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GROVELAND TOWNSHIP, Michigan / The Flint Journal / March 4, 2009
By Elizabeth Shaw | The Flint Journal
Myrton Jones, 87, of Grand Blanc hopes to compete in the national NASTAR ski races in Colorado this month. Jones recently broke ribs and is hoping to be back in shape for the competition.
Stuart Bauer |
The Flint Journal
A group of silver-haired Mt. Holly skiers is proving you're never too old to carve an edge in the snow -- or win a few medals doing it.
Myrton Jones, 87, of Grand Blanc and his coach, Henry Walder, 81, of Grand Blanc Township, are heading to the 41st annual Nature Valley NASTAR National Championships, March 26-29 in Steamboat Springs, Colo.
They are among an estimated 1,400 racers from around the country who qualified to compete by earning a top-three ranking in their age division at a NASTAR-sanctioned ski resort.
Two of Walder's other students, Don Willen of Clarkston, 65, and Jim Fish of Holly, 75, also qualified. Willen plans to attend but Fish opted out due to his wife's recent surgery.
All credited their late-life success to Walder, who has been a local Alpine icon since arriving here in 1948 from his native Switzerland. Walder was one of the area's first professional ski instructors, teaching students on the Swartz Creek Golf Course years before Mt. Holly opened in 1956. He co-founded the Tyrolean Sports Ski School in 1966 and has owned and operated ski shops in Flint and at Mt. Holly. He now teaches all levels of instruction for Tyrolean's current owner, Joanne Evans.
Henry Walder, 81, of Grand Blanc Towship will be competing for the first time in the giant slalom race finals at the NASTAR national championships in Steamboat Springs, Colo.
Ryan Garza | The Flint Journal
"Thanks to Henry I ski better now than I did at age 40," said Fish, who's been training with Walder for about seven years. "He has tricks up his sleeve we don't even know about. Seems like every week I learn something new."
"That guy can literally dance on skis," agreed Wayne Sargent, 68, who drives to Mt. Holly from Windsor every week to train with Walder. "I've been coming here 12 years, but this is the first year I've worked with him because I was too shy to ask. He's the best skier out here. He's made an absolutely huge difference in my abilities."
Golden-age racing is not as rare as one might think. In fact, most of the skiers on the slopes on this particular weekday morning are retirees enjoying the last of the winter snow.
"In the old days we'd be able to ski free at this age at most resorts. But now there's so many in our age group they no longer do that. They'd lose too much money," joked Fish.
"Today you see a lot of 70-, 80- even some 90-year-olds who are very involved.
They keep up on the proper racing equipment and wear the slick suits just like the younger racers," said Walder. "Sometimes they look a little hideous, of course. Some have bellies, others are so skinny the suits hang on them full of wrinkles. But that's part of the fun."
Walder, who skis in the top-ranking platinum division, said he's not especially interested in how he does in his own age group.
"I'm more interested in seeing how my time compares to the younger platinum racers," he said, chuckling. "It's fun to see how many I can beat."
Notably missing from the weekly training session was Jones, who cracked some ribs in a spill over the weekend at Nub's Nob.
"I'll still go whether I ski or not. But I haven't given up yet. I've had broken ribs before," said Jones, who also credited personal trainer Nick Logan with getting him in shape for the nationals. "The equipment is so much better nowadays not too many people get hurt like they used to. But all you have to do is let your concentration slip for a fraction of a second and you can get in trouble. I hate to tell you all the times I've got banged up pretty good."
Henry Walder, 81, of Grand Blanc Township clicks into his skis after taking a coffee break at Mt. Holly in Groveland Township on Wednesday.
Ryan Garza | The Flint Journal
According to its Web site, NASTAR (National Standard Race) is the largest recreational ski and snowboard race program in the world and was developed by Ski magazine in 1968.
Win or lose at NASTAR, don't expect this to be the finish line for these golden-age athletes.
"You get this bug to race and it's hard to let loose," said Jones, chuckling. "You consistently get one, you want to go for the next. Every time I see a race course I'm tempted."
