Regional Team 2012-2013
USTSA established a new “Regional Team” in 2010 and plans to continue this team into the future. The intent of the Regional Team is to recognize athletes, of any age, that have demonstrated a commitment to the sport of telemark racing and continue to improve their skills. Some Regional Team members will have a long term goal of being selected as a member of the USTSA A, B or Development Team. Other Regional Team members may be retired National Team Members that want to stay involved in the sport or USTSA members who exhibit a passion for the sport and have already been an ambassador for telemark racing.
To learn more about the role of the Regional Team and the qualifications and application process, click here>
2012-2013 Regional Team Members:
Larry Bosche – Berkeley, CA
I have been skiing since age 5 and have always wanted to race. As a child I skied with the family at Sugar Bowl in the Sierras. I learned to telemark during college back in the days of leather boots, flimsy bindings and narrow double-camber tele skis. This involved a lot of falling but it was also lots of fun and I was hooked.
After marriage and kids, I came to the realization that ski weekends were the ultimate family outings. The kids liked the ski programs at Squaw Valley my wife, Tracy, loves skiing and I enjoyed race training on teles with the Squaw Masters. With my son Parker, age 12, racing and my daughter Annie ,age 9, skiing beautifully I have become gripped by the world of ski racing whether telemark or alpine. I enjoy the camaraderie and the competition at the Telemark Nationals and I look forward to participating again next season.
I love the feeling of carfing a telemark turn and going fast. I very much like alpine skiing but for me the telemark turn feels even better. Telemark is a more dynamic move as it is similar to performing a series of lunges whereas alpine is more like a set of squat reps. I guess the easy way to describe it is to say that I like lunges. But really telemark skiing and racing feels different and it feels great. For me it is kind of like the difference between hearing your favorite music in mono vs. hearing it in stereo.
The racers and organizers are great people and the events are really fun. Everyone supports each other and cheers each other on which makes for a great atmosphere.
When off the snow I am a wine consultant in Berkeley, CA working primarily with individual collectors helping them buy and sell and manage their collections.
Julie Brown – Perkinsville, VT
I first learned to telemark 20 years ago on double cambered skis and leather boots. It was love at first run! Since then I have enjoyed skiing with my husband and three children in Vermont. I am an assistant kindergarten teacher, a graduate student, a small farmer, and a homemaker. My family cheers me on at Kare Anderson’s ski race once a year at Bromley, Vermont for a day of fun and with fellow telemarkers. I participated in the National Championships this past winter in New Hampshire and was again reminded of the thrill of racing. Telemark skiing is graceful, exciting, and peaceful all at once, and I am looking forward to being an ambassador for the sport in Vermont. Thank you USTSA!
Scott Edgerton – Missoula, MT
I grew up skiing on the east coast starting in the teen age years. In the 1980’s I switched to tele skiing while ski patrolling in Utah. I moved to Montana in 1987 and have been telemark skiing ever since and discovered racing about 6 years ago. I love skiing in a fast, precise and controlled manner which are all required of telemark racing. My other interests include running rivers, mountain biking, traveling and photography.
Sara Godek – Allenstown, NH
I started skiing at age 6 at Gunstock Mountain Resort. I first learned to ski alpine then switched to nordic skiing around the age of 10. I learned to ski Nordic at Bolduc Park with the Nordic Kids and skiing around the farm where my family lived in Gilford, New Hampshire. Later, I competed in nordic events for Gunstock Nordic Association and Gilford Middle High School. I was primarily coached by Russian skier Alexei Sotskov and Russian 3-time gold medalist Nina Gavrilyuk. In high school I helped my nordic team take home four consecutive State Championships and two State Championship Runner-Ups in alpine. I acquired the highest combined score at the alpine and nordic championships and was named Ski-Meister Champion for Division III for the State of New Hampshire twice (Naturally I should have known that telemark was where I was heading to combine my alpine and nordic racing!). I took four years off from skiing while I attended Bates College in a pre-med program. I graduated in 2011 with Bachelor’s degrees in Biochemistry and Studio Art. At Bates I was recruited in track and field as a thrower and I competed at the NCAA Indoor Championship my senior year in the 20 lb weight throw.
During the winter of 2004 I tried telemark skiing for the first time and tried off and on to get the hang of it, I had an incredibly difficult time making the transition, in fact, my first ever telemark race I did on nordic skis! It was not until this winter of 2012 where I truly felt comfortable on my telemark skis. Now I love telemark racing because it gives me a feeling of euphoria and warmth; it definitely keeps me warm lunging down the hill and I always look forward to the skate section! The best part about telemark racing is that it challenges you as a well-rounded skier. I am so thankful that Telemark Nationals were held at Gunstock which introduced me to this wonderful team and the supportive community of telemark racing in the US.
Less than a week after Telemark Nationals my father passed away unexpectedly, he had been a starter at one of the races at Nationals and loved being involved with the races/racers and was so proud of me. Skiing was such a big part of his life and I would like to dedicate this next winter of skiing and racing in his memory. Currently, I reside in Allenstown, NH, I love to be outside in the woods, skiing or hiking. In the summer of 2011 I hiked 800 miles on the Appalachian Trail. This year I will be in my first professional job in clinical trials and eventually I would like to further my education to pursue a career in the medical field. I am looking forward to being an ambassador to the sport of telemark racing and hope to improve my own racing while engaging new people in telemark racing this coming year.
