Far West Joe Ross Memorial Race Award...
Joe Ross came to the US from Frankfurt, Germany, at the age of 21. He was a very accomplished ice skater and was a member of the Los Angeles Figure Skating Club.
Joe started skiing in 1935 at the young age of 52, when some friends from Austria came to visit and he put on his first pair of skis at Snow Valley. He especially loved Sun Valley and traveled there many times by train. He skied all over Europe, particularly Austria and Switzerland. Joe belonged to Grindelwald Ski Club, Far World Ski Club and the FWSA for over thirty-five years. His first NASTAR race was at Jackson Hole at the age of 84.
He was featured by Harry Reasoner at age 88 on national TV when he won his gold NASTAR at Aspen. In his early 90s, he was featured in a Warren Miller film. He also appeared in Ripley’s Believe It or Not for being one of American’s most remarkable skiers as the oldest downhill skier in the US.
It was Joe's most earnest goal to ski until the age of 100. However, his goal came to an end at age 97 when he suffered a stroke while skiing at Aspen. Joe died shortly after his 99th birthday.
His spirit will continue forward in the FWSA Joe Ross Memorial Race.
The Joe Ross trophy goes to the ski club at the Far West Ski Week with the most total points for Slalom and Giant Slalom.
|
Year
|
Ski Club |
FWSA Ski Week Location |
| 2024 |
Sierra League Direct |
Steamboat Springs, CO |
| 2023 |
Reno Ski & Rec |
Jackson Hole, WY |
| 2022 |
Phoenix |
Snowmass, CO |
|
2021
|
No Race Held
|
Sun Valley, ID |
|
2020
|
Aerospace
|
Big Sky, MT |
|
2019
|
Rusty Bindings |
Steamboat, CO |
|
2018
|
Phoenix |
Banff, Canada |
|
2017
|
Cabernet |
Breckenridge, CO |
|
2016
|
Cabernet |
Telluride, CA |
|
2015
|
Aerospace |
Whistler/Blackcomb, Canada |
|
2014
|
Cabernet |
Beaver Creek, CO |
|
2013
|
Aerospace |
Aspen / Snowmass, CO |
|
2012
|
Cabernet |
Jackson Hole, WY |
|
2011
|
Balboa |
Sun Valley, ID |
|
2010
|
Modesto |
Keystone, CO |
|
2009
|
Modesto |
Big Sky, MT |
|
2008
|
Modesto |
Whistler/Blackcomb, Canada |
|
2007
|
Castro Valley |
Steamboat, CO |
|
2006
|
Castro Valley |
Telluride, CO |
|
2005
|
Modesto |
Aspen/Snowmass, CO |
|
2004
|
Modesto |
Lake Louise, Canada |
|
2003
|
Code 3
Phoenix |
Big Mountain, MT |
|
2002
|
Code 3 |
Copper Mountain, CO |
|
2001
|
Code 3 |
Sun Valley, ID |
|
2000
|
Castro Valley
|
Whistler/Blackcomb, Canada
|
|
1999
|
Castro Valley |
Lake Louise, Canada |
|
1998
|
Castro Valley |
Jackson Hole, WY |
|
1997
|
Castro Valley |
Steamboat, CO |
|
1996
|
Castro Valley |
Mt. Bachelor, OR |
|
1995
|
Balboa |
Whistler/Blackcomb, Canada |
|
1994
|
Castro Valley |
Banff, Canada |
|
1993
|
Century City |
Aspen, CO |
|
1992
|
Century City |
Vail, CO |
|
1991
|
SLO Skiers |
Breckenridge, CO |
|
1990
|
Grindelwald |
Telluride, CO |
|
1989
|
Sequoia |
Banff, Canada |
|
1988
|
Grindelwald |
The Summit, CO |
|
1987
|
Sequoia |
Park City, UT |
|
1986
|
Edelweiss |
Jackson Hole, WY |
The Reno Ski and Recreation Club won the Joe Ross Award for the most club points in the GS race at Jackson Hole. L-R: Bill Ramoni, Laura Greco, Larry Greco, Jo Simpson, Shayne Wallace, Paul Vandervoort, Lisa Vandervoort, Ken Simpson. Photo submitted by Lisa Vandervoort.