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Photo: Mammoth Lakes Foundation

The 13^th Annual Mammoth Lakes Foundation Golf Classic will go down in history as one of the most successful. Thanks are due to so many, including Dave Schacht of Sierra Star Golf Course who coordinated all the course activity including a “Beat the Pro” contest on Hole 2, and was an outstanding emcee; scholarship students who sold raffle tickets and putting contest entries at the Par 3s; volunteers who helped with everything from registration to silent auction; an impressive list of sponsors; and an amazing roster of golfers who had loads of fun throughout the day.

The winning low score team with a final number of 54 for the day, included Dave Eberts, Dan Schaller, Rusty Richardson, and Tony Kihaloha. A new feature this year is a plaque that will be mounted inside the Clubhouse at Sierra Star for the next year with a picture of the winning team and their score. Honors for high score—that included a private lesson with Dave Schacht for each of its members, went to Vicky Phelps, Suzy Fontana, Linda Hoffman, and Janette Redd.

The Superticket prize that included a seven-night stay at Casa Russell in the desert and play for four at Andalusia Golf course went to Yuri Parisky. Another new feature this year was a choice of Grand Prizes in the raffle. The day of golf for two on the exclusive Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club and a one-night stay at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe was won by Mike Radmall of Simplex Grinnell, Reno, one of the event’s Hole Sponsors. That meant the paddleboard, donated by Charles Comfort, went into a live auction that was won by Rob Mitchell of Tallus.

There was also a putting contest with two finalists, Larry McKee and Dan Schaller. McKee won the $500  prize in the shoot-out with his closest to the hole 40’ putt, and said he now had “Guilt-free golf for a month!”

Also new this year was a Hole-in-One contest; potential prizes included a set of PING Irons, an iPad and, a new 2012 Toyota Prius.  Sadly, no one was the winner—but the red Prius sitting in the shade at the Hole 18 tee inspired everyone to make a valiant effort!

Money from the Golf Classic goes toward supporting student scholarships, increasing cultural programming for the community and other educational support programs.

Next year’s tournament in already scheduled for Sept. 8, 2013, so save the date! -Press Release

Take your game farther at the 13th Annual Mammoth Lakes Foundation Golf Classic 

How far does your drive go at 8,000 feet? Find out at the 13th Annual Mammoth Lakes Foundation Golf Classic on Sept. 9 at Sierra Star Golf Course in Mammoth Lakes. By joining the Mammoth Lakes Foundation on the greens, you are helping with something the Foundation has been hard at work on for more than 20 years – supporting higher education and cultural enrichment in the Eastern Sierra.

The Golf Classic began in 2000 as a fun and important means of the Mammoth Lakes Foundation and its supporters to raise money for programs such as local student college scholarships to Cerro Coso; the operation of South Gateway Student Apartments; supporting Edison Theatre and Mammoth Lakes Repertory Theatre and its expanded season of productions; and planning and preparing for a proposed Mammoth Arts & Cultural Center.

Tournament highlights this year include a four player scramble format, closest to the pin on all par threes; putting contest with a guaranteed winner; hole-in-one award; raffle; and silent auction. Back by popular demand is the Super Ticket raffle with a grand prize of seven nights at Casa Russell, a deluxe four-bedroom desert resort home with pool in Indio, Calif. Super Tickets are just $25 per entry and also include one “tee shot” mulligan and five regular raffle tickets. Only one Super Ticket will be sold per person, so the odds of winning are outstanding.

Registration for the Golf Classic is just $115 for individuals and $460 for foursomes until Aug. 31. After Aug. 31 individual registration is $130 and foursome registration is $520. All participants receive greens fees and cart, use of chipping and putting greens, lunch, tournament gift, silent auction, awards party, and the opportunity to support higher education and cultural enrichment in Mammoth. The tournament sold out last year – players are advised to register early.

The Mammoth Lakes Foundation also invites tournament sponsors for the event, tee sponsorships, and in-kind donations for the Raffle and Silent Auction. Call 760.934.3781 for details. -Press Release

Pictured: Drew Foster plays Caliban in SCT’s latest production, “The Tempest.” (Photo: Geisel)/

“Proof” lead Julia Runcie 

Three thousand miles away, a Harvard graduate is creating Linsanity in New York City. His name is Jeremy Lin, and he plays point guard for the New York Knicks.

