Sandy post., April 13, 1978, Image 11

Those daring
young men
skis
and chutes
BOWMAN’S MT. HOOD Resort was the scene of last weekend’s paraski m eet
Parachuting and skiing
have at least one thing in
common:, they’re both
downhill sports.
The similarity seemingly
ends there, except for 23 men
and six women who com­
bined the two last weekend in
Mt. Hood’s First Invitational
Gran Prix Paraski Meet.
The event was the first of
its type to be held at Mt.
Hood and only the fourth this
year to be held in the United
State. If participants have
their way, it won’t be the last
time the two sports are
combined on Mt. Hood.
“ The
jum pers
were
thrilled,” said organizer Ted
Mayfield of the Pacific
P arachute
Center
in
Sheridan. “We had all kinds
of response for the whole
weekend You couldn’t have
asked for a better weekend.”
Paraski competitions are
relatively new to the United
States.
originating
in
Austria 10 years ago.
Mayfield
said
some
parachutists, who also
happened to be skiers,
thought up the event while
trying to think of a way to
combine their two favorite
sports and still be com-
petitive.
The weekend event on Mt.
Hood was designed to help
pick a two person team to
represent the United States
in a world paraski com­
petition that will be held later
this year in Austria.
Although the organizers
acknowledge that the in­
vitational meet wasn’t a
financial success, they say
the enthusiasm of the
spectators and contestants
may prompt the sponsors,
Bowman’s Mt. Hood Resort
in Welches and Reser’s Fine
Foods in Beaverton, to
consider holding the event
next year.
On Saturday, entrants
were scheduled to ski a giant
slalom course on the Upper
Bowl at Ski Bowl. Weather
conditions nixed those plans,
and Bud Valian of the Mogul
Mouse in Government Camp,
was called to plan a new
course on 24 hours notice.
“The guy was just a bundle
of energy—thank goodness,"
said a grateful Mayfield.
Valian set up a nearly one
mile long course which
started near Silcox Hut
above Timberline Lodge
Gusts of wind of up to 70
miles per hour hampered
some of the competition, but
Mayfield said snow con­
ditions were good.
“And it was definitely
windy and cold ’’
There was little wind and
clear
skies
for
the
parachuting contest on
Sunday, with the only mishap
of the weekend occurring
when Gary Knight broke his
leg Sunday afternoon on his
second jump.
Knight was taken to
G re s h a m
C o m m u n ity
Hospital, received a full leg
cast, and bounced back in
time for the Sunday night
banquet to collect his award.
“He came back in good
spirits. They cast him and
released him ,” laughed
Mayfield "It was unreal
“He told me he’d be there
next year,” Mayfield added
“The last time I saw him
they were loading him in a
van.”
A Bell Jet Ranger
helicopter took parachuters
up
3,000 feet
above
Bowman's Resort. Their
target was a 9 centimeter
disc on a pile of sawdust.
Winners were chosen by a
combined score from both
events. Hank Barber of Salt
Lake City, Utah, took overall
honors in the men’s division,
with Jessie Farrington of
Puyallup, Wash., finishing
first in the women’s division.
Her father, 64-year-old
Lenny Atkins, was first in
accuracy during the jumping
event.
Joy Burtis of Salt Lake
City took first in the women’s
ski competition, with Von
Bodine from Fresno, Calif.,
taking first in the men's
slalom.
Bodine averaged a speed of
almost 50 miles per hour
during the slalom, Mayfield
said, and came in with a time
of 59.8 seconds
The first paraski meet of
this year was held in Bend in
January. Then the paraski
competitors went to Jackson
Hole, Wyo., and Sun Valley,
Ind before coming to Mt.
Mayfield said the spec­
tators who enjoyed the
competition the most were
those who saw both the skiing
and jumping events.
“ T here’s
a
lot
of
pressure.” he said of the
paraski meet. “That's good
competition.”
AN OBSERVER watches the action from grounds of Bowman’s Golf Course
Story/photos by Sue Lafky
Springtim e
A SLALOM ski rare on Mt Hood and a parachuting competition rounded out the weekend
Section two