[FWM News] Summer newsletter, 2014 race schedule

[Far West Masters news]

Summer is passing quickly and Labor Day is on the horizon...  Can snow be far behind?!  

We've got a Summer issue of the Forerunner newsletter and the preliminary season schedule for the 
2013-2014 race season is now available.  Both can be downloaded from the farwestmasters.org web 
site (links below).

We're also working on the Fall issue of the newsletter and putting together the membership 
information package to get that out to everyone in September.  All recent members will be receiving 
the fall information package in the mail, in addition to being available to everyone from the web 
site.

Summer Newsletter
-----------------

Newsletter editor Ingrid Braun has put together a summer issue of the Forerunner newsletter to give 
you a change of pace from the summer doldrums, with pictures and stories from the spring races and 
early info about the coming season. Winter is coming!

http://farwestmasters.org/docs/newsletter/Forerunner_2013-30-Jul-2013.pdf

Preliminary Season Schedule
---------------------------

The preliminary 2013-2014 race schedule is now available. Schedule VP Mike Braun has worked hard to 
put together a race schedule which offers competitors opportunities to compete in all disciplines 
at areas around the Far West with a proven ability to host excellent events.

http://farwestmasters.org/announcements/2014/FWM_Schedule_2014.pdf

The season opens in December at Mammoth Mountain with a GS/GS/SL weekend on Dec. 7-8, following the 
now-traditional post Thanksgiving masters training camp week (preseason training camp details will 
be posted when available). A north shore event prior to the holidays comes on Dec. 21-22 with 2 
SL's at Alpine Meadows.

Following a break over the holiday period, which is always a busy time for most with family 
gatherings and early season skiing, racing resumes on Fri Jan. 10 with the classic Viva Italia SL 
double-header at Heavenly Valley, followed by two days of GS racing at Sierra at Tahoe on the 
weekend. January wraps up with a feature event for speed racers at the 4-day Rick Conrado Memorial 
DH/SG speed races at Mammoth. This season we're adding DH back into the program, with 2 DH training 
runs on Thursday followed by two DH races on Friday, continuing with 2 SG races each day on 
Saturday and Sunday. Two of these races will count as part of the season-long National Speed Series.

Our Far West division schedule takes a short break in February as competitors from throughout the 
western region gather at Park City UT on Feb. 6-9 for the only 2014 US stop on the FIS 
International Masters Cup calendar. With 2 SG's and 2 SL's there'll be plenty of challenging racing 
with a dash of international flavor.
Racing moves back to the Tahoe region with the Bernard Cup SL/SL/GS event at Squaw Valley on Feb. 
22-23. March follows with another Far West Masters classic, the McKinney Cup at Mt. Rose on Mar. 
8-9, which this year will feature 2 days of GS racing.

The highlight of the competition season for many is the annual Masters National Championship in 
March. This year's championship returns to the Eastern division after 4 years in the west, with 
Okemo VT hosting all four events DH, SG, GS, and SL. Okemo did a great job hosting last season's 
Eastern regional championship and their race hills and organization got rave reviews from the 
eastern crew. Give some thought to a ski adventure this season - c'mon, really, how many of us get 
a chance to ski in classic Vermont, it ought to be fun! We'll work on helping Far West competitors 
get together for travel and lodging.

The season finals rotates south this season and we'll wrap up with 3 days of racing at Mammoth on 
Mar. 27-29. The finals will feature SG, GS, and SL, with the season banquet on Saturday evening 
providing a chance for all to relax and socialize after the end of racing.