Georgetown, CO – As the United States Ski Association (USSA) winds down the 2009-10 ski racing season, competitors from across the United States are preparing for the last amateur slalom event of the winter. The Loveland Derby, the oldest and largest amateur alpine race in North America, returns to Loveland Ski Area this weekend, and to celebrate the race’s 50th anniversary, Loveland Ski Area and the Loveland Racing Club have put together a full slate of events for both competitors and spectators.nThe event starts with a Loveland Racing Club Alumni Race today, followed by an awards party at The Valley lodge. The Loveland Derby starts at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday at Loveland Valley with a BBQ lunch on the patio and live music in the afternoon. Saturday’s festivities are concluded with an awards party at The Backcountry Brewery in Frisco, Colo., with live music, food and drink. Racing resumes Sunday morning and will be followed by the award ceremony on The Loveland Valley patio at 3:30 p.m.
The Loveland Derby has offered amateur racers a fun way to end the season for the past 49 years with many participants sporting fun costumes to celebrate the end of the season. New this year, The Loveland Racing Club has added an obstacle course and a pond skim to the weekend’s festivities. The obstacle course will be held on All Smiles on Saturday from noon until 3:00 p.m. and the pond skim will be on Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the base of Loveland Valley. Everyone is invited to enjoy these new events at no cost.
“The Derby is always a fun event for competitors and spectators alike, but this year we added some new activities to the weekend to really celebrate the 50th anniversary,” said C.B. Bechtel, Loveland Racing Club Director. “The obstacle course and pond skim are open to competitors and the general public so we encourage everyone to come down and check out the event. The costumes alone are worth the trip!”
The Loveland Racing Club expects more than 600 racers from 25 states to participate in this year’s event along with a few international racers.