From: https://www.worldproskitour.com:
Ed Rogers, former director of the World Pro Ski Tour in the 1980’s and 90’s, announced December 23, 2015 that he has assembled a group of investors to rekindle the tour in 2017. For forty years, different professional skiing tours served as the only made–for-television ski racing events with large cash prizes and national sponsors.
Rogers’ tour continued the legacy of the “dual” style of ski racing that was made famous by Bob Beattie- where two skiers raced on courses side-by-side against each other, instead of the clock. Competitors would qualify for a bracket of 32, setting up a single elimination, tournament style final that pitted Olympic and World Cup champions against journeymen racers from all over the globe. The plan for the newest edition of the tour is to maintain the general format because it has largely been lost on the national and international stage.
“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to bring professional ski racing to the 21st century,” Rogers said, “our tour was very relevant when it ended it 1999 and we’re confident that this is the right time and the right group to bring the tour back to life.” According to Rogers, 2016 will be devoted to developing sponsorships and planning a six event tour for 2017 at sites all over the country.
Rogers also announced that the group has hired Craig Marshall of Portland, Maine as executive director of sales and marketing to begin business in January 2016. Craig Marshall grew up at Sugarloaf, ME and skied at the NCAA Division I level for Colby College from 2012 to 2015.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of this new effort to bring the Pro Tour back to life. Ski racing is in a crisis; it has failed to evolve to the 21st century in the same way that freestyle skiing and snowboarding have.” Marshall said. “I hope to give racers of different ages an opportunity to make a living racing or at least support their World Cup or Continental Cup careers.”
Ed Rogers, former director of the World Pro Ski Tour in the 1980’s and 90’s, announced December 23, 2015 that he has assembled a group of investors to rekindle the tour in 2017. For forty years, different professional skiing tours served as the only made–for-television ski racing events with large cash prizes and national sponsors.
“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to bring professional ski racing to the 21st century,” Rogers said, “our tour was very relevant when it ended it 1999 and we’re confident that this is the right time and the right group to bring the tour back to life.” According to Rogers, 2016 will be devoted to developing sponsorships and planning a six event tour for 2017 at sites all over the country.
Rogers also announced that the group has hired Craig Marshall of Portland, Maine as executive director of sales and marketing to begin business in January 2016. Craig Marshall grew up at Sugarloaf, ME and skied at the NCAA Division I level for Colby College from 2012 to 2015.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of this new effort to bring the Pro Tour back to life. Ski racing is in a crisis; it has failed to evolve to the 21st century in the same way that freestyle skiing and snowboarding have.” Marshall said. “I hope to give racers of different ages an opportunity to make a living racing or at least support their World Cup or Continental Cup careers.”
