U.S. SKI AND SNOWBOARD HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES NEW INDUCTEES

Ishpeming, MI (February 17, 2010) -- The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame will honor three members of the Class of 2009 posthumously. With a class of five other inductees, these three lived out their lives dedicated to the sport of skiing.

Stu Campbell lived in Stowe, VT and was a writer, instructor and resort executive who impacted millions of American skiers over a career that spanned five decades. He was the author of six books on ski instruction, served as an equipment consultant to several manufacturers, raced and coached racers and provided television commentary. For thirty years he was the instructional editor for SKI Magazine and was recognized, prior to his death in 2008, by the Vermont Ski Museum with its Paul Robbins Award for ski journalism.

Doug Coombs may be the most recognizable skier in this year’s class for his appearances in many ski films in the 1990’s. A former ski racer from Montana State University he is regarded by many as the most important skier of his generation in popularizing adventure skiing. He and his wife, Emily, started the first heliskiing operation in Alaska’s Chugach Mountains. He held steep skiing camps in Switzerland, France and Greenland. The complete expert skier he won the first two World Extreme Skiing Championships. Although his skills far surpassed those of most of the people he guided he had a capacity to make every skier who came into contact with him believe in themselves and to try bigger challenges. He died while attempting to rescue a friend in a skiing accident in 2006.

Paul Robbins spent three decades as a ski journalist and the US Ski Team press officer. He possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of skiing and ski racers of every discipline that he willingly shared with anyone who asked. Ski jumper Jeff Hastings wrote: “His breath filled the sails of the athletes he covered.” Remembered by all who knew him as the man with the Scottish tam Robbins died suddenly in 2008. The Paul Robbins Award for ski journalism is presented annually by the Vermont Ski Museum.

The induction of the Class of 2009 will take place at Beaver Creek, Colorado on April 9, 2010. They will also be honored in September with ceremonies in Ishpeming Michigan, the home of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.

Nominations for Honored Membership in the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame are received throughout the year from across the country. A Selection Committee under the chairmanship of Paul Bousquet of Woodstock, Vermont reviews all nominations. Successful nominations are placed on a ballot that in 2009 was voted on by a panel of 100 electors. This year’s class brings the number of Honored Members to 368.

Since 1956, the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame has provided highly respected, national and perpetual recognition of athletes competing in skiing and snowboarding and of the builders of those sports who have made the highest level of national and/or international achievement and contribution to those sports.
 

Website: www.skihall.com