Empire Skate-Ski Clinic with Dan

Empire Speed Skate-Ski Clinic
with Dan Burger
Fahnestock Winter Park near Cold Spring, NY
January 13, 2001
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All we needed was a little snow. It was just over two weeks before the clinic date, and Fahnestock Winter Park, about an hours drive from Manhattan, didn't quite have enough to open yet. In phone conversations, Paul at the FWP Lodge sounded hopeful and confident that enough snow would fall soon.

No one could have predicted the blizzard that hit the East Coast on the night of December 29th and morning of the 30th. Over a foot and a half fell in Brooklyn. On the last days of the 20th Century, the skiing was right out the front door. Not only did we get a ton of snow, but freezing temperatures in the NY area kept the snow in great shape for the next two weeks! We were very lucky, and to top it off it was a beautiful day for the clinic!

On Saturday morning, everyone was looking more lively than you would expect at 9am and temperatures in the 20's. Maybe they were just jumping around to stay warm! Dan said afterwards that he couldn't have asked for a more positive group. From the beginning of the day til the end, everyone seemed to have a great time, and devoured huge chunks of technique. Goodies from Dan's sponsors TWINCAM bearings, Explore wheels, and Transpack/Triple Eight were awarded for such things as "Most original descending technique", "Wettest butt", and "Best dressed", to name a few.

A big thanks goes out to Robert McDermott, who did much of the work in organizing the event! Also, a special thanks to Paul and his staff at Fahnestock Winter Park for letting us hold a clinic at their area, and for letting us reserve half of their skate-skis. We were treated like VIPs by everyone... thanks! Lets not forget about the great job that Jenny did taking these pictures. She was racing all over the place to get good shots!

We hope that everyone that took the clinic has a chance to go back out to Fahnestock and practice what they learned. Maybe introduce someone else to the joy of cross-country skiing!

Pole thang!	First downhill	Plow it!
Free skate	Skate the lake	Terry's intense look
Everyone's got it	All smiles!	Leading it out
Total control	"Oh #%@#&!!!"	Linda leads

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