Beginning March 29, three local Harvard grads will merely present a little Insanity as Sierra Classic Theatre stages David Auburn’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Proof” at the Edison Theatre in Mammoth Lakes.

If merely was the operative word.

The four-person cast, directed by Alison McDonnell Page, was selected before Christmas to give the actors extra time to learn their lines.

Page, who originally saw the play on Broadway, describes it as “brilliant.” She said the material asks a lot of both the cast and audience. “This is about real people and serious subject matter, but there are comedic moments,” she says. “These are not one-note characters. There is conflict … and mystery.”

“Since Sierra Classic Theatre traditionally does the summer Shakespeare as well as the Murder Mystery Dinners in the fall, we wanted to do a drama … People have told me that we’re not going to sell tickets, that people don’t know this play and won’t recognize the name. But I’m hoping people will come just because they want to see something new.”

Rick Phelps will play the father, a mathematics genius gone insane.

Julia Runcie is the daughter who dropped out of school to take care of him. She doesn’t quite know how much of the genius, or insanity, she’s inherited.

Morgan Lindsay plays the older sister, an executive-type who’s been paying the bills.

Jody Ecklund, plays the love interest, a man who studied math in college who is now assigned to pore through the father’s journals to see if there are any ideas in there worth salvaging.

Page and Runcie graduated from Harvard undergrad. Phelps went to the Business School.

As Page says, “The goal is to have people leave the theater talking about it and thinking about it … We have the talent to do this type of theatre here.”

Sierra Classic Theatre is looking for volunteers (ushers, et. al.) to help out with the production. Visit www.sierraclassictheatre.com if you’re interested.

The play will run from March 29-April 14. Shows are at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. All seats $15, except for a $10 opening night special.

Edison Theatre is located off Meridian Blvd. on College Parkway on the Cerro Coso College campus.

Nordic racer Jack Peckenpaugh (Photo: Hayden Mannetter)

By Alana Levin and Karen Small

Mammoth hosts 240 Nordic athletes from the CNISSF league

The Mammoth Classic, a 6k race for high school athletes and 3k race for middle school athletes, filled the Tamarack Nordic ski trails last Friday, Feb. 3.

All skiers competed in a classic race and due to snow conditions, the klister was flying, sticking and working all day long.

Mammoth High School’s team, coached by Alana Levin, continued its top-10 finishing streak. Leading the girls’ pack, Amanda Kirkeby won the open division (and ranked 6^th fastest finishing time in the Varsity division). Kirkeby led with more than a minute over the next open competitor. Jody Meads, skiing for only her second year in Nordic skiing, finished 3^rd over the field of 34 girls, while Kylie LaFramboise came in close at 6^th place chased by Katherine Janisse in 7^th place.

Freshman Carson Bold led the Mammoth open boys in 4^th place over the field of 26 athletes. He was followed in succession by Jack Roten, Philip Oxford and Nick Damico, who finished 5^th, 6^th and 7^th respectively.

In their 3km race, the Mammoth Middle School boys were lead by both Cameron Small (6^th) and Trace Calvin (10^th) in the huge field of 80 racers. Connor Kusumoto followed with his best finish in 14^th place and two, first year racers, Harrison Manzano (19^th) and Calvin Forsythe (24^th) contributed to Mammoth’s presence. Martin Thompson skied strongly into 29^th place, followed closely by Jacob Mahler (31^st). Eddie Mattiessen (33rd), Rand Bourne (35th), Quinn Contaldi (38th) and Malachi Schrager (39th) all skied with determination and finished in the top half of the field. First year racers Finnely Bourne (51st), Niven Tanzer (54th), Tanner Bissonette (70th),  Jack Peckenpaugh (77th) and Tristan Perpall all contributed to the boy’s team effort on the home course.

The Mammoth Middle School girl’s team skied a strong 3km race, with all their athletes finishing in the top third of the large field of 71 racers. Fleur Connolly lead the way for Mammoth in 14^th place, followed closely by Lindsey Pietsch-Roberts in 18^th and first year racer Meaghan Thompson in 21^st place. Coach Robin Morning and Marie French could not have been more proud of all their Nordic athletes who took part in the Mammoth Classic.

