The best skiing east of the Rockies. It's what the ski bunnies and their tongue-wagging followers have long dubbed Marble Mountain. (I for one am proud to acknowledge myself as one of the tongue-wagging variety a few times over the years.)
I remember making the bus ride to Corner Brook starting as a fourth grader, strutting across Marble Mountain lodge in those ridiculously clunky boots that forced you into that cooler than usual walk, and strapping on my first pair of skis. It only took a few trips down the bunny slope to be given the permission to hit the slopes with the big boys, and off I went, a reckless fury of a speed demon who nobody wanted to have the misfortune of crossing paths with. I had one direction in my arsenal, it was down. I had one speed, it was fast.
I continued making that annual trek to the big city, pretty much each time following the same process. Showing a couple of ski instructors, who seemed to always have something better to be doing, I could manoeuvre down the bunny slope enough not to kill myself and then spending the better part of a day trying my damndest to see if I could keep cheating death.
There were definitely a few times over the years I became a head-over-heels crash site where many onlookers felt the need to come racing to my rescue, only to find my laughing carcass wondering where those skis actually ended up.
Minus, the Evil Knievel-like jumps that had little or no chance of me ever landing successfully, I always felt downhill skiing was one of the easiest things I ever attempted. My annual trips to the hill left every slope - as well as any non-groomed trail through the trees or enter at your own risk, closed for the day run - conquered many times over.
I was always left wondering, with the Marble Mountain Alpine Race Team long established, and so many young skiers growing up on the slopes, why hasn't anybody ever made it on the national or international stage in downhill skiing. You take a look at pretty much any other sport - soccer, basketball, hockey, baseball, and so on - and you can find at least one or two examples of people in this province who have made it to the big stage. Downhill skiing, I have never heard of anybody making a name for themselves competitively. I just find that so strange, given there is such a top-notch training facility in the backyard of all these young, ambitious skiers.
This year, the Newfoundland and Labrador Snowboard Association is embarking on its inaugural season as an entity. Now, there's an activity I was never able to master. Featuring training programs and competitive events throughout the year, maybe this is the start some young kid needs to make a name for his or herself. Will we see some young snowboarder from Corner Brook, a few years down the road, with Olympic or World Cup aspirations? I certainly hope so.
I just have one question. With this structured formation of a provincial body, does this mean snowboarding has moved beyond its image as a "tokin'" sport?
