Two competitors were given Flyin Ryan Spirit Awards on the weekend of February 29th at the IFSA Freeride Competition at Smugglers Notch – Clement Fischer and Carolyn Price.
Clement Is a UVM skier who was participating for the first time in a free ride event. When he saw the course he was understandably nervous and questioning the wisdom of participating. His teammates urged him on and he subsequently navigated the course and was successful in a conservative fashion. The joy and celebration of his accomplishment was special to behold. Every member of the UVM crew enthusiastically shared his accomplishment. It was a reminder that there is a lot of good in this world and it is right under our nose . All we have to do is recognize it when it occurs and embrace it and when we do that we all win.
The second award was given to Carolyn price. By any standard, this venue was a tough, high-quality course. Free ride skiing competition is typically in the hands of younger, physically fit skiers. Carolyn was the sole entrance in the 45+ Masters category. What distinguished her run was her smoothness and joy. It was impressive to watch her skillfully navigate the course with a big smile without missing a beat.
The previous day we had given awards to Lorissa Gemberling and Oscar Price. These are two young skiers, both from the Smugglers Notch ski club, who distinguished themselves at the start with their enthusiastic encouragement of all the competitors around them. They both reflected the right reasons to be there: Passion, love, joy, respect, gratitude, and being enthusiastically in the moment. What more could one ask!
Pictured above: Peter Hawks giving Flyin Ryan Spirit Awards to Clement Fischer and Carolyn Price.