Allan Bard Classic

Junior Far West team athletes stayed in Mammoth over the weekend to prepare for Sunday’s Allan Bard Classic, one of four Junior National Qualifying races (only three this season due to snow conditions) for the Far West region.

Each athlete must qualify in both a classic and skate race to be selected to compete in Junior Nationals. On Sunday, Feb. 5, five Mammoth athletes took the challenge.

Amanda Kirkeby skied with determination in the 5k to qualify for Junior Nationals in the classic eligibility portion. Carson Bold finished close, only 3 percent outside of the qualifying time. Philip Oxford, Nick Damico and Jack Roten (10k) raced for boys and skied well, just outside reach of the qualifying times.

Trace Calvin, Connor Kusumoto and Cameron Small enjoy the Allan Bard Classic (Photo: Karen Small)

Mammoth Middle School also signed up to race the Allan Bard Classic 5k race.  Seventh grader Cameron Small led the Mammoth J3’s, finishing third with a time that nearly would have qualified him for Junior Nationals had he been old enough. Trace Calvin followed in 4th, Connor Kusumoto 6th, Jacob Mahler 7th, Martin Thompson 8th, Niven Tanzer 9^th and Tanner Bissonnette finished 3^rd J4.

To top off the middle school buzz, Assistant Coach, Marie French finished 2^nd female in the true Allan Bard race— a 20km classic event.

State Championships for Nordic will be held Saturday, Feb. 18 and the last Junior National Qualifier is set for President’s Day, Monday, Feb. 20, at Auburn Ski Club.

Junior Nationals are hosted March 3-10 at Soldier Hollow, Utah, site of the 2002 Winter Olympics.

For full race results for both races, visit: http://farwestnordic.org/fwnsea/

Photos: Sue Morning/Mammoth Memories

Finish 1-2 in first Nordic race of season

By Diane Eagle Kataoka

Mother and daughter Nordic ski racers Nancy and Laurel Fiddler not only ski, train and race together, but Sunday they finished one/two in the 2011 Tannenbaum Classic.

The even bigger news is that they blew the doors off everyone else’s time in the 10K: making it twice around the Minaret Mile course up on Mammoth Mountain in a sizzling 20 minutes.

At the completion of the first loop, Laurel’s skis were almost scraping Nancy’s in front of her, and Laurel finished a scant 43 seconds behind her Olympian mom.

In many ways, the 2011 Tannenbaum Nordic ski race was a family affair. Everybody got into the act. Skiers raced. Parents ran the timing, handled registration, manned the course, gathered goodies for the fundraising bake sale. They also coached, cheered and supported their kids on the Nordic Junior ski teams.

Take for instance, the Thompson family. Dad Marty grew up in Mammoth, is a police officer and Mammoth High School football coach. Mom Heidi teaches at the elementary school. They came to cheer on their kids Martin, Carson, Meaghan and Ella, who were entered in each junior division of Sunday’s race.

Then there are Isabel and Scott Kusamoto, who did the timing for the race. Their son Connor (15:28) finished in fourth place in the Junior Boys Division.

But back to the race.

Usually held at Tamarack, lack of December snow moved the race up to the Minaret Mile at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, between Mammoth Mountain Inn and Minaret Summit. Race director Ueli Luthi waved the first classic skiers out of the start at 10 a.m. The adults ran a two-loop 10K. It was a short race and tough, more like a sprint.

“To think that Nancy and Laurel Fiddler did the two laps in 20 minutes is amazing,” said Middle School Nordic Coach Robin Morning.

Mammoth’s Jonathon Bourne won the men’s division (24:29). His brother Andy was on the sidelines. “Go Jon, push. Feel the burn, you can catch her (third place finisher Carolyn Tiernan of Bishop),” he shouted.

The kids take off at last weekend’s Tannenbaum Classic.

Next came a 3K for the junior skiers, both Mammoth High School’s nine members and the Middle School’s 24 racers. Coached respectively by Alana Levin and Robin Morning, the spirit and verve of these Nordic athletes is inspiring. “This year’s (MHS) team is an incredible group of individuals who make up an even more outstanding team,” Levin said. “I am so enthusiastic about the season ahead and seeing the potential of this team unfold.”

In addition, according to Morning, 18 of the Mammoth Chargers and Alpine J 4s and 5s entered the race. “It is great to have this crossover and joining together of the different teams from the Mountain programs,” she said. While waiting for their start the juniors sprinted up and down the side of the course. After their event, they went back up the course to cheer on the 13 little kids for their race.

