Team 44 Alpine Course Crew

(World Cup and Olympic Ski Racing Volunteers)

Team 44 crew at the 2003 Birds of Prey Downhill During the 2002 Winter Olympic Games at Salt Lake, course workers on the Grizzly and Wildflower downhill courses were divided into fourty-eight crews. On most days there were more crews than needed and many spent much time waiting in tents, parked off-course, in the woods  or were sent home for lack of work asssignments.

Team 44 at the 2002 Birds of Prey ddownhill in Beaver CreekMembers of crew 44, however, were at the Olympics to work and, day after day, were always the first to volunteer for any assignments that came available. Whether it be shoveling an access trail or planting a safety fence, crew 44 was first to respond and ended up working steadily for 17 days, passing up on days off.  Crew 44 was soon specifically requested by Section Chiefs and became honoured for their spirit and dedication.

Following the 2002 Olympics seven founding members of crew 44 banded together to form Team 44, a dedicated group of seasoned and skilled Alpine Race course workers. Now, Team 44 members seem to appear everywhere there is ski racing. Since 2002, the team has grown to a regular cast of more than 70 members, including those adopted from other Olympic course crews and other very dedicated course workers from all parts of the ski racing world. Team 44 now boasts members from Austria, France, Switzerland, Spain, Canada, and the USA.

Collectively, Team 44 members have participated in over 200 major alpine events worldwide, including five Olympiads and six World Championships. Our international resume includes the 2008 Whistler World Cup, the 2007 World Championships in Are, Sweden, the 2006, 2007 and 2008, Canadian National Alpine Championships in Whistler, the famed Hannenkaum, Kitzbuel Austria in 2006,  the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Torino, Italy , as well as the 2005 World Championships in Bormio, Italy.

Since 2001, Team 44 has been a part of the “Birds of Prey Downhill”, at Beaver Creek, Colorado . Some of our members have been associated with the Vail Volunteers for over 20 years.  During races at the Beaver Creek Resort Team 44 members can be found providing course maintenance and safety fencing at the Famous Golden Eagle Jump and the Abyss.

Team 44 is the Spirit of the Ski Race Volunteer that lives in all sporting event volunteers, fullfilling a special need to be a part of the greatest events on earth, Alpine Ski Racing. All of the Team 44 members are examples that the volunteer experience can take you to another level of experience as far away as the other side of the world..

Team 44 would like to thank the Vail Valley Foundation for the opportunity to participate with all of our friends from Vail and Beaver Creek, as well as our many friends among the Weasels Workers in Whistler, BC, Canada.

Team 44 extends a warm thank you for the generous annual support and sponsorship it recieved from:

Nordica USA for Alpine skis and boots  -   Marker USA for Alpine Ski Bindings  -  Salomon North America for Footwear and Accessories   -   Hotronics for Boot Warmers and Drying Systems  -   Mountain Uniforms for Outerwear   -   Eastwind Screen Printing for T-Shirts, Embroidery and Screen Printing.  

Team44 proudly displays our sponsor logos and banners at all of our events. Team44 is self financed and without this needed support from these awesome sponsors our ability to cover the world of alpine ski racing would be lessoned. 

Team 44 would like to thank Ted Ligety, 2006 Olympic Gold Medalist, for taking the time to personally thank some of our members for our support in Austria at The Hannenkaum in 2008.   Ted said, "Your (Team44) presence overseas make us feel like we are at home.  You guys are awesome!  Thank you.”

Team 44 members ski racing participation around the world in publications such as Ski Racing, Skiing Magazine, Ski Magazine, Mountain Times Magazines including feature articles in the Vail Daily, The Aspen Times, and Summit County News ( Breckenridge, Keystone, A-Basin and Copper Mountain ) and Mammoth Times, Mammoth Lakes California. In addition Team 44 exposure also includes members seen on Televised events from OLN, ESPN I&II, ABC, CBS and NBC.  A feature documentary on Team44 and its members is in the proposal stages at this time as well.

  Our web-site www.Team44.org , with over  100,000 visits since its creation, is where enthusiasts can find pictures of our world wide events, links and information about our sponsors, and of course event and travel schedules. Every year our participating membership grows with people just like you who want to have the volunteer alpine experience.

Membership:

Team 44 Salt Lake City 2002 Olympic Members & Birds Of Prey Course Crew are: 

Team 44 member Thom Theys in WhistlerThom Theys, Crew Chief, Birds of Prey, Ventura, California.
Eric Lyman, Olympic Crew Chief, Sandy Utah.
Denise Roach, Assistant Crew Chief, Powell, Wyoming
Gary Robinson, “The Producer”, Modesto California
John “JB” Baxter, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Mike Balvage, Timing, Shasta, California
Marc Stallings, “Darc Marc”, Carlsbad, California

Adopted Members:

Rick Roach, Team Leader, Powell Wyoming
Tim Theys, Team Leader, Camarillo, California,
Marty Slot, Team Leader, Vail, Colorado
Richard Garcia, Team 46, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Herwig Ferch, “Too Tall” Ganz, Austria
Heino Hutter, “Fabio” Vernon, BC, Canada
Mark Hutter “Sleepie” Vernon, BC, Canada
Steven Bloom “Bloomer” Denver, Colorado
Pam Elliot, “Animal” Dillon, Colorado
Ana Heiberg, “Horse Whisperer”, Vernon, BC, Canada
Lauren Williams “The SOUP Lady” Ventura, California
Maurice Mandel, “ Sego Start Master, Snowbasin 2002 Olympic” Newport Beach, California.
Jerry Stone, “The Fishman”

The entire membership of Weasels of Whistler, BC Canada with Special Thanks to:
Owen Carney, Lockie Brown, Patman, Benbow, KennyH and all the rest, (you know who you are!)