LA PARVA, CHILE (September 23, 2010) -- The poor snow forecast did not deter over 100 Masters from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway and the United States from competing in the race series that took place September 16 to 19 in Valle Nevado and La Parva CHI. To the organizers’ relief, the Giant Slalom, Slalom and two Super-G races ran on hard packed courses under mostly sunny skies.  Except for the Slalom, all competitions were held on the same challenging terrain as the Alpine South American Continental Cup races.

Canada’s nine athletes aged 42 to 70 years old included members of the National Masters Alpine Team from Eastern and Western Canada. The delegation won a record 13 gold, 7 silver and 5 bronze medals and produced three FIS Masters South American Cup Combined Champions.

Seven-year Canadian Champion Howard Cole of Toronto ON easily bested eight other competitors and won the 2010 South American Cup title in the 60 to 64 class. Denyse Houde of Collingwood ON repeated the quadruple gold performance she gave in 2007 and was crowned South American Cup Champion for the second time. In a very tight competition, her 70-year old husband Michael earned his first SAC title, winning the Giant Slalom and Slalom races and placing second in both Super-G’s by mere fractions of a second.

Patty Edgar of Canmore AB received a combined silver medal by being 2nd in Slalom, 2nd in Super-G, 3rd in the other Super-G and 4th in Giant Slalom. Ranked 3rd in the combined, Mike Robins of Toronto ON came 2nd in Super-G and Slalom, had a bronze medal in Giant Slalom but faltered to a 6th place result in one of the Super-G races. Other Canadian podiums included Calgary’s Derald Smith who earned a bronze medal, a 4th and a 5th place in the speed events.

Rounding up the team were Scott Mikalachki, a new Masters recruit from London ON who had a 5th in Giant Slalom and 2 fourth place results in Super-G and Daniel Oehy of Toronto returning from recent knee surgery who competed in one of the largest age groups against top Masters from the US, Italy and Norway (he was 6th and 8th in Super-G and Giant Slalom but did not complete the last 2 events). Bob McKee, also of Toronto, planned to add more gold medals to his South American Cup collection but fell ill and had to withdraw from all events.

This excellent off-season Masters series is open to everyone over 30 years of age with valid FIS Masters credentials.  For more international racing information please visit www.acamasters.com.

Submitted by Denyse Houde - International Masters Academy ima@bell.net