Amanda Kirkeby (11:43) handily won the girls division, followed two and three minutes later by Patty Hensley (13:53) and Katherine Janisse (15:06).

The junior boys really kicked it, with Nick Damico (11:28) leading a close field of Jack Roten (11:45), Carson Bold (11:47) and Philip Oxford (11:57).

Twelve elementary school kids raced with gusto on a 1K course to the cheers and whistles of parents and other racers. Seth Gacho won the boys division and Kendall Lach won the girls. Perhaps the girl who gave it her absolute all was Cecilia Bassler, who brought up the rear, in superb future Nordic style.

Although the majority of entrants were Eastsiders, there was a smattering of people from SoCal, which is appropriate, since the Tannenbaum race started back in the mid-1950s as a club and league race. It has long been part of a week’s training at Mammoth Mountain every December.

As the season begins, Levin believes all the components are in place for a significant development of a Nordic community. “Roy Moyer and Ueli Luthi at Tamarack Lodge and Cross Country Ski Center, Eastern Sierra Nordic Ski Association, Brian Ellison at Brian’s Bicycles & Cross-Country Skis, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area and the Mammoth Mountain Community Foundation have been an extraordinary support,” she said.

“Programs that Brian Knox at Mammoth Nordic and John Wentworth of Mammoth Lakes Trails and Public Access are developing feeders into the Nordic programs we are building by developing Nordic trails in the community for public use. I feel really fortunate to be leading the team at this time in Mammoth history. It’s an exciting time.”

The Tannenbaum Classic was staged by Tamarack Cross Country Ski Center and Ueli Luthi. Mammoth Mountain Ski Race Team and Race Department provided Slopeside for registration and race headquarters, team parents and volunteers coordinated the work, publicity, registration, results and a big bake sale. All proceeds went to the Eastern Sierra Nordic Ski Association in support of Mammoth youth Nordic teams.

Restaurant Skadi hosted the awards and provided a luncheon. Owner Ian Algeroen told the crowd that his grandmother had been a nomadic reindeer herder – a natural reason to support Nordic skiing.

For complete Tannenbaum Classic results, go to ESNSA.org.

Mammoth’s annual whodunnit thriller is going on now! Sierra Classic Theatre’s 13th annual Murder Mystery Dinner kicked off on Sunday at Tamarack Lodge/Lakefront Restaurant. Nov. 15 is the final night at Tamarack and then the show moves on down the road to Tom’s Place for two nights (Nov. 16&17).

Locals will not want to miss this year’s show, titled “Out of Commission,” and all of its references to Mammoth’s small-town antics. Join the cast at a chamber mixer, hosted by a real estate company with a lot of killer competition in the town of Bloody Mountain.

Visit http://sierraclassictheatre.com/ for ticket information.

Thursday’s Lakanuki Golf Classic was once again quite the spectacle, and even enjoyed an unexpected visit from VIP, President Barack Obama. Can you find him?

Despite a day that started off cloudy and progressed to a full-on rainstorm with thunder and lightning, 144 players raised $35,000 in support of higher education and cultural enrichment at the sold-out 12^th Annual Mammoth Lakes Foundation Golf Classic last Sunday, Sept. 11 at Sierra Star Golf Course. The tournament was called mid-way and became a best-of-9 hole competition, but the real winners were Mammoth Lakes Foundation Scholarship students and South Gateway Student Apartment students, some of whom were among the volunteers supporting the event. Highlights of the scramble tournament included an iPad2 raffle, Super Ticket raffle, silent auction, awards party, and closest to the pin prize on all par threes.

“A sincere thank you to Dave Schacht and the staff of Sierra Star Golf Course, as well as Matt Mednick of Hyde Lounge where the after-tournament party retired to dry out,” said Mammoth Lakes Foundation Executive Director Maya Weinhart. “My staff and I also extend a hearty thank you to our sponsors, players, and volunteers for a job well done. This is the first time we’ve been rained out on the history of the tournament and we still had a blast! We are pleased we were able to raise the same amount as last year for higher education and the arts, despite cutting the tournament short, and definitely look forward to next year’s event.”

