The 20th edition of the Murphy Roberts Holiday Classic returns to Howelsen this week

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The 20th Annual Murphy Roberts Holiday Classic Slalom Races return to Howelsen Hill next week, featuring some of the nation’s top runners.
Shelby Reardon / Steamboat Pilot and Today’s Archive

Twenty years ago, Chris Puckett and David Baldinger Jr. wanted to organize a European style race at Steamboat Springs.

Puckett was racing back then, and Baldinger was coaching. They thought it would be fun to have an early season, holiday-related race with good cash prizes and mix regional junior riders with national team skiers.

Two decades after seeing this vision, the Murphy Roberts Holiday Classic Alpine Races are still held at Howelsen Hill. The tradition continues this week on Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 December.



“In Europe there are little hills like Howelsen that come all over town and there are big races and the whole town comes to watch,” said Jon Nolting, associate executive director of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club.

“It doesn’t happen so much in the United States, except for this race,” he continued. “So the athletes, the atmosphere of having a big crowd like ours and the cash prize – it’s not the most important race of the year for these top athletes, but it can be. – to be their favorite race of the year. “



The 20th Annual Holiday Classic is bigger than ever with a historic purse of $ 29,000. Runners will compete for $ 4000 on both days.

In the past, only the night race had such a big prize, the most money allowed for a race of this kind. The top five of each gender in each race will win cash, as will the top competitor under the age of 18.

“The vision was to someday have the best FIS slalom ski race in North America, and it came to pass,” said Baldinger.

Young runners rarely, if ever, compete for that much money, which adds a level pressure that is motivating, but also intimidating. It’s a good combination for young runners to get used to, Nolting said.

For the second year, the race was divided into a development division and an elite division. The split started last year when COVID restricted the racetrack to 75 competitors, so race directors at the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club split the field into two different levels.

“This year the COVID restrictions were gone, but we liked the way it worked,” Nolting said. “We liked that it gave the developmentally level kids a chance to have a race where they were at the top and didn’t have the best in the field, and were able to start closer to the front, and they.” d seek to qualify for this elite level.

Development races were held on Friday and Saturday last week at Howelsen Hill, and elite races will take place on Wednesday December 22 and Thursday December 23. With only elite runners, the competition will be shorter than in previous years and more competitive, for fun ski races.

The night race is the highlight of the event and will feature the best skiers in the country except those who compete at World Cup level to make it to the Olympics.

“(The night run) only accentuates the uniqueness of Howelsen Hill, being here downtown,” Nolting said. “When it’s lit, runners feel like they’re skiing in town and it’s so close to town that people can just come out and watch. There is nowhere that it is so easy to go out and look.

Another traditional part of the event that casual spectators may not be familiar with is the Champions Dinner. Each year, each past winner is invited to a dinner party, and 20 years later, the longevity of the event is evident.

“Now we even have people who maybe haven’t raced in 10 or 15 years,” Baldinger said. “They already have kids and families, but make a point of attending the Champions Dinner and then going to watch the races.”



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