By Anya Tikka
BRIDGEVILLE — The first Bob Whipple Ski Race took place on Saturday at Holiday Mountain Ski and Fun Park in Bridgeville.
Organized by the Holiday Mountain Ski Club, the race was held in honor of Whipple, who passed away in December. He was the driving force behind many activities on the mountain. For more than 40 years, he owned and operated Bob Whipple Ski Shop near Holiday Mountain.
Members of the Ski Club and a visiting ski club from Connecticut, as well as adults, competed in morning and afternoon ski races. The competition was divided into men’s and women’s races for high school and other age categories. Both races had two runs.
Many members of the Holiday Mountain Ski Club, which is run by J.J. Pavese and Lisa Bittinger, come to ski on the mountain most days during the season, and some are part-time employees at the facility.
Becky Mitchell, a 16-year-old Monticello High School student, and Dan Hogue, 18, who went to Monticello High School and now goes to Orange County Community College, took part in the registration and award ceremonies. Both said they come to ski “pretty much every day.”
Both men’s and women’s races in each category were dominated by the same skiers. Corrine McGuire took gold in both the morning’s Giant Slalom and the afternoon’s Slalom Run. Haley Heins won both runs as well, and was named the Girls’ High School Athlete Award Winner. Both women naturally won the combined races as well.
“I’ve been skiing since I was 2 years old,” Heins said.
She said she comes to Holiday Mountain to ski every day. Although she’s doing well, Heins said she has no plans to become a professional skier.
Haley’s cousin, Ryan Heins, dominated the men’s high school races equally. He won the morning, afternoon and combined races and being the Boys’ High School Athlete Award winner. Chris Bates won gold in the morning, afternoon and combined races in the men’s “Everyone Else” category.
The Holiday Mountain Ski Club sometimes travels to other locations for races, and a trip to Windham Mountain was planned for Sunday.
Bob Whipple’s wife, Dr. Maureen Whipple, read a poem she’d written about him at the awards ceremony.
J.J. Pavese did the announcing for most of the races, except when he took to the slopes himself. He finished second in the afternoon and combined races.
Lisa Bittinger said the Holiday Mountain Ski Club is open to everyone of the appropriate school age. Linda Morgan, who owns the Morgan House Ski & Snowboard Shop at the entrance to the Holiday Mountain, said the mountain has friendly racing on Friday evenings, open to all, and it’s planning to expand to Saturdays as well.
The winners in each category were as follows:
Girls’ High School Giant Slalom
1. Haley Heins 2. Kassie Thelman
3. Sarah Coney
Girls’ High School Slalom
1. Haley Heins 2. Sarah Coney
3. Kassie Thelman
Girls’ High School Combined
1. Haley Heins 2. Sarah Coney
3. Kassie Thelman
Women’s All Others Giant Slalom 1. Corrine McGuire, 2. Lisa Bittinger, 3. Emily Harrington
Women’s All Others Slalom
1. Corrine McGuire 2. Lisa Bittinger
3. Maria Pavese
Women’s “All Others” Combined
1. Corrine McGuire 2. Lisa Bittinger
3. Maria Pavese
Boys’ High School Giant Slalom
1. Ryan Heins 2. Alex Wood
3. Will Coates
Boys’ High School Slalom
1. Ryan Heins 2. Alec Wood
3. Will Coates
Boys’ High School Combined
1. Ryan Heins 2. Alec Wood
3. Will Coates
Men’s All Others Giant Slalom
1. Chris Bates 2. Joshua Meddaugh
3. Bjorn Egenes
Men’s All Others Slalom
1. Chris Bates 2. J.J. Pavese
3. Bjorn Egenes
Men’s “All Others” Combined
1. Chris Bates 2. J.J. Pavese
3. Bjorn Egenes.