games presented by Eddie Bauer on the horizon, you can fill your brain with ice climbers, snowshoeing, big air bike tricks, hot chocolate,  skiing the Back Bowls with a chance to win a thousand bones, and, as of this week - an amazing FREE CONCERT LINEUP!

The music component to the Games has been one of my favorite parts of the summer weekend and I am even more excited about the winter version. We booked two contrasting and awesome bands for February 10 and 11, 2012.


Introducing... THE SPAZMATICS!

I don't know if it's just me, but put people in spandex and some 80s jams on the microphone and it becomes an insta-party. And The Spazmatics are not just any 80s band, they really are the epitome of the era. You should just watch for yourself. And yes, costumes are encouraged. Do it.





Saturday night, clear your schedule for THEOPHILUS LONDON!

It's THEE-AH-FULL-US, by the way. I stumbled on that the first time too, it's okay. To be honest, I hadn't heard of him before. But then I found out this hip-hop genius had a ridiculous international following and his music has been in quite a few things. I am now obsessed. I love his style and the way he combines so many genres into one unique record. Plus, imagine him LIVE and amped up in Vail Village under the lights following the Teva Best Trick Bike presented by Thule... oh yes.




What are you most excited about? We'll have a video in a few days from Opening Day at Vail Mountain to show you just how excited people are about this event (shouting and dancing included). And, don't forget to check our Facebook page frequently, we're ALL about the giveaways!

Here's to the Winterized ATHLETES. ART. MUSIC. MOUNTAINS!

- Social and sometimes sassy Melissa

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Birds of Prey Racecourse Ready to Rock!

Thursday morning, Birds of Prey Chief of Race Greg Johnson skied top-to-bottom on Beaver Creek’s infamous Men’s Downhill racecourse.  So what’s the big deal you may be asking yourself?

Well…that run may well have been the earliest such a ski down has ever taken place as ideal snowmaking temperatures and snowstorms, courtesy of Mother Nature, over the course of the past month has left Birds of Prey in such excellent condition that the International Ski Federation (FIS) today waived their normal snow control inspection, giving organizers two thumbs up for the December 2-4 races.

Johnson sent a message to FIS Men’s Chief Race Director GuenterHujara on Wednesday stating that “the resort is 99 percent complete with snowmaking for this year’s events. There is zero chance we will have issues with the event given the forecast we have currently. I believe this is the best we have ever done relative to so many years of snow control.”

Hujara responded on Friday with a message of his own that said, “Based on the excellent current snow conditions in Beaver Creek, everything is ready and the 2011 Audi FIS Ski World Cup races on the Birds of Prey are confirmed.The races could take place this weekend.  We very much look forward to returning to Beaver Creek where this year's World Cup events will also serve as one of the important steps towards the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in 2015."

The 2011 Audi Birds of Prey World Cup Race Week gets underway Wednesday, November 30, with Downhill Training.  Competition kicks off Friday, December 2, with the traditional Birds of Prey Downhill, followed by Super-G on Saturday, December 3.  The weekend’s racing will conclude with Giant Slalom on Sunday, December 4.

We were also understandably excited with the news.

“Our valued partners at Vail Resorts have certainly made the most of what Mother Nature has provided,” explained Michael Imhof, our Vice President of Sales and Operations for the Foundation.  “Thanks to the favorable snowmaking conditions and the natural snow we have received, everything is not only on track for a great weekend of racing at the Audi FIS Birds of Prey, but also for a great start to the ski season for everyone.”

Beaver Creek Resort is scheduled to open for the 2011-12 season next Wednesday, November 23.


- John Dakin



Last year's Best of Birds of Prey Photo Album

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