[FWM News] Preliminary 2018 race schedule

[Far West Masters news]

Winter is coming and the preliminary 2018 season schedule is now available!  Membership information 
will be sent out to everyone in September, with renewal supported on SkiRaceReg.com along with race 
signups for the coming season.

Preliminary 2018 Schedule
-------------------------

The preliminary 2017-2018 race schedule is now available. Schedule VP Mike Braun has worked hard to 
put together a race schedule which offers diverse competition opportunities at areas in Far West 
with a proven ability to host excellent events. Although there are still a few details being 
settled, we believe the preliminary schedule is essentially complete and should provide a fun 
season of racing opportunities. 

Returning competitors will notice a few changes from "the usual" in this season's schedule. The 
annual masters national championships will be held in the East this season, on the relatively early 
dates of Feb. 6-10 which in previous seasons has typically been when the western region 
championships are held. The national championship Downhill will be hosted by Rocky Mountain at Ski 
Cooper on Mar. 8-11. Our "big event" in the west this season is a big deal for masters everywhere: 
the FIS Masters World Criterium will be held at Big Sky MT on Mar. 19-24. This is the world 
championships of international masters racing and we expect a big field from around the world 
attending. The last Criterium held in North America at Mammoth Mountain in 2012, so it's a big deal 
to be able to have this fun event once again returning to the US. 

Our Far West season opens in December with a few changes from recent seasons as well. The season 
kicks off at Mammoth Mountain with two SL races on Saturday Dec. 2, following the traditional post 
Thanksgiving masters training camp week (preseason training camp details will be posted when 
available). We return to Mammoth two weeks later for two GS races on Dec. 16-17. Mammoth is one of 
the few areas with reliable early season conditions that can host a GS before the holiday break, so 
we think this is a great opportunity to add GS to our early season mix of disciplines. 

Following a break over the holiday period, racing resumes on Tahoe's South Shore with a 3 day event 
at Heavenly Valley on Jan. 5-7. Friday features two SL races leading into GS races on Saturday and 
Sunday. The Viva Italia Cup weekend is one of our classic events and we're looking forward to 
exploring some new race terrain as Heavenly has renewed their commitment to racing in recent 
seasons. 

Our second event in January is another classic: the Bernard Cup at Squaw Valley on Jan. 19-21. We 
will be racing GS on Friday and Saturday, wrapping up with SL on Sunday.

February opens with 3 days of SG racing at Mammoth Mountain on Feb. 2-4. After a break for the 
Okemo national championships the week of Feb. 6-10, Far West racing resumes with a three-day event 
at Northstar on Feb. 23-25, featuring 2 SG races on Friday and GS races on Saturday and Sunday. 

On March 10-11, the McKinney Cup will offer two days of GS racing at Mt. Rose. Our Far West 
schedule takes another break in mid-March to allow competitors the opportunity to head to Big Sky 
for the FIS Masters World Criterium. Big Sky is a rightfully popular venue for masters, with great 
race hills and a welcoming Montana ambience, and the international flavor will add spice to the 
event. 

The season finals will be held at Mammoth on April 12-14. There will be two SG races on Thursday, 
GS on Friday, and wrap up with SL and the season finals banquet on Saturday.

http://farwestmasters.org/announcements/2018/FWM_Schedule_2018_preview.pdf

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