© 2008 Michigan Online LLC.
Myrton Jones, 87, of Grand Blanc hopes to compete in the national NASTAR ski races in Colorado this month. Jones recently broke ribs and is hoping to be back in shape for the competition.
Stuart Bauer |
The Flint Journal
A group of silver-haired Mt. Holly skiers is proving you're never too old to carve an edge in the snow -- or win a few medals doing it.
Myrton Jones, 87, of Grand Blanc and his coach, Henry Walder, 81, of Grand Blanc Township, are heading to the 41st annual Nature Valley NASTAR National Championships, March 26-29 in Steamboat Springs, Colo.
They are among an estimated 1,400 racers from around the country who qualified to compete by earning a top-three ranking in their age division at a NASTAR-sanctioned ski resort.
Two of Walder's other students, Don Willen of Clarkston, 65, and Jim Fish of Holly, 75, also qualified. Willen plans to attend but Fish opted out due to his wife's recent surgery.
All credited their late-life success to Walder, who has been a local Alpine icon since arriving here in 1948 from his native Switzerland. Walder was one of the area's first professional ski instructors, teaching students on the Swartz Creek Golf Course years before Mt. Holly opened in 1956. He co-founded the Tyrolean Sports Ski School in 1966 and has owned and operated ski shops in Flint and at Mt. Holly. He now teaches all levels of instruction for Tyrolean's current owner, Joanne Evans.
Henry Walder, 81, of Grand Blanc Towship will be competing for the first time in the giant slalom race finals at the NASTAR national championships in Steamboat Springs, Colo.
Ryan Garza | The Flint Journal
"Thanks to Henry I ski better now than I did at age 40," said Fish, who's been training with Walder for about seven years. "He has tricks up his sleeve we don't even know about. Seems like every week I learn something new."
"That guy can literally dance on skis," agreed Wayne Sargent, 68, who drives to Mt. Holly from Windsor every week to train with Walder. "I've been coming here 12 years, but this is the first year I've worked with him because I was too shy to ask. He's the best skier out here. He's made an absolutely huge difference in my abilities."
Golden-age racing is not as rare as one might think. In fact, most of the skiers on the slopes on this particular weekday morning are retirees enjoying the last of the winter snow.
"In the old days we'd be able to ski free at this age at most resorts. But now there's so many in our age group they no longer do that. They'd lose too much money," joked Fish.
"Today you see a lot of 70-, 80- even some 90-year-olds who are very involved.
They keep up on the proper racing equipment and wear the slick suits just like the younger racers," said Walder. "Sometimes they look a little hideous, of course. Some have bellies, others are so skinny the suits hang on them full of wrinkles. But that's part of the fun."
Walder, who skis in the top-ranking platinum division, said he's not especially interested in how he does in his own age group.
"I'm more interested in seeing how my time compares to the younger platinum racers," he said, chuckling. "It's fun to see how many I can beat."
Notably missing from the weekly training session was Jones, who cracked some ribs in a spill over the weekend at Nub's Nob.
"I'll still go whether I ski or not. But I haven't given up yet. I've had broken ribs before," said Jones, who also credited personal trainer Nick Logan with getting him in shape for the nationals. "The equipment is so much better nowadays not too many people get hurt like they used to. But all you have to do is let your concentration slip for a fraction of a second and you can get in trouble. I hate to tell you all the times I've got banged up pretty good."
Henry Walder, 81, of Grand Blanc Township clicks into his skis after taking a coffee break at Mt. Holly in Groveland Township on Wednesday.
Ryan Garza | The Flint Journal
According to its Web site, NASTAR (National Standard Race) is the largest recreational ski and snowboard race program in the world and was developed by Ski magazine in 1968.
Win or lose at NASTAR, don't expect this to be the finish line for these golden-age athletes.
"You get this bug to race and it's hard to let loose," said Jones, chuckling. "You consistently get one, you want to go for the next. Every time I see a race course I'm tempted."
© 2008 Michigan Online LLC.
