|
Contact: Troy Hawks
NSAA Communications
(720) 963-4215
thawks@nsaa.org
Sunday River Driver Wins NSAA’s Eastern Phatcat Challenge
Resort Groomers Compete Head to Head at Mount Snow.
 | Sunday River Vice President of Mountain Operations
Marvin Collins presents winning grooming operator Ronnie Mills with the $1000 Phatcat Challenge purse.
|
MOUNT SNOW, VT. – February 7, 2007 – Snow Grooming Operator Ronnie
Mills, a 28-year veteran at Maine’s Sunday River Ski Resort, took home top honors
in NSAA’s third annual Eastern Phatcat Challenge held at Mount Snow Resort, Vt.
For the win, Mills was awarded $1000, a Top Op Award, an official Phatcat vest
and other prizes. The Phatcat Challenge, sponsored by Mountain Uniforms and
Resorts Interactive with support from snowcat manufacturers PistenBully and
Prinoth, is designed to test the skills of ski resort grooming operators nationwide.
In the competition, grooming operators were challenged to navigate a slalom
course flagged with several tight cornering situations while pushing a tractor
tire; to groom a blade-to-grade feature that simulated a chairlift unloading ramp;
and to perform straight passes that tested drivers’ ability to create a uniform,
smooth snow surface.
Taking second place was Scott Webster, of Killington, Vt., and tying
for third place was Alan Robinson of Mount Snow and Simon Richard of Mont-Sainte-Anne,
in Canada. Winners of the Western Phatcat Challenge held at Vail Mountain, Colo.,
in January were Beaver Creek Grooming Operator Chuck Davis, taking first, with Wil
Brown, of Vail Mountain taking second and third place went to Mark Gressett of Aspen.
The events were held in conjunction with NSAA’s annual Winter Conference
and Tradeshows. Before hitting the course, competitors attended a snow surface
management workshop that discussed the industry’s best practice grooming solutions
focused on providing a high-quality snow surface for skiers and riders. For more
information, log on to nsaa.org.
THE NATIONAL SKI AREAS ASSOCIATION, LOCATED IN LAKEWOOD, COLO., IS A TRADE ASSOCIATION FORMED IN 1962 FOR SKI AREA OWNERS AND OPERATORS NATIONWIDE.
###
|
