Carpathian Ski Club hosts annual ski and snowboard races
WINDHAM, N.Y. - The Carpathian Ski Club (known by its Ukrainian-based acronym as KLK) hosted its annual ski and snowboard races on Saturday, March 8, here at Ski Windham.
Close to 70 skiers and a handful of snowboarders competed in the 2003 races, which were notable for the participation of a growing number of young racers who arrived with their parents and siblings in tow. In fact, the KLK races increasingly see entire families racing in this friendly competition.
Near perfect weather greeted the skiers and onlookers; there was plenty of snow and lots of competition. The races were officially opened with the presentation of the American and Ukrainian flags held aloft by skiers as they took a symbolic run down the official NASTAR course. (NASTAR, the acronym for the National Standard Race, is the largest public recreational grass roots ski program in the world.)
Each skier then got two runs down the course, with his or her best time counting in the official scoring. Excitement ran high as skiers watched one another and learned each other's times. Many opted to have their skis waxed at the top of the course by KLK stalwart Juri Kobziar, himself a top ski racer, who annually comes to the slopes prepared to help one and all in their quest for their personal best times, imparting at the same time much enthusiasm for the sport.
That evening, an awards banquet attended by approximately 130 people - athletes of all ages, plus their families and friends - was held at nearby Hunter Mountain.
Among those in attendance were VIP guests from the Embassy of Ukraine who traveled to upstate New York from Washington specially for the KLK races. Yurii Panasiuk, deputy trade representative, and Commander Serhiy O. Hyshtymult, naval attaché, were introduced to banquet participants and were invited to help present trophies and medals.
Another special guest was a representative of KLK in Lviv, Marta Dubyk, who briefly addressed the gathering, extending greetings from KLK activists in Ukraine.
Trophies were awarded for first place in each age group; while second- and third-place finishers received medals. Special traveling trophies, which are passed on from year to year to each successive winner (no repeat winners are allowed), were presented for the fastest time posted among men and women competitors. This year's winners were Peter Strutynsky, who turned in a race time of 25.58, and Olena Ripnick, who came in with 25.69. It should be noted that 2003 marked only the second time that a best skier trophy was awarded to a female.
Perhaps the most excited were the youngest racers, boys and girls as young as 5, 6 and 7 - many of whom seemedready to burst with pride upon winning their first prizes for skiing. At the other end of the age scale, though no less happy to earn their awards, were the "seniors" who come annually to participate in this winter sports event.
Top skiers also received gold, silver and bronze medals awarded by NASTAR based on the course time posted by pacesetters, as well as the gender and age of each racer.
KLK leader Erko Palydowycz, Orest Fedash and Zenon Stakhiv conducted the evening's program, assisted by Vera Popel and Christine Klufas.
Next year the Carpathian Ski Club will celebrate its 50th anniversary of ski racing in North America. Organizers of the annual KLK races say they expect many former champions to show up for a special "old-timers" race.
Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, April 13, 2003, No. 15, Vol. LXXI
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