Masters Won’t Go Downhill Five Men Represent Spokane At Cross Country Skiing Event

Five men represented Spokane when 1,100 people from 23 countries met in Canmore, Alberta, two weeks ago.

There was a doctor, a dentist, a clinical laboratory scientist, a carpenter and a life insurance agent.

Was it some kind of technical conference? Maybe a meeting with representatives from different careers?

None of the above.

The five represented Spokane in the 1995 Masters World Cup, a competition involving the best cross country skiers, ages 30 and over, in the world.

“It’s hard to compare anything else with it,” life insurance agent Paul Smith said. “To be a cross country skiing enthusiast and to be there skiing with the best in the world and to actually keep up with them for at least a few strides was great.”

The five competed in three races: 15, 30 and 50 kilometers.

In all races, the skiers had a choice of entering either the classic race, which uses the usual cross country style, or the freestyle, which employs a skating style.

The competition was broken into age groups of five-year intervals.

For instance, Smith skied in the 50-54 age group while 38-year-old Joe Sherman, the doctor, skied in the 35-39 group.

Smith, 51, is the oldest of the Spokane men and has been skiing 35 years.

According to Smith, there were two reasons he decided to compete in the Masters World Cup.

“I’ve always been fascinated by international competitions,” he said, “and other racers encouraged me to attend based on my race results at the Great American Ski Chase Yellowstone Rendezvous.”

Smith attended the world event with his wife, Jacque, taking advantage of a week off from work.

“It came at a great time,” he said. “That part of Canada is one of the most beautiful places in North America.”

In his age group, Smith finished 37th in the 30k freestyle, 37th at in the 15k classic and 30th in the 50k freestyle.

In contrast, Sherman was the youngest of the Spokane competitors.

“I thought it was some good competition,” Sherman said. “I thought they did a pretty reasonable job putting the event together.”

Although he camped out with his girlfriend and her father, also a competitor, Sherman did encounter some of the other skiers when stopping off to get supplies.

“We met some Soviet skiers in the grocery store. Nobody could talk to each other, but we exchanged pins and sort of used sign language,” Sherman said.

Sherman finished 17th in the 30k freestyle and 20th in the 15k freestyle. He had to return to work and was unable to stay for the 50k race.

Dentist Richard Gibbon, 47, also enjoyed skiing at the Masters World Cup.

“It was a wonderful experience,” Gibbon said. “You meet a lot of interesting people and I really enjoy that aspect of it.”

After downhill skiing for many years, Gibbon switched to cross country 10 years ago.

“I got kind of discouraged with downhill skiing because it was getting really expensive and commercialized,” Gibbon said.

Gibbon was impressed with the overall atmosphere of the competition.

“There’s a lot of camaraderie, goodwill and good spirits,” he said. “I think that’s one real strong aspect of the master’s program.”

Gibbon finished 38th in the 30k classic and 27th in the 15k freestyle. He was unable to finish the 50k after developing severe frostbite on his nose.

Bruce Utsey, a 41-year-old clinical laboratory scientist, did extremely well at the competition and enjoyed the experience.

“I think the best part is meeting people who have the same interest from all over the world,” Utsey said.

“There’s a misconception that master skiers are sort of slow old duffers, but I was doing 40 (mph) on the big downhills,” Utsey said. “What I saw was a whole lot of 40- and 50-year-old faces running around on 20-year-old bodies.”

The competition was the largest in which Utsey has been a part. “I guess I really felt I arrived in the big time when they announced the starts of all the races in four different languages,” he said.

Utsey finished 30th in the 30k classic, 21st in the 15k freestyle and 18th in the 50k freestyle.

“I was very pleased to be the second American (finisher) in the 15k,” Utsey said.

Carpenter Doric Creager, 44, returned to racing this year, 15 years after his appearance at the 1980 Olympic Trials.

“It was an excellent experience,” Creager said. “The fact that this event will probably never again be held this close to home made it the chance of a lifetime. It was also one of the motivating factors of returning to the sport.”“It was certainly as competitive as any of the Olympic Trial races I was in 15 years ago,” Creager said. “There was an overall camaraderie that was unique. Everybody had worked hard to get there, but no one had quit their day job.”

Creager finished 42nd in the 30k classic and 15k classic. He was unable to stay for the 50k.

Each of the five men plans to ski in either next year’s Masters World Cup in Finland or 1997’s Masters World Cup in Italy.

For now, however, some are taking a muchdeserved rest after a tough racing season.

“My wife’s ready to have me around for a while,” Gibbon said.