Snowy 2021 FIS Masters Cup & Masters Western Regional Championships at Big Sky
The 2021 Phillips 66 FIS Masters Cup and Western Regional Championships event was held February 5-7 in Big Sky, Montana hosted by the Big Sky Ski Education Foundation (BSSEF). The event was two SG races, two (one-run) GS races (typical for FIS Masters), and one (two-run) SL race. The Big Sky Ski Education Foundation has been a long-time supporter of Masters events and offered three days of training prior to the event through their recently expanded Masters training program.
As we were packing our bags and traveling to Big Sky, mother nature was gearing up for Big Sky’s biggest powder dumps of the season. After three days of great training with a few inches of manageable snowfall for SG training, the first race day on Friday was postponed due to heavy snowfall leaving the hill unsafe for a SG event. The organizers quickly adapted the Saturday schedule to include one SG race in addition to the originally scheduled two GS runs. With an eager field of racers, and a short period of respite from mother nature, Saturday’s schedule delivered 3 runs of action with the final run finishing up just at the next storm was moving in. All were hopeful with SL planned for the Sunday schedule, but mother nature had other plans. When all was said and done, the snowfall during the event was more than the resort had gotten the entire season up to that point. Many took advantage of the powder! In the end, the chance to have the event was a bright spot many were not sure we would get to have in 2021. With 3 races completed, age class and overall champions were awarded.
U.S. Ski & Snowboard Results on usalpinemasters.org/wr (Western Region Champs)
National Speed Series Current Standings on usalpinemasters.org/nss
Photos at bigskyphotos.com - thank you Crystal Images!
After eleven cancelled weekends, the FIS Masters international community is hoping that events in Big Sky (USA) are part of eight straight weekends of events for a strong finish to the FIS Masters calendar.