Viva Las Vegas

What happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas - good place to have the SIA (Snowsports Industries of America) Buying show! Or at least it was. Next year the show will move to Denver and some feel it will never be the same. The final SIA Buying Show is in winding down and when it closes it will mark the passing of an era.

The ski industry was just gaining national momentum when the buying show was moved from New York to Las Vegas. The entire industry seemed to be as golden as the coins spilling out of the slot machines. The vendors spent more and more money trying to woo and wow buyers. Each year the booths got bigger and crazier. They added music, dancers and it was all about selling the sizzle. Buying for a ski and snowboard shop was much more exciting in a two story tiki bar. Everyone in the industry was having fun.

The sobering fact is though that over the past few years the industry has been changing - changing so fast that we barely have time to analyse and evaluate how to move with it, how to stay in business and it is tough to foresee how things will all shake out in the end.

With the show moving from Las Vegas it is a chance for everyone in the industry to wake up from the party, figure out where we are and find a cab to take us home - and hope that we haven't been locked out.

What A Winter!

When I took Dylan to his GS race two weeks ago the temp in my car read 18 degrees below zero. We have had several school delays and today school has been canceled due to the huge snow and ice storm that is hitting the East Coast. It was my original intention to throw the kids in the car and head to the mountain but at this point the drive would be too hairy.

The kids have another race this weekend and while I'm hoping it won't be as cold this time I have to admit I'm enjoying having a 'real' winter after so many warm ones. All in all it has been a fun winter - wild extremes but tons of fun. Here's to hot drinks and cold nights!

See ya on the slopes!

Kjerstin

Rockin' and Rollin' At Seven Springs

It has been an amazing 10 days at Seven Springs! There has been so much going on I couldn't get to it all!

Last Saturday WPRC held the Snow Capitol GS and when I got up to get my racers to the hill it was -18 degrees! President Ken Fedorek was contacted by many of the parents to find out if the race would still be held - his answer? "Well, it is a winter sport."

It turned out to be an incredible race with racers coming from Ohio, Maryland and all over Pennsylvania.

The weather only warmed up a little by mid week when Willi's hosted the annual Head Women's Day. Lisa Densmore signed autographs as the ladies gathered to head out for a day on the hill.

Starting with a wine and cheese party the night before and closing with coctails Apres Ski the event was focused on the lifestyle of skiing as much as skiing itself. The ladies were treated to lessons with the Seven Springs instructors and worked in groups with Lisa throughout the day. As cold as it was everyone had a blast.

By Friday night the temperature was back down below zero but that didn't stop all of the weekend events. WPRC Alpine Team hosted a two day PA Cup slalom race on Saturday and Sunday while the Freestyle Team tore it up with a two day, UPMC sponsored Mogul Challenge.

Sandwiched in between was the kick off of the Red Bull Buttercup - a new contest series on the East Coast. The lights were on and the tricks were hot.

This next weekend WPRC will hold the CTR GS so hold on to your hat - there's is more to come!

See ya on the slopes!

Kjerstin

Wine, Cheese, Fashion and Skis!

Last night's wine and cheese party and fashion show kicked off the 2009 Willi's Head Women's Day at Springs Springs. The ladies were treated to a fabulous day of skiing today and will be joining each other for Apres Ski in the Maple room shortly.

Many of the participants skiied on demos from Head's '08-'09 women's ski collection and everyone enjoyed their lessons with th Seven Springs instructors and skiing sensation Lisa Densmore.

This years event was completely booked so if you missed it make sure to get in on it next year!

Thanks to everyone who joined us and check back here for pictures - I'll have them posted soon!

See ya on the slopes!

Kjerstin

Willi's Line Rail Jam At Seven Springs

Here is a little taste of the few pix I took at the Willi's Line Rail Jam held at Seven Springs outside of the Foggy Goggle on Decembe 20th, 2008.

Check out the rest of the photos

Willi's Line Rail Jam At Seven Springs and leave me some comments - I'd love for someone to enter the names of the competitors as I did not get a chance to personally meet them all!

Thanks to everyone who came out to compete that day and hope to see you at the Salomon Jib Academy!

See ya on the slopes!

Kjerstin

Taking A Breather!

I am finally taking a second to catch my breath. With the mountain opening in mid November and the busy holiday season I feel like I have been running Mach Schnell. I’m lucky that the lines between work and play are so blurred because I have been at it hard for 6 weeks now and it is beginning to take its toll – it would be nice if things could slow down just a tad for a few days.

It feels good to be sitting to write at my computer for a few minutes – both the sitting part and the writing part! Oddly enough the best place for me to get an internet connection here at Seven Springs is up here in the Foggy Goggle Bar – but as I said the lines between work and play are blurred – often VERY blurred!

So I have yet to post the pictures from the Line Rail Jam on December 20, 2008. I am having some technical difficulties. That is the smooth way of saying that I forgot my cables in the city when I packed and my computer won’t read the card from the ‘good’ camera that I used for the day. I have some good shots and it was a great day so I will get them up as soon as possible.

The mountain has been fantastic – even those four lousy days we had right over Christmas were better than some of the mid season days we had last year. I chalk that up to the excellent job the snow making and grooming team did – those boys have the hardest job on the mountain. You know I can tell they have the most fun though – I am usually here in the Goggle working in the morning when they come down each day – they are in their jump suits riding their shovels like sleds cheering each other on. They get such a good ride that I think maybe I’ll trade in my skis for a shovel!

I’ve been lucky enough to be up on the hill for at least part of everyday. We spent most of the day in the park yesterday as the kids didn’t have race training due to the holiday. I am taking a few minutes off just to do some catching up but it is so beautiful out there I am feeling a bit sorry for myself. I’ll be out there later though as we have our consumer demo here today. Just pop into the store and pay the $10 demo fee and you will get a sheet for the reps to record all of your demos and comments on. Drop the sheet and a photo id at the tents and you can spend the day on new product from Head, Nordica, K2, Rossignol, Atomic, Volkl, Salomon and Line . I’m hoping the weather will hold since tomorrow, Sunday, I’ll be helping out with the WPRC Ohiopyle Slalom Race and cheering my son Dylan on in his first race of the season.

It has been a great holiday break and I want to make the best of what is left of it so…

See ya on the slopes!

Kjerstin