Cheer and changes at the annual Steamboat Holiday Classic

The Steamboat Holiday Classic in Colorado once again lived up to its reputation of competitive ski racing, ample holiday spirit, and pure, cold fun. Although there were a decent number of upsets, or “inhumanities of ski racing,” as long-time announcer Gardener Flannigan would say, there was plenty of appreciation for the Rocky Mountain region homecoming race on Dec. 19-21.

The first day offered cold weather and surprisingly hard snow after the 15-inch storm just a few days prior. Ranging from zero to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, the courses held up well even if most racers’ toes did not. The first day of racing was a National Junior Race, reserved for athletes under the age of 21. For the women, Buck Hill’s Rosie Hust placed first, Swedish racer Anne-Solene Bregou of Westminster College placed second, and Serina Kidd of the University of Denver (DU) finished third. On the men’s side, University of New Mexico’s (UNM) Isak Klein placed first, Florian Szwebel of the U.S. Ski Team placed second, and Arie Van Vuuren of Aspen Valley Ski Club placed third.

Day two combined slightly warmer weather and clear skies with a more competitive field as older athletes got involved for the starry night slalom–a highlight of the series. It was Flannigan’s 30th year entertaining the Howelsen Hill crowd with his announcing. After three decades of work, Flannigan continues to return as “Peter Limencello” to cohost the race with his partner “Squeegee Pepperoni” because they believe it is the “epitome of ski racing.”

“I’ve been doing this race since its inception,” Flannigan explains. “Chris Puckett came here after retiring from the U.S. team and had a vision of this classic race; we got financial contributors and prize money, which brought a lot of guys and gals from all around the country from year one. Getting up in the start and seeing the whole town lit up with a huge crowd waiting for you at the bottom is quite the experience.”

Six racers made the most of the experience by landing on the podium, and the winners of each gender received a bonus prize of $1,000. Ann-Kathrin Breuning from Germany, skiing for Westminster College, placed first for the women.

“It was my first race of the season, so I was super nervous,” she admitted. “Slalom wasn’t my strongest discipline last season, but I felt great in training, so I felt good going into it.”

Breuning plans on using the money for equipment and traveling expenses. A teammate of Breuning’s, German Monica Huebner, placed second, while Mexican racer and former U.S. Olympian Sarah Schleper placed third.

Norweigan racer Vergard Busengdal of UNM placed first on the men’s front with Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club alumnus Hig Roberts in second and Canadian Dominique Garand in third.

“From the snow to the course set, everything about the race felt awesome,” Busengdal explained. “I had some great training with the rest of the team, and felt really confident going into the race. There were some nerves, but I think placing second in the first run actually helped me attack from the back even more the second run.”

The men’s winner plans on donating the money to his team’s traveling expenses this season.

It was a special night for every racer that participated, but especially so for Roberts and his family; the Steamboat Holiday Classic will from this year onwards be known as the Murphy Roberts Memorial in remembrance of his younger brother, Murphy Roberts. From the perspective of someone who grew up in Steamboat, Roberts described the Classic as, “something you see as a young kid and can’t wait to compete in when you’re older.” A “huge deal,” for Steamboat youngsters, the series is something most club alumni come back to race no matter how far they have to travel.

Hig, Murphy, and their two other siblings came back from the East Coast year after year to race the Classic.

“It was the first thing we did when we got home before any holiday stuff,” explains Roberts. “Seeing friends, family, and all the new faces that flocked to Howelsen Hill every year made it two of our most favorite and looked-forward-to days of the year.”

Roberts describes the race’s renaming as a, “huge honor for our family.” The fact that Steamboat is changing the race title thirty years after its founding demonstrates the connection Murphy and the Roberts family have with the ski club.

“Murphy was four when we moved to Steamboat,” Roberts said. “He spent every night after school on Howelsen hill, and it was the first place he went every year after coming home. He’d hike up there late at night and take in the view of the town. It was quite literally his favorite place on earth.”

Not only will the Roberts family be able to hear Murphy’s name announced year after year, but one Rocky Mountain division athlete will also receive the Murphy Roberts Scholarship. Announced along with the winners of the night race, this racer will have to first be nominated by their club and then meet a certain criteria determined by the Roberts family.

“It would have been nice to win the first memorial race,” Roberts admitted. “But the race result will be forgotten while the atmosphere of the night will last for years to come. I’m the last sibling still competing, so this way we’ll still be able to come back to Howelsen Hill every year and be reminded of Murph regardless. Even if none of us are racing and no one knows who we are, everyone will hear his name and know Murph’s story.”

After an emotional night, the morning brought similar temperatures and cloudy skies for the the final day of racing. Busengdal had a consecutive victory with Max Lukko, racing for the University of Colorado Boulder, in second, and Alex Leever of the University of Denver in third. Huebner moved up one spot to take first place for the women, with Westminster College’s Sofija Novoselic coming in a close second. Hust came down with an impressive third place finish.

Full results are available here.