McConkey Ski Hall of Fame Nomination Help

[Oldtimer]

Hey Everyone,

I have a Shane McConkey US Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame nomination in for this year. I need some help showing the board Shane's true impact on the world of skiing. I need letters of support documenting not just how good of a guy he was but also what he did for ski design, organized skiing, skiing style, etc, etc.

I also don't want to inundate the Nomination Board with hundreds of letters so it might be wise to have anyone with significant positions within the industry write a letter of support. Does anyone here fit the criteria and want to write a brief letter of support? Or does anyone here know someone in the industry who might want to write a letter?

Please let me know via Private Message and I'll get you the info to get started.

Deadline for letters of support is April 30th, 2010.

Thanks a ton!

Old

[enlosandes]

Dr G, on behalf of the rest of us, thanks for spearheading this. I can't think of a more worthy candidate for the Ski Hall of Fame then Shane.

[FreakofSnow]

Word, this a noble effort for a noble dude. Rock on Robb.

[hitzzz]

most influential skier ever

[squirrelmurphy]

Yo, start by pointing them to the thread on here. I'd say that about sums it up.

[Jim S]

Shane was the kindest, funniest, and most influential person to strap on a pair of skis.

Every sport has gifted atheletes. But aside from taking skiing to incredible and new places, Shane also revolutionized the sport with his own design for skis. He brought new technology that put thousands of smiles on faces of all ages in every country and brought an adrenalin surge to off piste alpine skiing which is unrivaled.

I can't think of anybody who could be worthy.

[mmmm...pow!]

If there is any explanation needed for Shane to get into the "Hall of Fame", then I don't think the HOF is worthy of having him.

[mcski]

If there is any explanation needed for Shane to get into the "Hall of Fame", then I don't think the HOF is worthy of having him.

I'm kind of surprised too that it would not be entirely obvious that he had more impact than anyone else in ski design in the last 15 years. 1st ballot hall of fame no brainer.

That said, whatever it takes to make it happen.

[Blurred]

If there is any explanation needed for Shane to get into the "Hall of Fame", then I don't think the HOF is worthy of having him.

Completely agree.

If you have to explain why Shane should be in the HOF, then they're a bunch of idiots...that being said, I'll do anything I can to help.

[Que]

You would think it should be as easy as scrawling his name on a sheet of paper. EOJ

Good job for taking this on!

[Caucasian Asian]

If there is any explanation needed for Shane to get into the "Hall of Fame", then I don't think the HOF is worthy of having him.

If anybody disagrees with Shane being in the HOF, they need to look at what they are skiing on and explain why they are skiing skis that are wider than 70mm underfoot.

[MTT]

If there is any explanation needed for Shane to get into the "Hall of Fame", then I don't think the HOF is worthy of having him.

I was going to type something along the same lines as this. Just the ski design work olone gets it done.

Who makes up this board that you would have to explain the obvious?

If its an international board? I still don't get it?

[f2f]

just show them "the ski world would never be the same" thread.

[Loon]

More info on the HOF here HOF

Never looked at it before today, some big names on that list. Bill Briggs, Dick Barrymore, and Warren Miller. Disappointed not to see Coombs on that list though.

Good luck with this oldtimer, can't think of anyone more deserving.

[Tye 1on]

If there is any explanation needed for Shane to get into the "Hall of Fame", then I don't think the HOF is worthy of having him.

Completely agree.

If you have to explain why Shane should be in the HOF, then they're a bunch of idiots...that being said, I'll do anything I can to help.

x2.

Seems like they tend to move rather...deliberately. Didn't Bill just get in last year or something?

Regardless, this is a no-brainer.

[Jim S]

+ 1
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.
.

[splat]

Meet this year's Class of Inductees


Jack Benedick of Golden, CO has brought passion and innovation to adaptive skiing that will leave a lasting legacy. Benedick, a double leg amputee from the Viet Nam War, took up adaptive skiing when the sport was still in its infancy. He worked hard with the USSA to create a U.S. Adaptive Ski Team and lobbied the FIS to accept adaptive skiing. A holder of the Paralympic Order for his contributions he was a silver medal winner in the combined at the 1984 Paralympic Games.


Stu Campbell lived in Stowe, VT and was a writer, instructor and resort executive who impacted on 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.


Sepp Kober is known as the “Father of Southern Skiing.” After immigrating to the United States and instructing at Stowe he was the first ski instructor at the first southern ski area to open a rope tow, Weiss Knob, in 1958. From then he worked to prove that skiing could exist south of the Mason Dixon Line. Today the South Eastern Ski Areas Association, which he founded, consists of 20 ski areas serving four to five million skiers annually and is considered the largest feeder of skiers to the mountain resorts in the west. He led the southeast as a charter member of the National Ski Areas Association. He resides in Hot Springs, VA.


Ansten Samuelstuen of Louisville, CO first arrived in the United States in 1951 and set a hill record for distance of 316 feet at Howelson Hill in Steamboat Springs that stood for 12 years. After immigrating to the U.S. in 1954 he successfully won three national titles in ski jumping, (1957, 1961 and 1962) and held four North American titles (1954, 1955,1957 and 1964). He competed for the United States on two Olympic teams and was the top U.S. jumper with a seventh place finish at the 1960 Olympic Games in Squaw Valley.


Chris Waddell recently made international headlines for his successful climb of Mount Kilimanjaro in September of this year. Paralyzed from the waist down after a skiing accident in 1988 he took up adaptive skiing and won twelve medals at four Paralympic Games. He swept the gold medals at the 1994 Paralympics in Lillehammer. As well he competed at three Paralympic Summer Games winning a silver medal in Sydney in 2000 in the 200 M wheelchair event. The Park City, UT resident has been a charismatic promoter for adaptive skiing and was a prominent ambassador for the Salt Lake City Games in 2002.


Sarah Will was also paralyzed in a skiing accident in 1988 and also won 12 medals competing on U.S. teams at four Paralympic Games. Like Chris Waddell she too swept the gold medals at the Paralympics, this time in Salt Lake City in 2002. Shortly after her accident she read Hall of Famer Hal O’Leary’s book on adaptive skiing and started to train at Winter Park. Within three years she won gold medals in the downhill and Super G at the 1992 Paralympic Games. With Waddell she started an adaptive skiing program at Vail and was recently recognized by the United States Olympic Hall of Fame to go along with honors accorded her in 2004 by the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. Sarah lives in Edwards, CO.


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.

[obscure reference]

Bet Darron Rahlves would write something up...... He has a bit of pull in the ski world, and he is on the board.

[Huckin eh?]

just show them "the ski world would never be the same" thread.

+1

[f2f]

^ picture won't show, better upload here directly. are those kootenay powder sticks?

[Creeker]

Great call Robb!

Sadly, I don't think the "Errecarte Bros" have any ski industry weight/influence.

However Shane, introduced via you and Scott, were a tremendous influence on us and continue to be to this day.

We just had our best day of the Squaw season ripping hero snow on the McToons.

If you need anything, let me know.

Jess

[iceman]

If there is any explanation needed for Shane to get into the "Hall of Fame", then I don't think the HOF is worthy of having him.

This has been quoted a lot but I can't say it better.

[Huckin eh?]

^ are those kootenay powder sticks?

Nope!
Wagner custom, 199 cm slightly modified pontoon!

[Oldtimer]

Maybe this thread will be support enough itself. Thanks everyone!!

[Loon]

bump for a good cause