HENNIKER, New Hampshire ??” Pats Peak hosted the Adult/Corporate Racing Program Finals on Thursday, March 16, 2006. This year marks the 17th season of Adult/Corporate Racing at Pats Peak with 70 race teams made up of 7 team members. Racers come from all over central NH including Manchester, Concord, Portsmouth, Keene, Henniker, Lebanon and Nashua.

Everyone takes the finals a little more seriously with tight colorful spandex suits as the attire of choice on the slopes for this night. The course was run on the Twister trail with perfect race conditions of hard fast snow, which produced some of the highest scores of the season. The course was tight and turny on top and let loose to a straight fast finish. Racers take two runs with their best result counting towards their team’s total result.

The winning team “The Other Ones” thanked everyone and then thanked their team captain, who unfortunately was unable to attend due to an illness. “The Other Ones” team name will be inscribed on the Josh Russell Memorial Silver Trophy Bowl, which will be on display in the Sled Pub.

Most of “The Other Ones” team member hail from the Sunapee and Lebanon area with team members: Ben Drummond, Drew Drummond, Heather Plimpton, Bob Underhill, Greg Sutcliffe, Billy Andrews and Robert E Tappen.

“Ode To Our Friends” was the theme for the Pats Peak Adult/Corporate Racing Series Finals Night. Race Coordinator, Jamie Fawcett, opened the ceremonies by having all of the racers give a loud cheer to their friends, Josh Russell and Mark Parris, who recently passed away. After a sustained loud cheer, racers lifted glasses for a toast to all their friends. Over the nine-week race series racers become much more than fellow competitors, they become good friends.

In the final race, the top five teams from each weekday’s league competed and teams who did not qualify for the finals were present to enjoy a night of skiing, cheer on their other favorite team and enjoy the banquet. The evening’s fare was delicious with Caesar Salad, Chicken Florentine, Vegetable Pasta and a great selection of Homemade Cookies.

While the results of the race were being calculated Bob Berliner and Amy Patenaude, friends and S & W Sports teammates of Mark Parris passed the helmet for a collection to be given in Parris’ memory to the Josh Russell Ski Racing Scholarship Fund (www.jrskiracing.org). Berliner reported to the race league members of the success the fund has already achieved in just a few years. Many in the audience knew Josh and Mark well because they had skied and raced in the league for many years before their untimely deaths. People dug deep and $651 dollars was collected in a matter of minutes.

Another highlight of the night was Josh’s bib number “228” and Mark Parris’ bib number “396” were retired. Josh and Mark’s names and numbers were illuminated in front of the lodge, by a spotlight, onto the nighttime snow.

Team Standings For Finals — March 16, 2006

The Other Ones 9.672
SG Norms 9.364
The Other Ones Too 9.172
Environmental 9.066
Outspokin/Cat 9.038
Team S&W 8.792
Clearview 8.676
Ken Jones 8.042
WTPL 6.95
Snow Dragons 6.578
Flyin’ Eagles 6.548
Skinners 2 6.242
Skinners 1 6.124
SG Gold 6.062
Alpine Zone 5.492
Rut Busters 5.422
The Idiots 5.344
Soardix 5.182
Griffen Associates 4.454
SG Blue 1.812

More about Pats Peak Adult/Corporate Racing Program:

Races are scheduled Monday through Thursday starting the first week in January and run for nine consecutive weeks. The program includes a lift ticket from 3pm until closing on race nights, prizes, apr??s-ski party each night and an awards dinner at the end of the series. This race series competes in the NASTAR dual GS format. Teams consist of seven skiers or snowboarders at least 21 years of age and older. The top five best times for each night are calculated. Individual and team rankings are based on a points system to determine finishes. Prizes are awarded to individual men, women, and teams, both weekly and cumulatively.

More about Pats Peak Ski Area:
Pats Peak, located in Henniker New Hampshire, is in its 43rd consecutive ski and snowboard season under the Patenaude family ownership. Pats Peak has 22 well-groomed trails, 10 high capacity lifts and some of the most challenging skiing in Southern New Hampshire. Pats Peak has more than 70 Adult Racing teams in the Adult Corporate Racing League, an After School Ski Program for more than 10,000 kids from over 100 local schools and the most Night Skiing in Southern New Hampshire. Pats Peak is located twenty minutes from Concord, forty minutes from Manchester, and ninety minutes from Boston.