After retiring to Hyde Lounge, players, volunteers and staff shared refreshments, participated in the Silent Auction, and learned the names of the winners of the tournament, the raffles, and the Par 3 contests. Thanks to the scholarship student team of Maria “Pita” Vasquez and Plake Parker for winning the prize for most-tickets-sold at a par 3 for their work at Hole 14. Kudos also go to the two die-hard foursomes of Dennis Agee, Jimmy Huh, Doug Hanna, and Dion Agee, and Ben Wells, Matt Kendo, Chris Wylie, and Guy Morrow, both of whom stuck it out and completed the entire 18-hole course despite the downpour.

Congratulations winners

Tournament low score (and repeat winners from last year): Guy Bien, Ian Birrell, Craig Copeland, and Christian Newman representing 80/50

Tournament high score:  Pat Koepsell, Pat Sherill, Vivian Kim, and Heidi Vetter

iPad2 raffle: Charlie Comfort

Super Ticket raffle – seven nights at a resort in Indio, Calif.: Pat and Ron Caird

Closest to the pin on Par 3s: Terry Loy, Jerry Bourelle, Pat Caird, and Bob Hulburt (also repeating from last year)

Thank you sponsors
Title Sponsor: Mr. Bob Hart (in memoriam)

Breakfast Sponsor: Southern California Edison

Beverage Sponsor: The Westin Monache Resort

Hole Sponsors: Rogitz Patents, Neil Sherman Industrial Metal Supply, Cecil Spearman and Spearman Clubs Inc.

Hole-in-one Sponsors: KMMT/KRHV, and Eastern Sierra Community Bank

Putting Contest Sponsors: Ron & Shirley Heck

In-kind and Tee Sponsors: A&A Garage, ACI/San Luis Jet Center, Al Norris, Aliso Creek Inn & Golf Course, Alpine Paint, Base Camp Café, Best Western – Mammoth, Bishop Country Club, Black Gold Asphalt, Bluebird Imaging, Boucher’s Home Care, Chuck Villar Construction, Cornucopia Wine Event, CPR Guide Service – Don Meier, Crowley Fish Camp, Crowley Lake General Store, D & J Roofing Inc., Daniel Mitchell, David Baumwohl Law Offices, Dennis and Dottie Hartman, Diversified Mortgage, Doug and Rosie Butler , DB’s Fish On Eastern Sierra Land Trust, Eric Olsen’s Farmer’s Insurance, Evan and Kathie Russell, Flinn Family, Footloose Sports, George Wever , Hair & Now, Hilton Creek Naturals, In Line Chiropractic, Indian Canyon Golf Course, Jack Smith, Janice Brown, Kendra & Jeff Walker, Kevin Biggins , Las Vegas Hilton, Law offices of Michael Bornfeld, Loving Memory Cary Shibley , Mammoth Hospital, Mammoth Lakes Foundation, Mammoth Liquor, Mammoth Luxury Outlets, Mammoth Mountain Vacations, Mammoth Realty Group – Trish Dunlap, Heidi Helbig, Pat Koepell , Mammoth Reservation Bureau, Mammoth RV Park, Mammoth Unified School District, Mary Lynn & Lily Walker, Mogul Restaurant, Mountain Living Interiors & Design, Napa of Mammoth, Neil Sherman, Oram and Kaylor, Paul and Kathleen Rudder, Pete Veris / Titleist, Pita Pit, Robert Beach Insurance, Robin Stater , Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Shibley Family, Shogun Restaurant, Sierra Jewelers, Sierra Paint and Drywall, Sierra Star Golf Course, Snowcreek Golf Course, State Farm Insurance – Linda Wright, Sunrise Rotary, Susan S. Walker, Taz Electric, Thai’d UP!, Todd Porter / Lamar Advertising, Valley Florist, VP Construction, Von’s Supermarket, Wave Rave, Whiskey Creek, Westin Resort & Spa – Whistler, Yamatani Restaurant

Started in 2000, the Mammoth Lakes Foundation Golf Classic has been an integral way for the Foundation and its supporters to raise money for local student scholarships, the operation of South Gateway Student Apartments, and Mammoth Lakes Repertory Theatre, and planning for a proposed Mammoth Arts and Cultural Center. -Press Release, Mammoth Lakes Foundation

Photo credit: Mammoth Lakes Foundation

For additional photos visit www.mammothlakesfoundation.org