A Message From Your President:
Kitzbühel Debrief:
My Fellow American Airlines Ski and Snowboard Club Members, I want to thank all those who made the 59th World Airline Ski Championships so successful. Tiziana Wirthington helped to bring the IASF to her hometown of Kitzbühel, Austria, home of the world’s toughest downhill race course: The Hahnenkamm.
Laurie Hanson graciously and effectively accepted the challenge of being the room mom for the largest of the 40+ airline teams that attended: US! One sixth of the 630+ attendees were from American Airlines Ski and Snowboard club! The entire week was pulled off due to the hard work and teamwork of many folks: Na Stewart and Tiziana hand embroidered each of 100 team shirts and cowboy hats for the Almabtrieb (literally: when the cows come home. The cattle are kept and barns during the winter and “dance out of the barns” to get to the high-country pastures in the spring time) Theme party/dinner. Mish printed all the team t-shirts for the wonderful NAASF Team dinner at the charming Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt. Julie Molano and Nathan made sure that Team AA had proper nametags.
Speaking of our VP, Nathan secured the inflatable tail from the American Airlines Inclusion and Diversity group personally checking it as part of his baggage instead of he and Julie’s skis. In addition, Nathan carried a portable electric generator to operate and maintain the tail. “MacGyver” Green then designed and built a float trailer (with the help of Larry Stubb, Steve Pozsonyi, Dennis Mellon, and many others), that was pulled through the streets of Kitzühel during the opening ceremonies parade of airline teams. The next few days were filled with snowboard duel racing and the men and women’s giant slalom and slalom events that took place on the lower reaches of the world famous Streif downhill course. The Nordic events (distance and sprint) took place just out of town.
On the last day we were treated to a hair raising aerial display by the Redbull Bulls. This took place right over the Fun Race venue. Speaking of the competition: American did well against some of the stiffest competitors in the world finishing fifth in Cross Country/Nordic, fifth in Alpine and, of course, fifth overall against 40+ other airline teams. Very Well Done by our competitors.
Rachel Rueter and competed in and placed very high in the rankings (Rachel competed in all four events: GS, SL, Snowboard and Nordic!), greatly helping us climb higher in the high rankings. Bravo Zulu!
We now find ourselves in The Last Great American Ski-Town of Crested Butte, Colorado as we finish out the 2017/2018 season. Crested Butte holds a special place in my heart as I spent my college years, when I wasn’t skiing at Crested Butte, down valley at Western Colorado State University. I know you’ll all love it as much as I do.
I am so thankful for all of your participation, hard work, and your volunteerism and, on a personal note, I am honored to have been your club president for the past year.
Thanks to all of you, our club continues to improve, grow, and becomes an even more enjoyable place to meet old friends, make new friends and enjoy a sport we all love in the greatest ski resorts in the world.
Ski fast, have fun, do good things…Very Respectfully, Ted Rutherford
Kitzbühel Debrief:
My Fellow American Airlines Ski and Snowboard Club Members, I want to thank all those who made the 59th World Airline Ski Championships so successful. Tiziana Wirthington helped to bring the IASF to her hometown of Kitzbühel, Austria, home of the world’s toughest downhill race course: The Hahnenkamm.
Laurie Hanson graciously and effectively accepted the challenge of being the room mom for the largest of the 40+ airline teams that attended: US! One sixth of the 630+ attendees were from American Airlines Ski and Snowboard club! The entire week was pulled off due to the hard work and teamwork of many folks: Na Stewart and Tiziana hand embroidered each of 100 team shirts and cowboy hats for the Almabtrieb (literally: when the cows come home. The cattle are kept and barns during the winter and “dance out of the barns” to get to the high-country pastures in the spring time) Theme party/dinner. Mish printed all the team t-shirts for the wonderful NAASF Team dinner at the charming Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt. Julie Molano and Nathan made sure that Team AA had proper nametags.
Speaking of our VP, Nathan secured the inflatable tail from the American Airlines Inclusion and Diversity group personally checking it as part of his baggage instead of he and Julie’s skis. In addition, Nathan carried a portable electric generator to operate and maintain the tail. “MacGyver” Green then designed and built a float trailer (with the help of Larry Stubb, Steve Pozsonyi, Dennis Mellon, and many others), that was pulled through the streets of Kitzühel during the opening ceremonies parade of airline teams. The next few days were filled with snowboard duel racing and the men and women’s giant slalom and slalom events that took place on the lower reaches of the world famous Streif downhill course. The Nordic events (distance and sprint) took place just out of town.
On the last day we were treated to a hair raising aerial display by the Redbull Bulls. This took place right over the Fun Race venue. Speaking of the competition: American did well against some of the stiffest competitors in the world finishing fifth in Cross Country/Nordic, fifth in Alpine and, of course, fifth overall against 40+ other airline teams. Very Well Done by our competitors.
Rachel Rueter and competed in and placed very high in the rankings (Rachel competed in all four events: GS, SL, Snowboard and Nordic!), greatly helping us climb higher in the high rankings. Bravo Zulu!
We now find ourselves in The Last Great American Ski-Town of Crested Butte, Colorado as we finish out the 2017/2018 season. Crested Butte holds a special place in my heart as I spent my college years, when I wasn’t skiing at Crested Butte, down valley at Western Colorado State University. I know you’ll all love it as much as I do.
I am so thankful for all of your participation, hard work, and your volunteerism and, on a personal note, I am honored to have been your club president for the past year.
Thanks to all of you, our club continues to improve, grow, and becomes an even more enjoyable place to meet old friends, make new friends and enjoy a sport we all love in the greatest ski resorts in the world.
Ski fast, have fun, do good things…Very Respectfully, Ted Rutherford
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