Mark Haberle – Waitsfield, VT
I have been ski racing since I was a kid and love every aspect of the sport. I raced some alpine in college but fell in love with backcountry skiing and the freedom of the 3-pin setup. In the early 90’s I got hooked on racing Telemark while working for the Appalachian Mountain Club in NH where I was privileged to cut my teeth on Telemark racing alongside the likes of Chris Rice and Armin Bischofberger. Having been involved through the heyday of rule-restricted ski widths (I still have a pair of Tua Vipers in the closet!!) and hybrid leather and plastic boots, I eventually landed on the US National team in 1996. I competed for the US National team for a number of years until knee injuries and a growing family shifted my priorities. I still dig the sport and go out and bash gates as frequently as I can. I currently live in Vermont with my wife and two kids who, amazingly, tolerate my free-heeling ways.
Garrett Long – Cambridge, MA
I began alpine skiing at the age of 2. I switched to telemarking at about the age of 14 in order to continue to challenge myself. I skied recreationally until college when I attended the USTSA Red Lodge Race Camp. I also started Alpine Racing for the US Naval Academy Ski Team. Since then, I have become more and more immersed into both alpine and telemark racing, continuing to work on improving my racing technique. I enjoy the team, the competition, the travel, the excitement and again, the team. The sport is fantastic and the people competing only help to make it all the better. Last spring I graduated from the US Naval Academy and I am currently attending MIT to complete a master’s degree.
Jody Miller – Buffalo, NY
I started skiing the frozen hills of Western NY in the early 70’s on leather boots and bear trap bindings. Little did I know then that all I had to do was remove a few small screws on the cables and I would discover my true ski passion. Telemark! It was not until years later that I was introduced to telemark skiing. One day at my local hill a fast tele guy came up and introduced himself as Andy Minier. I did not realize at the time that I was invited to start tele racing by a perennial US Telemark Ski Team member. Andy’s passion for the sport, guidance, and the absolute blast I had in the gates hooked me. I try to compete every week in the masters leagues and frequently race with Telemark Ski Ontario friends north of the border. I was successful in winning the overall race series title this season and look forward to representing our side once more this coming season. In the off season I spend my time cycling and racing sailboats.
As has been said many times before, the turn is most pleasing, both visually and physically. The burn is invigorating and humbling all at the same time. As a new member of the regional team, I look forward to sharing the passion and bringing the sport to others as it has been brought to me.
Bill Pammer – Bethel, NY
I was born and raised in the Catskill Mountain Area in Upstate New York. I started alpine skiing when I was in grade school. My parents introduced me to cross country skiing when I was in High School and I subsequently shifted my focus from alpine to cross country which involved recreational club skiing. In 2002, thanks to my brother, I was introduced to telemark skiing and subsequently took a clinic at Mt. Hood during the summer of 2003 to get the basics. I completely fell in love with the sport because of the freedom of movement and the camaraderie of the telemark ski community. Between 2005 and 2010 I started doing local NASTAR races and race clinics to make things more interesting and challenging. The great thing about telemark skiing is you are constantly learning and improving. In addition, the interaction with other USTSA ski members allows you to learn from others and receive constructive feedback to further improve your racing skills and execution of course strategy. My other interests include kayaking with my wife, Denise, free skiing with my nephew, Aidan, biking and hiking.
Keith Rodney – Mount Snow, VT
I began my alpine skiing racing career in college in central Vermont in 1989. I then moved to southern Vermont 1991 years later to teach skiing at Mount Snow. A few years later, in 1994, I decided to transfer to Western State College in Gunnison, CO where I also had the experience of teaching skiing at Crested Butte for 4 years. During this time, I learned to telemark and realized that I loved the sport and wanted to improve my skills.
After graduating from college, I moved back to Mount Snow to be an alpine instructor, staff trainer and pursue a further career in ski instruction with PSIA.
My first exposure to telemark skiing was in Crested Butte. I was enthralled with the way the skiers were moving down the mountain. Once back in New England I started teaching telemark skiing and going to the tele festivals. Finally, in 2009 I became an educational staff member in telemark skiing for Professional Ski Instructors of America. My first exposure to telemark ski racing was at Bromely Mountain in VT. I entered the “Kare Anderson Telemark Race” which was my first race. It only took that one race and I was hooked. The competition and the camaraderie of Telemark skiing is fantastic and unlike any other sport.
Devon Wright – Campton, NH
2012 Regional Team Members:
Larry Bosche – Berkeley, CA
Scott Edgerton – Missoula, MT
Chris Henery – McCall, ID
Joel Nylander – Bountiful, UT
Aiden Rohde – Steamboat Springs, CO and Sydney Australia
Katie Ross – Steamboat Springs, CO
Cole Schneider – Whitefish, MT
2011 Regional Team Members:
Larry Bosche – Berkeley, CA
Maggie Doherty – Whitefish, MT
Scott Edgerton – Missoula, MT
Chris Henery – McCall, ID
Andrew Minier – Eden, NY
Birk Larsen – Park City, UT
Garrett Long – Riverside, CT
Aiden Rohde – Steamboat Springs, CO and Sydney Australia
Erica Ruta – Whitefish, MT
Cole Schneider – Whitefish, MT
2010 Regional Team Members:
Karl Geisler – Reno, Nevada
Josh Lanzetta – New Durham, New Hampshire
Andy Minier – Eden, New York
Joel Nylander – Bountiful, Utah
Nick Resignolo – Breckenridge, Colorado
Katie Ross – Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Cole Schneider – Whitefish, Montana
Max Shefte-Jacobs – Burlington, Vermont