Gould Academy launches Phase 2 of Competition Venue Improvement Plan

Gould Academy recently kicked off Phase Two of its Competition Venue Improvement Plan at Sunday River Resort. Upon completion of this major gift campaign, Phase Two will showcase an improved super-G and giant slalom training venue on Sunday River’s dedicated training and event trail, Monday Mourning, with the installation of a new million-dollar surface lift.

Working in collaboration with Sunday River and the Sunday River Ski & Snowboard Club, Phase Two is intended to better support Gould Academy’s many events and training opportunities on Sunday River’s Monday Mourning trail.

“This Competition Venue Improvement Plan reinforces the school’s commitment to on-snow competition, as well as the strong strategic partnership between Gould Academy and Sunday River,” said Kurt Simard, On-Snow Program Director for Gould Academy. “We have the school, we have the coaches, and we have the mountain—I really believe that we will look back at this project and be able to say it was what solidified our program as a top one in the country.”

The benefits of a new, dedicated surface lift for Gould’s on-snow programs are many. Along with better capacity for high-quality training courses, a new surface lift will allow up to four full-length giant slalom courses and tremendous opportunities for slalom. The lift will also service snowboard and freestyle training venues. A new surface lift permits more time on snow thanks to a mere four-minute transport during which time a competitor’s skis never once breaks contact from snow.

Gould Academy’s Competition Venue Improvement Project officially broke ground in spring 2017. With the help of Sunday River, Gould Academy used Phase One of the Competition Venue Improvement Plan to eliminate a beginner trail that intersected Monday Mourning by creating a new and improved beginner trail, free of any major intersection. Named “Bear Paw” after Barry “Bear” Bryant—a long time Sunday River Competition Manager and the USSA 2013 Julius Blegen award recipient—the debut of this new trail for the 2017-18 season solidifies the completion of Phase One and provides incredible momentum as Gould and Sunday River head into Phase Two.

Find more information on Gould’s Competition Venue Improvement Plan here.

Release courtesy of Gould Academy