FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Maria Jannace – 917 403 8060 – maria@maxim-online.com
MORE THAN 100 TURN OUT AT THE HERMITAGE CLUB IN SOUTHERN VERMONT’S DEERFIELD VALLEY FOR FIS WORLD SNOW DAY
Young Racers Wow Coaches on the "Biggest Day on Snow All Year"
Wilmington, Vermont (20 January 2014) – Fueled by the excitement of the forthcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, skiers gathered Sunday at the Hermitage Club (www.hermitageclub.com), a full-service 1,400-acre private ski resort in Southern Vermont’s Deerfield Valley, to celebrate FIS World Snow Day, billed “as the biggest day on snow all year.”
At the free community event, over 100 amateur racers showcased their skills during the USSA SkillsQuest Assessment, a series of drills overseen by Eric Harlow, Eastern Region Alpine Program Director of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association and former coach of the U.S. Women’s Alpine Ski Team and the Hermitage’s Director of Snowsports and Alpine Racing, James Lazor.
During the drills, children and adult skiers demonstrated fundamentals ranging from pole jumping to pivot slips at The Hermitage Club, anchored by 3,200-foot Haystack Mountain.
“The kids were pumped up,” said Lazor, who attributed the Club’s high turnout to enthusiasm for the upcoming winter Olympics. "We set out to build a world-class ski development program and hosting events such as this proves our dedication. Our program went from zero to 80 skiers in our first season."
The mission of World Snow Day, a global celebration held January 19th at 610 venues in 35 countries, ranging from Sweden to South Africa, was to inspire children and teens to develop a lifelong passion for skiing and snow sports. The Hermitage Club was one of only nine official host sites nationwide and the closest venue to New York City (3.5-hour drive).
In addition to skiing, participants from as far away as New Jersey ventured to the club for complimentary Telemark lessons, a ski tuning clinic, a $5 on-mountain barbeque lunch, and an orientation to the resort’s ski and snowboard programs, which range from beginner clinics to one-on-one training for Alpine racers at the Hermitage Club Training Center.
Jim Barnes, Founder and President of The Hermitage Club was on hand to witness the event. “We’re proud of our world-class ski development program with a 4:1 teacher/student ratio and dedicated race course. Today’s assessments proved that we are producing better skiers than the public mountains because with no lift lines or crowds you can get 30 to 40 runs in a day,” said Barnes.
Free public events are part of The Hermitage Club’s ongoing commitment to the Deerfield Valley, which was devastated by floods during Hurricane Irene in 2011. The Hermitage Club, a $75 million investment by entrepreneur Jim Barnes, has contributed 300 jobs to the local economy and has heightened interest in the Valley as a tourist destination.
On February 15, the community is invited back to the Hermitage Club for USSA National Day.
ABOUT THE HERMITAGE CLUB
Since 2012, membership at the Hermitage Club has increased by 225% percent, as families seek alternatives to long lift lines and crowded runs at many public resorts. The first full-service private ski club in the Northeast, the Hermitage Club includes 46 ski trails, a four-star, 18-hole Desmond Muirhead golf course, a four-diamond country inn, a skating pond, and over 15 miles of cross country ski trails. Next season, the year-round resort will unveil an 80,000-square-foot clubhouse, the largest of any ski resort in the country, with an edit suite for GoPro helmet cams, a movie theater, a bowling alley, a lap pool and spa treatment rooms.


Maria Jannace
Maxim Creative Group
Maxim Sports Management, Inc.

32 Union Square East
Suite 605
New York, New York 10003 USA

+1 917 403 8060
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