Members of the U ski team, past and present, gathered at Snowbird Ski Resort during the weekend to celebrate the group’s 60th anniversary.
“It’s our first-ever ski team reunion in 60 years,” said Barbara Yamada, who helped organize the event.
In addition to a social reception and banquet, the celebration featured three events Saturday: a four-mile, uphill cross country race starting at the bottom of the mountain, a dual super slalom race and a scavenger hunt.
“A lot of people who did the uphill race did the other events also, which is pretty amazing because these were people who were here in the ’60s,” Yamada said.
About 160 people came to the event, said Eli Brown, director of the U’s ski program and organizer of the event.
“It was pretty overwhelming, the turnout,” Brown said. “My main motivation for this event was to get everyone together. I wish we’d started sooner because we’d have had even more people.”
The event was attended by alumni from a variety of years and places.
“We’ve got former team members here from all over the world,” said Pat Miller, who was the head coach of the ski team for 20 years during the 1980s and 1990s. “They came from Finland, Sweden, Norway, Chile, Switzerland, Austria, Canada…all over.”
Bjorn Malkomsen, a graduate from the U’s business school who now lives in Norway, attended and competed in all three events.
“I was the first alpine skier from Norway at the U. I won a couple of races back in ’69,” said Malkomsen, who was on the Utah ski team from 1969 until 1972.
Awards for each of the events were handed out during the banquet Saturday night. Additionally, the Jerry Dixon Scholarship was awarded to Scott Veenis, who also won the C.D. Reddish Memorial Award for contributing the most to the ski team.
The David Novelle Outstanding Skier Award went to Even Sletten for being one of the most influential factors in the success of the team with outstanding results throughout the entire competitive season.
Eva Huckova received the Toril Forland Outstanding Skier Award. This award was given to the female athlete who has been the most important factor in the success and accomplishments of the women’s ski team programs.
The Alf Engen Sportsmanship Award was awarded to Chirine Njeim. This award was for the junior or senior athlete who best demonstrated the most inspirational qualities.