Snowmass Village, Colorado (Vocus/PRWEB) March 30, 2011
Snowmass Village, Colorado, is a regular venue for the North American Airlines Ski Federation (NAASF) and its membership of ski racing airline employees, retirees and guests. Since 1977, this collegial group of airline professionals, who like to don their downhill suits and hit the giant slalom and slalom courses at ski areas worldwide, have met for fun, fundraising, friendly competition and camaraderie.
The Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, just six miles away from Snowmass, offers 150 direct weekly flights. That’s just one of the reasons it is popular with the NAASF. Heather Patterson, a Delta Airlines flight attendant and 15-year member of NAASF, is the volunteer coordinator of the Snowmass event. “Snowmass has always been a favorite and we’ve come back again and again. The airport is super convenient,” she said. “We look for a lot of value on a limited budget, so we’re extra appreciative of the amenities that Snowmass is willing to offer us. We’re a club, not a team, and a majority of us come for fun and parties, lodging and lift ticket discounts, and to see friends.”
The NAASF club has two tracks for ski and snowboard racers; the more competitive A league and a purely recreational B league. The racing will take place on three days during this Sunday-Friday event, on courses that have been technically devised and designed in advance, in close coordination with the Snowmass race crew. “We have some very good racers, including ex-collegiate skiers,” said Patterson. “People bring their downhill suits, and you’ll see them sharpening their edges and applying wax at the start of the course. They are into it!” There are some members of NAASF who choose not to race, instead coming to the NAASF week for the great deals on skiing and to cheer on their teammates.
“The North American Airlines Ski Federation is a perfect example of a social ski group who comes to Snowmass for the pure joy of snowsports, the enjoyment of the village and the fun of the parties,” said Karla Baker, National Sales Manager for Snowmass Tourism Groups and Meetings. “This year we’ll host about 200 NAASF guests, and we love that we are able extend value on our great spring skiing, meeting and party venues, and lodging product in Snowmass.”
The NAASF is an organization that maximizes its social time, and their themed mid-week parties have become legendary. The format for a ski week includes a welcome party, a team dinner, a theme party and an awards banquet. At the Snowmass event, taking place at Sneaky’s Tavern, the party theme is ‘Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales,’ and Patterson asserts that people will go all out. “Everyone dresses up and puts a lot of advance planning into their costumes for the theme party,” she says. “It’s a fun night for photos.”
In addition to racing excitement and social events, the NAASF supports youth U.S. ski racing programs. With advancement of ski racing as its goal, the NAASF Foundation was formed to award scholarships and grants to promising young ski racers, based on financial need, age and racing level. There are two grants awarded annually, and they offset travel, equipment and race fees for young promising athletes. The charitable gifts are generated from guest fees, silent auctions and raffles.
At the Snowmass NAASF ski week, guests will be coming from ski and snowboard clubs associated with American Airlines, Continental, Delta, FedEx, JetBlue, SkyWest, Southwest, United Airlines, U.S. Airways and other major airlines for a relaxing, fun and collegial week.
About Snowmass Tourism Groups & Meetings
The year-round resort town of Snowmass Village, Colorado is located nine miles from Aspen, Colorado. Snowmass is accessible by the local Aspen/Pitkin County airport and three regional airports. Top-of-the-line conference equipment and facilities, economy to luxury guest rooms, free local transportation, countless summer and winter activities and superior guest experience characterize Snowmass Village resort. With recent investment of $ 1 billion in the ski area, base village, and new lodging properties with meeting space, Snowmass is ideal for meetings and conferences, ski and social groups, corporate retreats and business guests. In addition to its reputation as a world-class resort, Snowmass is becoming well known for its major Ice Age discovery site, unearthed in late 2010. Fossils from mammoths, mastodons, a Jefferson ground sloth, gigantic ice age bison and other mammals, reptiles, plants and invertebrates reveal an exceptionally well preserved Ice Age ecosystem at Snowmass’ Ziegler Reservoir. For additional information go to http://www.snowmassgroups.com/ or call 1-800-598-2006.
Resource Links
North American Airlines Ski Federation: http://naasf.com/joomla/
Media Contact
Patsy Popejoy
Public Relations Manager
Snowmass Tourism Office
Snowmass Village, CO
970-922-2285
ppopejoy(at)snowmasstourism(dot)com
http://www.snowmasspress.com
or
Vicky Nash Resort Trends, Inc.
970-948-4923
Vicky(at)ResortTrends(dot)com
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